Author: admin

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support countries in combating breast ironing.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.

    The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.

    The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority regarding reported Palestinian General Intelligence Service raids on female students’ houses in Hebron at night.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Officials from our Consulate-General raised this issue with the Palestinian Authority on 23 March.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the closure of the Palestine Today news television channel in the West Bank and the arrest of three journalists.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. However we are aware of reports of closure of the Palestine Today television channel and are investigating the background.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the continued ban on Gaza Strip exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While there is not a ban on Gazan exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad, Israeli restrictions on Gazan exports of many goods remain. The UN has reported that there was a sharp increase in exports and transfers from Gaza during 2015. According to the UN, in January 2016, 288 truckloads of goods were permitted to leave Gaza for the West Bank, Israel and international markets. This is the largest figure in a single month since the imposition of movement and access restrictions in 2007. We welcome the steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions. However, we want to see Israel go much further. We have frequent discussions with the Government of Israel about the need to ease restrictions on Gaza. We continue to press for an end to movement and access restrictions in and out of Gaza, and for urgent measures to relieve the humanitarian suffering of those in Gaza.

  • Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Horam on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many homes were completed under the Affordable Homes Programme launched in April 2011.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government has delivered 193,000 affordable homes through the 2011-15 Affordable Homes Programme. This programme exceeded expectations delivering 23,000 more affordable homes than anticipated.

  • Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Horam on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many homes were completed in each London Borough in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many homes were sold under the Right to Buy in each of those London Boroughs in the same year.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The figures requested are provided in the table below:

    London Borough

    Dwellings completed in 20151

    Right to Buy sales in 20152

    Barking and Dagenham

    649

    216

    Barnet

    1,500

    89

    Bexley

    603

    ..

    Brent

    708

    60

    Bromley

    676

    ..

    Camden

    711

    140

    City of London

    10

    5

    Croydon

    1,687

    160

    Ealing

    756

    105

    Enfield

    610

    144

    Greenwich

    1,874

    240

    Hackney

    623

    241

    Hammersmith and Fulham

    290

    82

    Haringey

    651

    177

    Harrow

    561

    28

    Havering

    1,084

    86

    Hillingdon

    537

    136

    Hounslow

    1,043

    183

    Islington

    189

    176

    Kensington and Chelsea

    1,119

    36

    Kingston upon Thames

    46

    37

    Lambeth

    1,302

    228

    Lewisham

    1,118

    111

    Merton

    158

    ..

    Newham

    691

    330

    Redbridge

    492

    46

    Richmond upon Thames

    121

    ..

    Southwark

    1,466

    278

    Sutton

    194

    52

    Tower Hamlets

    1,138

    264

    Waltham Forest

    1,081

    100

    Wandsworth

    761

    47

    Westminster

    166

    51

    1 source: Live Table 253a https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

    2 source: Live Table 691 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales

    Figures exclude Preserved Right to Buy

    .. Local Authority owns no dwelling stock.

    “

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether revenue generated from the immigration health surcharge for foreign nationals will be re-directed back into funding for the NHS; and if so, what measures have been put in place to achieve that.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    All funding derived from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) will be spent on the National Health Service, with the exception around £7 million per annum which will be used to fund some costs that fall to the Home Office associated with collecting and handling the surcharge.

    The Home Office transfers funds to the Department for Health and, consistent with the Barnett Formula, the devolved administrations through the Estimates process. In the event that IHS in-come exceeds the amount transferred, the balance will be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund for Extra Receipts and made available for spending on the NHS in the following financial year.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what form they will report on the revenue collected from the immigration health surcharge for foreign nationals; and whether that information will be placed in the public domain.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    The Home Office committed to provide information about its administration of the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) within 12 months of the surcharge going live. The Immigration Minister wrote to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee to provide an update on 23 March, including details of the number of migrants who have paid the Surcharge and the total amount of Surcharge funding directed to the National Health Service (NHS).

    A copy of the letter has been placed in the House library to ensure the commitment to Parliament is met. The Home Office will also report on total IHS income received in its Annual Report and Accounts.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received an explanation from the government of the United States as to why the approved biometric permit enrolment centres are delayed in that country; what is the revised targeted roll-out date; and what steps they are currently taking to assist those applying under the UKF form citizenship route to achieve their UK citizenship in a timely manner, whilst those centres are facing delays in implementation.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    The use of US Application Support Centers (ASCs) to capture biometrics for nationality (‘citizenship’) applications has required new IT provisions, as well as a refreshed Memorandum of Understanding. These changes have required the approval of both the US Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. Agreement has drawn on our strong existing relationships, but due to competing priorities has taken longer than expected.

    There were some initial challenges in delivering the intricate IT arrangements, resulting in delays in implementation; these have now been resolved and the IT is in place.

    We have advised applicants of the reasons for the delay and have put in place provisions for customers in urgent cases to attend the UK Visa office at the UK Consulate in New York to exceptionally enrol their biometrics there.

    Within the last week, the necessary authority has been received to proceed and we will now move to urgently finalise arrangements. We hope to be able to complete the necessary contractual work as a priority and then to begin the roll out as soon as possible thereafter.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will permit zero rating for church repairs following the decision of the EU Council to allow member states to set a VAT rate of zero.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Under consecutive governments renovations and repairs have been subject to the standard rate of VAT.

    The government provides grant aid to support certain church repairs and maintenance projects through the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme which makes £42 million of government support available per year and the Listed Places of Worship roof repair fund worth £55 million in total. More details of these are available online.