Category: Speeches

Lord Green of Deddington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2015-10-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 19 October (HL2532), which specific elements of European law require the right to challenge an adverse asylum decision via an effective remedy; and whether the nature of such a remedy is prescribed.

Lord Bates

Article 39 of the Asylum Procedures Directive requires that EU member states must provide an effective remedy before a Court or Tribunal in respect of a decision taken on a person’s asylum application.

The nature of the remedy is not prescribed beyond requiring it to be before a Court or Tribunal.

01/12/2022
Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-02-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the average change in the level of household (a) borrowing and (b) debt between 2008 and 2013 in Mid Sussex constituency.

Mr Nick Hurd

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

01/12/2022
Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Reckless on 2014-02-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the implementation of the so-called Eve’s Law.

Damian Green

The Government takes the issue of domestic violence very seriously and is committed to ensuring greater protection for victims of all forms of violence.

The issue raised by the Eve’s Law campaign is complex and cuts across a number of justice jurisdictions, and into many areas of a victim’s interaction with the state and other agencies.

Having considered the issues raised by the campaign this Department is not persuaded that primary legislation is the necessary and appropriate way forward. However, we are committed to taking action to improve the protection of personal information of victims and will identify opportunities in the cross-Government programmes that are tackling the priority issues of domestic and sexual abuse.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to questions raised in the House by Dan Jarvis MP, Honourable Member for Barnsley Central, regarding the Eve’s Law campaign, on 17 December 2013, and 14 January this year (Hansard 14 Jan 2014 : Column 480W, 17 Dec 2013 : Column 607).

01/12/2022
Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2014-01-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Integrated Offender Management model piloted in the London Borough of Islington on reoffending rates in that area.

Damian Green

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office. Integrated Offender Management is an important approach to cutting crime and reoffending in local areas. One of the key strengths of the approach is that the local model should be responsive to local needs and priorities as identified by the agencies and the partners in the area. For this reason, we have not imposed any particular model of Integrated Offender Management on areas, nor do we performance manage from Whitehall the crime and reoffending outcomes that local partners in areas such as the London Borough of Islington may be achieving through their local approach.

01/12/2022

Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2014-01-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many non-UK EEA nationals had dependants eligible to receive child benefit where the dependant is (a) in the UK and (b) outside the UK on 1 January 2014; and how much has been paid in such a fashion in each of the last three years.

Nicky Morgan

HMRC are not able to provide the information in the manner requested. HMRC do not record the nationality of the claimant receiving Child Benefit for children living in another member state.

Published Child Benefit statistics provide annual estimates of the number of families and children claiming. The latest available (August 2012) show that there were 7.92 million families, responsible for 13.77 million children and qualifying young people receiving Child Benefit.

The main purpose of Child Benefit is to support families in the UK. Consequently, the rules generally do not provide for them to be paid in respect of children who live abroad.

Nevertheless, Child Benefit is a family benefit under EC Regulation 883/2004. This regulation protects the social security rights of nationals of all member states of the European economic area, including the UK, and Switzerland when they exercise their rights of free movement under EU law.

HMRC holds information on the number of Child Benefit awards under EC Regulation 883/2004. As at 31 December 2013, there were 20,400 ongoing Child Benefit awards under the EC Regulation in respect of 34.268 children living in another member state.

This is a fall of 3,682 (15.3%) awards in respect of 5,903 (14.7%) fewer children since 31 December 2012.

The breakdown by member state is as follows:

*We have withheld the number where it is fewer than 5, as there is risk that the information could be attributed to an identifiable person, which would prejudice their right to privacy and would therefore be a breach of Principle 1 of the Data Protection Act.

Child Benefit

Country of residence of children	Number of awards	Number of children

Austria	23	37
Belgium	75	140
Bulgaria	186	245
Croatia	*5	*5
Cyprus	39	61
Czech Republic	124	203
Denmark	13	23
Estonia	45	65
Finland	12	23
France	789	1429
Germany	283	495
Greece	44	69
Hungary	136	196
Iceland	*5	*5
Italy	156	273
Latvia	797	1091
Liechtenstein	0	0
Lithuania	1215	1712
Luxembourg	7	14
Malta	15	22
Norway	30	61
Poland	13174	22093
Portugal	202	309
Republic of Ireland	1231	2505
Romania	230	392
Slovakia	692	1232
Slovenia	11	21
Spain	600	1019
Sweden	49	95
Switzerland	77	150
The Netherlands	142	288

Totals	20400	34268

As announced in the 2014 Budget, to prevent EEA migrants claiming benefits they are not entitled to, the Government will increase compliance checks to establish whether EEA migrants meet the entitlement conditions to receive Child Benefit

Under domestic law, in order to claim Child Benefit EEA Migrants must be present in the UK, ordinarily resident and have a right to reside in the UK and their children must live in the UK.

The recent changes to migrants’ access to benefits announced by the Government sends a strong message that the UK benefit system is not open to abuse, as well as deterring those who may seek residence in the UK primarily to claim benefits.

Strengthening compliance checks will help prevent EEA migrants from claiming, and continuing to claim, benefits they are not entitled to. Checks will be applied to both new claims and existing awards.

01/12/2022

Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement made on 14 October by the President of the European Court of Justice that there is a strong link between the Court and European integration.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The role of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is defined in Article 19 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) as to “ensure that in the interpretation and application of the Treaties the law is observed”. The TEU also provides, in Article 5, that “the Union shall act only within the limits of the competences conferred on it by Member States in the Treaties to attain the objectives set out therein” and that “competences not conferred upon the Union remain with the Member States”. European law, including the judgments of the CJEU, has direct effect in this country because it has been given that authority by Acts of Parliament.

01/12/2022
Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the introduction of the National Living Wage does not have a detrimental effect on small businesses.

Nick Boles

The Government is reducing Corporation Tax to 19% from 2017-18 and then to 18% from 2020-21; setting the Annual Investment Allowance at a new permanent level of £200,000; and increasing the Employment Allowance by £1,000 to £3,000 from 2016-17. The increase in the employment allowance means a business could employ four people on the National Living Wage and pay no National Insurance Contributions.

01/12/2022
Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by his Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate he has made of the potential liability of his Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.

Harriett Baldwin

Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing and our negotiating position has taken into account the likely impact on Government Departments, NDPBs and agencies. Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the liabilities will be further assessed. There will then follow a maximum implementation period of two years. Between now and then, Government departments who will be affected by the Regulation are closely involved in work led by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport to consider the implications of the text as it develops through the negotiating process.

01/12/2022
Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the recent announcement by President Putin of a Russia-led Central Asia taskforce, what assessment he has made of the security implications for (a) NATO and (b) the conflict against the Taliban.

Michael Fallon

We are aware of this statement. The Russians have not released any details of such a task force.

01/12/2022
Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with autism spectrum disorders are excluded from secondary school in Year 10; and what comparative assessment she has made of the level of such exclusions in Year 10 and in other years.

Edward Timpson

In the academic year 2013/14, there were 700 fixed period exclusions and 10 permanent exclusions for Year 10 pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder primary need. In percentage terms, 15.33% of such pupils were excluded for a fixed period, while 0.23% were permanently excluded.

A table showing the number of exclusions for these pupils is attached. The rate of exclusions for these Year 10 pupils is consistent with the rate in Years 7 through 11.

We recognise that pupils with an autism spectrum disorder can be vulnerable to exclusion. The department is working with the National Autistic Society and is funding their project to help reduce exclusions. The project includes advice to professionals on early intervention, information for parents and guidance on good practice in alternative provision.

01/12/2022