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  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions his Department has held with local authorities on cyber-security.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCSIA) in the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office works with a range of government partners to deliver the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP). OCSIA has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to support local government cyber security. This includes working with individual councils, the Society of IT Management (SOCITM), the Society of Local Authority Chief Executive (SOLACE) and the Local Government Association (LGA). This financial year the NSCP funded team within DCLG has delivered regional workshops for local government leaders with further workshops planned later this year.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help small and medium-sized enterprises protect themselves against cyber-attack.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government’s National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) aims to tackle cyber crime and make the UK the safest place in the world to do business in the world. This includes the Cyber Essentials Scheme to protect businesses against common cyber threats and the cyber streetwise campaign which offers simple cyber security advice to small businesses and consumers. In addition to the £860 million investment under the NCSP between 2011-2016, in November 2015 the Chancellor announced a new five year £1.9 billion investment in cyber security to make the UK one of the best protected countries in cyber space.

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what projections his Department has made of the effect on business rates receipts of plans for devolved city region authorities.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government has announced that, by the end of the Parliament, we will give all local councils, including city regions, new responsibilities in return for keeping 100% of locally raised business rates. We will also give city regions powers over setting local business rates, strengthening their link with their local business communities and allowing them to tailor local taxes to the needs of their local economies. We will be working out the details of the reform in the coming months in consultation with local government.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of establishment of safe and legal routes for asylum seekers wishing to enter the UK on the frequency of migrant deaths at sea.

    James Brokenshire

    Any migrant death is a tragedy and the international community must act to reduce the likelihood of more migrants losing their lives in this way or falling victim to smuggling and trafficking.

    The Government believes it is better to prioritise interventions upstream in countries of origin and transit in ways that reduce the need of migrants to leave their country of origin or move on from a safe third country. The UK is at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. On 4 February 2016, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will more than double our total pledge to the Syria crisis from £1.12 billion to over £2.3 billion. This is our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis.

    Furthermore, more than $11 billion was pledged at the Supporting Syria Conference the UK co-hosted in London on 4th February, the largest amount raised in one day for a humanitarian crisis. The international community has pledged nearly $6 billion for 2016; with a further $5 billion for the coming years until 2020.

    However, for those individuals who cannot be supported in the region, the UK operates three resettlement programmes: Gateway, Mandate and the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. These provide a safe and direct route to the UK for the most vulnerable UNHCR recognised refugees.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing for (a) Syrian refugees and (b) Syrian refugee children in Europe; and if she will make a statement.

    Justine Greening

    DFID is providing nearly £46 million to support refugees in Europe. Part of this funding will provide shelter, warm clothes, food, and medical supplies, including for 27,000 children and babies, many of whom have fled fighting in Syria.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the high incidence of mental health disorders in countries (a) with poor mental health support services and (b) that are experiencing conflict or have recently emerged from conflict; and if she will make a statement.

    Justine Greening

    DFID is funding work on mental health in several of our focus countries. For example in Malawi, under the Health Partnership Scheme DFID is helping to establish a community-based programme to improve care of people with common and severe mental health illnesses.

    The UK is also providing mental health services through the provision of mobile clinics, healthcare and emergency surgery for Syrian refugees caught up in the ongoing crisis

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department’s funding to sea search and rescue programmes are due to end; what future funding is planned for such programmes; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    Border Force is undertaking a vital role in the search and rescue of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, as part of a Frontex led programme. Border Force carried out for the Department for International Development (DFID) funded search and rescue missions in Summer 2015 and is currently undertaking a second DFID funded deployment, which is due to end on 30th April 2016. Given the significant contribution made to date, it is likely that Frontex will invite Border Force to continue its involvement in future search and rescue programmes and Border Force is therefore currently establishing its Mediterranean role after 30th April 2016 and the availability of further DFID funding.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on that body’s record of (a) call waiting times, (b) call handling and (c) the steps HMRC plans to take to increase the level of service to telephone customers.

    Mr David Gauke

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

    Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

    http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

    “

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department’s policies on shop workers’ rights to opt out of Sunday working of the findings of a recent USDAW survey on the number of shop workers who (a) feel under pressure to work longer hours on a Sunday and (b) want to work fewer hours on a Sunday.

    Anna Soubry

    In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.

    A number of respondents expressed concern that extended opening hours could increase pressure on shop workers to work longer hours on Sundays. We therefore propose to enable shop workers to opt out of working additional hours on Sundays, to shorten the notice period for shop workers at large shops who wish to opt out of Sunday working altogether, and to strengthen and clarify the duty on employers to notify shop workers of their opt-out rights.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide an estimate of the number of environmental laws, derived from the EU, that are (a) ignored and (b) unused by the devolved administrations.

    Rory Stewart

    Environmental law is an area of devolved competence. Transposition and implementation of EU environmental law therefore rests with the devolved administrations. The obligation to transpose and implement EU environmental law applies across the whole of the UK.