The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Part 10 of the Gambling Act 2005.
Tracey Crouch
The Government continues to keep under review all aspects of the Gambling Act 2005. The Triennial Review of Stakes and Prizes is due to be published shortly, and will consider stakes and prizes of all gaming machines.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle illegal fly grazing in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.
George Eustice
The Control of Horses Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) came into force on 26 May and specifically applies to horses that are fly-grazing or abandoned on another person’s land. Under the 2015 Act, local authorities and private owners and occupiers of land are able to deal with fly-grazing or abandoned horses more quickly and effectively. Specifically, it permits the disposal of such horses after 4 working days from detention, rather than the 14 days currently prescribed by the previous law. The 2015 Act applies to the whole of England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-11-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates officers of the Metropolitan Police Service trained officers of the Security Support Department of the Abu Dhabi Police; how many such officers were trained; what the content of that training was; and whether that training included training on human rights issues.
Mike Penning
The Home Office does not hold the information asked for.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will issue clear guidance that buzzard control licences should be granted to gamekeepers or organisations whenever the criteria for applications for such licences are met.
Rory Stewart
Licences to control buzzards are issued by Natural England on the Secretary of State’s behalf in accordance with the Government’s policy on wildlife management. Following the recent McMorn judgment in the High Court, which quashed a licencing decision taken in 2014 relating to buzzards, Natural England is revising the guidance on dealing with these types of application and once completed, the guidance will be publicly available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, further to the Government response of October 2013 to his Department’s consultation on arrangements concerning whiplash injuries in England and Wales, what plans his Department has (a) to maintain access to justice for claimants and (b) to protect such claimants from the under-settling of claims potentially arising from increases to the small claims court limit.
Dominic Raab
The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course, including any necessary safeguards. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has allocated to projects which are primarily aimed at Eritrean nationals in the last three years; and in which countries such projects are based.
Mr Nick Hurd
As a member of the European Development Fund Committee (EDF) my Department scrutinises all EDF programming. The National Indicative Programme (NIP) for Eritrea under EDF 11 was considered at the Committee on the 17th of November 2015 and received a positive opinion. Prior to that DFID officials worked with other member states to secure a joint EU and member state approach to linking implementation of the NIP with successful dialogue on human rights.
We continue to monitor this, both in country and in Brussels, alongside other member states.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of diversity of membership of the Civil Service Board; and if he will make a statement.
Matthew Hancock
The Civil Service Board is the highest level of governance and the most senior collective leadership body. It is Chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and comprises the Chief Executive and senior Permanent Secretaries. Its current membership is:
Sir Jeremy Heywood
Melanie Dawes
Sir Robert Devereux
Dame Lin Homer
Sir Derek Jones
Mark Lowcock
John Manzoni
Sir Nick Macpherson
Sir Simon McDonald
Dame Una O’Brien
Mark Sedwill
Jon Thompson
Chris Wormold
Appointments to the Civil Service Board are made by the Chair and are selected from the pool of Permanent Secretaries who are heads of department. Board membership is reviewed on an ongoing basis and diversity is always a key consideration when making new appointments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how his Department observes the Sea Empress ruling in its observation of the Pilotage Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Under the Pilotage Act 1987, it is Competent Harbour Authority’s duty to keep under review what pilotage services are needed for safe navigation and to provide those services accordingly, for which a proper assessment of the interests of safety is relevant as spelt out in the Sea Empress case.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to protect the Golan Heights from further Israeli settlement expansion, discriminatory policies against the native Syrian population, and the extraction of natural resources from the area.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government regards the Golan Heights – along with East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza – as Occupied Territory. We continue to call on Israel, as the Occupying Power, to uphold its obligations under international law in the Occupied Territories, including abiding by UN Security Council Resolution 497 (1981). We have been clear that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions (a) overall and (b) where Downs syndrome had been identified were carried out at each (i) NHS hospital, (ii) clinic and (iii) surgery in Lancashire in 2016.
Nicola Blackwood
Data for 2016 is not yet available.