UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Chuka Umunna – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chuka Umunna – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she plans to respond to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC); and whether her Department has made an assessment of the submission to the CRC by the Children’s Rights Alliance England in their See It, Say It, Change It report, published in July 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    As part of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, the UK Delegation will attend an oral hearing with the UN Committee in May 2016. Following this, the UN will produce concluding observations, which the UK will consider.

    The Government welcomes the views of children and young people. Senior officials, including the UK State Party’s delegation, have read and noted the contents of the ‘See It, Say It, Change It’ report and the Minister for Children and Families will meet with the group of young people who produced it to hear more about the issues that concern them.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of introducing an import tax on coal and gas imported from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK is part of the EU Single market which has a common EU tariff policy which applies to all imports. Import tariffs are set by the EU. The UK has no legal ability to set its own import tariffs.

    EU tariffs rates form part of our World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments and apply to all WTO member countries. Under WTO rules increases to EU tariffs above the level committed to, or ‘bound’ rate, require us to give compensation to affected countries (in the form of lower tariffs on other products). Any potential benefit of an import tariff increase may therefore harm another UK sector.

    The latest version of the EU tariff was published in Official Journal to the EU L285 on 30 October 2015 (Council implementing Regulation EU No 1101/2014 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC|) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff). Chapter 27 covers the import of fuel including coal and gas. The import of coal has a 0% import duty and the import of gas ranges from 0% to 8% depending on the type and usage.

    WTO rules, do however allow countries to impose import tariffs when goods are being “dumped” e.g. sold on our market at below manufacturing cost price. If there is evidence that imports of coal and gas are being dumped the European Commission could propose imposing anti-dumping duties.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on recognition of the Polisario Front as the representative of the people of Western Sahara.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Government officials engage with the Polisario Front regularly, most recently on 16 March in London. We regard the Polisario Front as a pro-independence movement and party to a UN-mediated dispute, but not all Sahrawis consider it to be their representative. Therefore the UK Government does not regard the Polisario Front as representing all Sahrawis. Because of this, Ministers do not meet Polisario Front members.

  • Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the independent review by Andy Ward into UK Anti-Doping’s handling of intelligence in relation to Dr Mark Bonar to be finalised, and whether they intend to lay a copy of that report before Parliament.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The review is expected to conclude during the summer. UK Anti-Doping will publish the report.

  • Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marion Fellows on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department’s policy to immediately reject visa applications based on the applicant’s nationality.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    It is not Home Office policy to refuse an application for a visa on the basis of an applicant’s nationality. All visa applications are considered on their merits, in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

  • Lord German – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord German – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord German on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current political situation in the Maldives.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), said in his press statement on 4 November, the British Government is deeply concerned by recent developments in the Maldives. We believe the State of Emergency declared on 4 November impinged on the basic human rights of the Maldivian people and further undermined confidence in the country’s democracy.

    On 10 November the Maldivian government lifted the State of Emergency. As Mr Swire said in his tweet on 10 November, we welcome the lifting of the State of Emergency and look forward to further positive progress in the Maldives.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many times he has visited each parliamentary constituency in Wales in an official capacity in the 2015-16 session of Parliament.

    Stephen Crabb

    Wales Office Ministers regularly visit Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales. In each instance, the respective honourable Member is notified of the visit.

    Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Wales Office website, and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office Business Plan are published in the Wales Office Annual Report and Accounts.

    Wales Office Ministers are always keen to receive invitation requests from honourable Members.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ask the UNHCR to select individuals and families for resettlement in the UK on grounds of family reunion with relatives, as well as of vulnerability and extreme need.

    Lord Bates

    We work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)to identify cases that they deem in need of resettlement according to agreed vulnerability criteria for the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. One of the criteria is ‘refugees with family links in resettlement countries’. The scheme was expanded in September 2015 to ensure more of those in the greatest need are resettled in the UK.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of suspected VAT and customs fraud relating to online sales and imports have been the subject of a criminal investigation for possible referral to the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    To provide the answer to these questions would incur disproportionate cost. Data has not been captured centrally for the specific categories over the last 10 years.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for consent determined by the Marine Management Organisation have required environmental impact assessment since 2010.

    George Eustice

    The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) database was established in April 2011 and accurate data for marine licence applications determined by the MMO are limited to post 1 April 2011. However, I can confirm that since April 2011:

    • 50 fully determined marine licence applications have required an appropriate assessment;
    • 151 fully determined marine licence applications have required an environmental impact assessment;
    • 44 marine licence applications have been refused; and,
    • 3,849 fully determined marine licence applications have been approved, including 1,848 variations to an existing marine licence.