UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the annual saving in legal aid costs as a result of the withdrawal of legal and advice in relation to benefits appeals.

    Lord Faulks

    Legal aid for welfare benefits appeals is limited to advice and assistance on a point of law in the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, including applications to the Upper Tribunal for permission to appeal. Legal aid is also available for judicial reviews of welfare benefit decisions and claims about welfare benefits relating to a contravention of the Equality Act 2010.

    Given the need to focus limited resource on the highest priority matters, legal aid is no longer generally available for other welfare benefits matters. Although many people rely on benefits, these cases primarily concern financial entitlement and, as such, do not raise such fundamental issues as cases concerning liberty or safety.

    The Impact Assessments published at the time LASPO received Royal Assent provided estimates for the reductions in legal aid spending for matters within the welfare benefits category, It was estimated that volumes would fall by 135,000 or 98% and spend by £25m or 97%. As part of the LASPO Post Implementation Review, the department will make an assessment of whether this reduction has been achieved. The impact assessments published alongside LASPO are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent violence in Juba on the security situation in South Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are deeply concerned by the deterioration in the security situation in South Sudan. We condemn the fighting in Juba between government and opposition forces. These actions are entirely unacceptable. It is now vitally important that President Kiir and First Vice President Machar ensure their troops respect the recent ceasefire statements and avoid any further acts of violence. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) made statements on 9, 11 and 14 July calling for an immediate end to all violence and protection for all South Sudanese civilians.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44262 on Diego Garcia, since what date the existing procedures referred to have been in place.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The US presence on the island of Diego Garcia is governed by a series of agreements, called Exchanges of Notes, of which the overarching agreement sets out the whole Territory should be made available for UK and US defence purposes for an initial 50 year period of 1966 to 2016. If neither side object during a two year window of December 2014 to December 2016, the agreement will continue as it stands until the end of December 2036.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications of UN Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) for the legality of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    There is a clear legal basis for further military action against ISIL in Syria. The legal basis of the Coalition’s activity against ISIL in Syria has been, and continues to be, the inherent right of self-defence recognised in Article 51 of the UN Charter. The legality of potential UK strikes against ISIL in Syria would also be based on the right of self-defence. The right of self defence may be exercised individually where it is necessary for the UK’s own defence, and collectively in the defence of our friends and allies.

    UN Security Council Resolution 2249 provides clear and unanimous political endorsement by the international community for the military action being taken by the Coalition.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which weapons were identified in health and safety dangerous occurrences reported by his Department involving an unplanned or faulty discharge in each of the last five years; and how many such incidents there were for each of those weapons in each of those years.

    Mark Lancaster

    We are investigating the compilation of the requested statistics and I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support military efforts to tackle Islamic State in Libya.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The recent attacks in the Oil Crescent and Zliten in western Libyan highlight the threat these groups pose to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests. We are working closely with international partners to deepen our understanding of Daesh’s presence in Libya and to develop a comprehensive approach to defeating it.

    This includes working closely with Libya’s neighbours to enhance their ability to protect themselves against threats from terrorists in Libya and prevent weapons’ smuggling across the region.

    We continue to urge all Libyans to unite against these extremists. A lasting and inclusive political agreement and the establishment of a Government of National Accord (GNA) is the best way to tackle the threat in the long term. Engaging with the new Libyan Government on this issue will be a high priority.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of criminalising cyber bullying.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government continues to work closely with social media companies to make sure they are committed to protecting children who use social media platforms. Ministers from the Department for Education, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and the Home Office meet quarterly with social media providers and other key stakeholders at the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) executive board meetings, to discuss important issues relating to child safety online, including cyberbullying.

    Recently, Ofcom led a social media working group on behalf of UKCCIS, with representation from Twitter, Facebook, Google, Ask.FM, and MindCandy. The group developed best practice guidance aimed at encouraging responsible practice from industry to ensure children using their services are able to do so in a safe and protected way. The guidance was issued by UKCISS in December 2015 and can be found on their website.

    To help schools prevent and tackle bullying, we are providing £1.3m this year (2015-16) to anti-bullying charities to tackle all forms of bullying including cyberbullying, on top of the £4m provided in 2013-15. We are also providing £2m this year (2015-16) to organisations to specifically tackle homophobic bullying, which includes cyberbullying.

    We do not want to make any form of bullying a criminal offence as to do so would risk criminalising young people. In some circumstances that may be justified, but probably only in a limited number of very serious cases, for which there are already laws in place to protect people. Internet providers, schools and parents all have a role to play in keeping children and young people safe online.

    The Government Equalities Office is funding the UK Safer Internet Centre to produce advice for schools on how to keep children safe online. This is scheduled for publication this spring.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many applicants to the Pubs Code Adjudicator role declared actual or potential conflicts of interest.

    Anna Soubry

    It is standard Government practice not to provide such information. The Government only provides such information about the successful candidate.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many times he has attended public meetings of the Scottish Affairs Committee since his appointment.

    David Mundell

    I have met and appeared in front of the Scottish Affairs Committee on two occasions since my appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland and will next be appearing in May.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that NICE guidance is followed in the use of faecal microbiota transplants in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on faecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection under the interventional procedure programme. This programme makes recommendations about the safety of the procedures and how well they work. However the guidance does not constitute a direction to National Health Service trusts to provide the interventions. Decisions about whether to provide a treatment are taken locally.