UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the decision to delay inquiring into wider governance issues at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and the role that the Trust is being asked to play in helping the re-configuration of services in Staffordshire are connected, and if so, how.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS Improvement advises that Verita’s report Independent review of the handling by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright was undertaken and published independently of Government and of any role the Trust played in the reconfiguration of services in Staffordshire. The review did not relate in any way to the reconfiguration.

    The content and timing of the review into wider concerns about governance at the Trust will not be affected in any way by the Staffordshire reconfiguration.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding he is making available to (a) Warrington and Cheshire West and (b) Chester councils to enable residents to travel toll-free across the Mersey Gateway Bridge and Silver Jubilee Bridge when they open in 2017.

    Andrew Jones

    Following the previous Chancellor’s further statement in July 2015 that the Government is looking at extending Mersey Gateway bridge toll discounts to residents of Chester West & Chester and Warrington, officials are currently working through what the proposed further extension means for the scheme both by way of the cost to the Department but also and importantly what this would do to the commercial structure of the contracts already signed for the scheme. Once this is clear we will be able to provide more information.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

    Sarah Newton

    The Home Office does not employ cleaning staff. The cleaning of the Home Office estate is outsourced. The contract requires that all contracted staff have undergone the necessary pre-employment checks and have the right to work in the UK.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why 450 British extremists who have been, or are believed to have been, fighting in Syria have been permitted to re-enter the UK, and why only three of those individuals have been charged with terrorist offences.

    Lord Bates

    Approximately 800 British nationals have travelled to Syria to take part in the conflict since it began, and of those who are known to have travelled about half have returned.

    It is a general convention of international law that a state should allow entry of its own citizens.

    However, everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq – which includes those who voluntarily decide to live in areas controlled by ISIL – must expect to be subject to review by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences abroad, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.

    British citizens and residents who commit offences abroad can be prosecuted under a wide range of terrorism and criminal law offences including training for terrorism and murder.

    Decisions on charging are taken independently on a case-by-case basis by the Crown Prosecution Service.

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles purchased from Thales have been handed over to the British Army.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As at 15 December 2015, 37 Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicles have been delivered by Thales and accepted by the Ministry of Defence. Of these, 10 are currently held by the Army to meet its current flying training programme and readiness requirements. The remainder are either being used for flight trials at West Wales Airport, or being stored and maintained until required by the Army.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what investigation his Department is making into the concerns recently raised by assistant coroner Christopher Wooley with regards to failures at HM Prison Parc.

    Andrew Selous

    I have received a report from the Coroner following the recent inquest into the tragic death from natural causes of a prisoner at HMP Parc in 2014. I have noted the matters of concern set out in it, which include issues of policy across the prison estate, as well as local practice at HMP Parc. The National Offender Management Service is working with the Director of the prison, and the other organisations to which the report has been sent, to ensure that the concerns are examined and appropriately addressed, and that the Coroner receives a response to his report within the statutory deadline.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether under the human rights arrangements within the Belfast Agreement 1998, they have raised or will raise the decision by the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to ban all Church of Ireland services in the centre of Dublin on Easter Sunday, and if they have raised this matter, what was the result.

    Lord Dunlop

    I am informed that the authorities in the Republic of Ireland have not banned all Church of Ireland services in the centre of Dublin on Easter Sunday but that there will be restricted access to the city centre on that day due to security measures being put it place around a planned Easter Rising Commemoration parade.

    I understand that the Irish Government and An Garda Síochána are working closely with senior Church of Ireland representatives in order to facilitate worship at those churches in the area. This matter has not been raised under the human rights arrangements within the Belfast Agreement 1998.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban auditors from selling tax avoidance schemes to their audit clients.

    Anna Soubry

    The new EU Audit Regulation (537/2014) prohibits the provision of tax services by audit firms to their audit clients. This includes services relating to tax avoidance. The prohibition will apply where those audit clients are banks, building societies, insurers and issuers of shares or debt securities on a regulated market in the EU (e.g. the main market of the London Stock Exchange). The Regulation was agreed by the European Parliament and the Council in 2014 and will apply from 17 June 2016.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to issue a commencement order to bring into effect Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    No decision has been taken regarding commencement of section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013. The matter is still under consideration.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Sir James Munby’s ruling in In re. Z(A Child) (No.2) [2016] EWHC 1191(Fam) that UK law is incompatible with the human rights of single parents who have children born through surrogacy.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Surrogacy is a complex issue, the legislation about which has not been significantly addressed by respective administrations since the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985. The Government recognises the arguments for the need for a review, and we have therefore asked the Law Commission, as part of the consultation on its 13th work programme this summer, to consider including a project on surrogacy

    The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.

    The Government recognises surrogacy as an important option for some people wishing to start a family and is currently considering how best to clarify the current legal arrangements for intended parents, surrogates and their families. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service campaign to increase awareness of Parental Orders is ongoing and targeted at health workers, local authority registration staff and surrogacy agencies. It will be evaluated in full upon completion in autumn 2016; in-campaign monitoring indicates its messaging is reaching the target audience.