UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Government has contributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ appeal for the Burundi humanitarian response in 2016; what steps she is taking to encourage international partners to contribute to that fund; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK is very concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi, and the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. DFID has contributed £21.15 million in Tanzania and Rwanda towards the UNHCR regional refugee response plan since April 2015 to support shelter, food, healthcare and livelihoods assistance for Burundian refugees. The 2016 Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan was published in January and appeals for $313.8 million to support 330,000 refugees in Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. DFID is currently reviewing the 2016 allocation to this appeal and intends to release further funds in coming months. DFID is also supporting refugees in the DRC and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. DFID has deployed a humanitarian adviser to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.

    DFID officials across the region are working closely with national and international counterparts – including UNHCR, the EU, World Bank, NGOs and other donors – to ensure that humanitarian needs in Burundi and the region are met. We are encouraging developmental donors in Burundi to re-programme funds quickly to maintain the basic functions of the state – such as health centres – and working with the international financial institutions (IFIs) to respond to the growing needs and develop programmes that support the resilience of existing systems.

    The Humanitarian Response Plan for Burundi was published in March 2016 and appeals for $62.3 million to support 1.1 million people. DFID is currently reviewing a potential contribution to the appeal, and is undertaking contingency planning should the situation deteriorate.

    DFID continues to monitor the situation closely with the FCO, and liaises regularly with interested and influential parties such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, in order to pressure the international community to act and focus attention on the crisis.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will suspend the sale of arms to countries of the Saudi Arabian-led military coalition following the coalition’s alleged use of cluster munitions in the Yemen conflict.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously. All export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence will not be issued if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

    The suspension of licences will be considered by my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in circumstances where in the light of new evidence and information it would be considered that a proper risk assessment against the Consolidated Criteria would be difficult. At this time he considers that he does have sufficient information from a range of sources for a proper risk assessment to be made against the Criteria.

    The UK ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 4 May 2010 and does not licence the export of these weapons.

  • Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Dowd on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will review the Family Procedure Rules 2010 to ensure that those rules do not restrict the ability of hon. Members to represent their constituents; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The Family Procedure Rule Committee makes rules to ensure that the family justice system is accessible, fair and efficient. It has fully considered the issue of disclosure of court documents to persons who are not a party to the proceedings. The Rules and supporting Practice Directions on disclosure provide balance between transparency and preserving the confidentiality of those families involved. Hon Members could refer concerns to the Family Procedure Rule Committee for consideration.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all taxi and minicab drivers undergo disability equality training.

    Andrew Jones

    Government is committed to building transport networks that work for everyone, including ensuring that disabled people have the same travel choices as other members of society.

    Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) provide a particularly important service for many disabled people and it is therefore vital that their drivers have the knowledge and skills to provide appropriate assistance whenever it is required.

    I encourage local licensing authorities to consider how a requirement to undergo disability awareness training might help drivers to feel more confident in providing such assistance, consistent with the authority’s Public Sector Equality Duty.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2015 to Question 14680, on state retirement pensions, how many non-live cases there have been in each of the last three years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The requested information as of September 2012, 2013 and 2014 is within the table below.

    Number of non live cases for SP claimants aged 100 and over

    Number of non-live cases…

    Sep-12

    Sep-13

    Sep-14

    …of which number not suspended

    10,500

    10,500

    11,100

    …of which number suspended

    900

    1,000

    1,000

    Source:

    DWP 5% data

    Notes:

    1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  • Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Grocott on 2015-12-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many life peerages have been created since the 2010 election, and how many of those were (1) Conservative, (2) Liberal Democrat, (3) Labour, and (4) Crossbench, peerages.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    Peerages created since the 2010 election are listed below:

    Conservative: 109

    Labour: 55

    Liberal Democrat: 51

    Crossbench/Independent/other: 30

    Of the peers appointed since the 2010 election 22.4 per cent have taken the whip of her majesty’s official opposition. This compares to 15.7 per cent of those created between the 1997 and 2010 general elections.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing plans for new Intercity Express Programme and Thameslink rolling stock.

    Claire Perry

    Both rolling stock programmes are on schedule with the first trains for each undergoing testing on the network as planned. Thameslink trains will enter passenger service this spring and IEP trains will enter service on the Great Western Main Line from 2017 and the East Coast Main Line from 2018. The investment in infrastructure together with these fleets of modern trains will deliver increased peak time capacity, reliability and improved connections that will transform journeys for passengers on routes in the South East, through London and out to Scotland and Wales.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Oral Statement of 11 February 2016, Official Report, column 1763, on junior doctors’ contracts, which senior NHS leaders asked him to proceed with the introduction of a new contract for junior doctors.

    Ben Gummer

    Sir David Dalton’s letter to my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 10 February has been published. In that letter, Sir David advised the Government “to do whatever it deems necessary to end uncertainty for the service and to make sure that a new contract is in place which is as close as possible to the final position put forward to the BMA yesterday. I can confirm that this position is supported by both the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, together with support from Chief Executives across the country, and their names are supplied.”

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have had unplanned post-operative treatment related to an organ transplant in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department does not hold information on how many people had unplanned post-operative treatment related to an organ transplant in each of the last five years. NHS England works with NHS Blood and Transplant to jointly commission an audit on each solid organ transplant group from each service, so that detailed outcome data can be recorded and reported. These reports can be found at:

    http://www.odt.nhs.uk/uk-transplant-registry/organ-specific-reports/

    “

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will seek assurances from Volkswagen that software and technical fixes made in response to problems with emissions testing will not change engine output, fuel consumption and performance data.

    Andrew Jones

    The UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency issued the type approval for some Volkswagen Group vehicles. For these the agency is working with the manufacturer to review and approve the proposed fixes. They are carrying out tests to ensure that after the fix is applied the vehicles meet all the legal requirements including emissions, and that other vehicle characteristics are unchanged, including power output, fuel consumption and engine noise.