The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Government has for the decommissioning of (a) HMS Torbay, (b) HMS Trenchant, (c) HMS Talent and (d) HMS Triumph.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) is looking across the spectrum to assess what defence capabilities will address the threats we face. The conclusions of the SDSR are due to be published on 23 November.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that conditionality requirements for jobseekers who are in receipt of universal credit, as set out in each individual’s Claimant Commitment, take into account whether the individual may be homeless.
Priti Patel
Work Coaches regularly discuss a range of issues and circumstances with claimants. Where homelessness is raised, and is a barrier to employment, work coaches can temporarily lift or vary work search and availability requirements to help support in finding accommodation. Conditionality requirements reflect reasonable expectations given the claimants circumstance. These are recorded in the Claimant Commitment and regularly reviewed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Whitty on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they removed the £1 billion funding of carbon capture and storage, as announced to the London Stock Exchange on 25 November 2015; and how they plan to ensure the advance of that technology in the future.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government believes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK.
The Department’s Annual Report & Accounts for 2015-16 will be published in June 2016 and will review the work of the Department, including the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage in 2015-16. The Budget for the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage for 2015-16 is £41.3 million.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state registered foster carers her Department estimates will be eligible for the Government’s proposed free 30 hours of childcare.
Edward Timpson
Foster carers will be able to access the existing 15 hour early education entitlement for three-and four-year olds for both their foster children and their own children. In addition, two year olds who are looked after by a local council or have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order are also entitled to 15 hours of early education.
Foster carers will be able to access the extended entitlement for three-and four-year olds for their own children provided that they meet the minimum income requirement. This means that foster parents should be earning the equivalent to 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living Wage and their income should not exceed £100,000. This includes employed and self-employed parents.
Since foster carers are separately funded for the care of foster children, they will not be able to access the extended entitlement for their foster children. This is in line with the treatment of foster carers under Tax-Free Childcare, tax credits and Universal Credit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to consider restructuring the NHS Drug Tariff Part IX on wound dressings based on their clinical performance and intended use.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The scope of the Department’s clinical specifications project is to assess wound care products available via the NHS Supply Chain to secondary care organisations. There are no plans at this time to extend this scope to include wound care products listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff, which can be prescribed in primary care at National Health Service expense.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-04-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on its review of the treatment of VAT in airside retail shops.
Mr David Gauke
On 31 December 2015, the Chancellor announced a review of the tax treatment of airside retail sales, with a view to identifying options for passengers to receive more of the direct benefits. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has completed its initial fact finding.
The Government is keen to identify options that provide overall best value for travellers. This means fully understanding the potential impacts of possible changes on travellers, retailers and airports, and I have asked HMRC to explore these thoroughly. Once this work has been completed, decisions on the best way forward will be made in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the murder of the Korean-Chinese pastor Han Choong Yeol on 30 April 2016 in China with his Chinese counterpart; and if he will request that his Chinese counterpart investigate whether the North Korean security services were involved in that murder.
Mr Hugo Swire
I have no plans to raise this case with the Chinese Government. We have a regular dialogue with the Chinese about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which covers the effective implementation of UN sanctions to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons, and encouraging China to confront human rights violations by the North Korean regime, most notably the important principle of non-refoulement. I raised both points with Chinese Vice Minister Chen Fengxiang in December.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has carried out of the effect of the closure of the emergency department at Chase Farm Hospital in 2013 on other hospital emergency departments in (a) Enfield and (b) North London.
Ben Gummer
This is a matter for the local National Health Service.
The closure of the emergency department at Chase Farm Hospital was informed by the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey (BEH) Clinical Strategy, which took full account of the likely effects and implications of that closure.
The BEH Clinical Strategy has been through a rigorous due process, including a thorough planning and development phase, a public consultation and a number of gateway reviews and checkpoints.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2016 to Question 42107, on Islamic State, what factors would need to change for a referral to the International Criminal Court to be considered practical; what discussions the Government has had with (a) Russia, (b) China and (c) other permanent members of the UN Security Council on securing their vote for a referral; and what the Government’s latest assessment is of (i) Russia’s and (ii) China’s policy on that issue.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We expect that any Security Council resolution at this time seeking to refer the situations in Iraq or Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) would be blocked, as it was when efforts were made to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC in 2014. We continue to work with our international partners, including other permanent members of the UN Security Council, to look at every available option to assist the victims of Daesh and bring those responsible for crimes to justice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for phytosanitary certification measures for the importation of plant material after the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice
We recognise that the UK’s exit from the EU may have implications for the way in which current UK plant health services operate, including phytosanitary certification on imports, quarantine measures to mitigate the highest risk pests and diseases, and plant passporting.
We are considering the implications and possible options as part of our planning for, and negotiations on, the UK’s exit.
Continuing to deliver a risk-based, proportionate plant health regime that effectively protects the UK from plant pests and diseases, whilst maximising the free movement of goods, remains of the highest priority.