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  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what current and future non-core funding they provide or plan to provide to (1) the United Nations Population Fund, (2) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (3) Marie Stopes International, and (4) Women and Children First UK.

    Baroness Northover

    Marie Stopes International (MSI) currently receives non-core funding of approximately £41.5m for 2014-15, with future non-core funding estimated at £37.5m for 2015-16. International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) does not currently receive non-core funding from DFID. Women and Children First UK currently receive non-core funding of £246,101 over three years from 2014 – 2016. Women and Children First UK have also been provisionally approved for a second grant worth £249,842 over three years from 2014 – 2017 through the Global Poverty Action Fund, pending successful completion of pre-grant assessment.

    During financial year 2013-14, DFID provided non-core funding of £100m to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The non-core component was made up of 20 contributing programmes which will each undergo annual reviews to assess performance and determine future funding. Any proposals for new funding undergo a comprehensive business case process. Therefore it is not possible to give figures for future non-core payments.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees whether he will initiate a debate in the House of Lords before any decision is taken to privatise the security arrangements of the House.

    Lord Sewel

    The following information about decisions on the new security contract arrangements was published in March 2014:

    “In March 2015, the current contract with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to provide armed protection, policing and security officer functions will expire. Over the last year, the Security Arrangements Renewal Programme (SARP) Board has been working to analyse options and make a recommendation on new contract arrangements to be introduced next year. That recommendation was endorsed by the Lords House Committee and the Commons Commission.

    The agreed recommendation is that the two Houses should renegotiate with the MPS to continue to provide security officer functions, armed protection and policing, whilst moving the provision of the search and screening function for the three main public entrances (Black Rod’s Garden, Cromwell Green and Portcullis House) to a specialist commercial provider. The Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Parliaments have now written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner requesting new arrangements from 2015, and a commercial procurement for search and screening will start soon.

    This is a major contract for Parliament, both in terms of its financial value and its central role in ensuring the security of parliamentarians, employees and visitors to the Parliamentary Estate. As well as continuing to benefit from the expertise and experience of the Metropolitan Police officers and staff, new search and screening arrangements at the busiest public entrances will be better able to provide the greater flexibility and scalability needed to meet Parliament’s changing requirements for public access”.

    Discussions with the Metropolitan Police Service on future arrangements are continuing. Security matters are not discussed on the floor of the House and the House Committee has agreed to the initial approach taken by the Security Arrangements Renewal Programme Board. That Committee will be further consulted during the process. I have no plans to initiate a debate on the floor of the House.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government upon what terms they propose to hand over control of Hillsborough Castle to Historic Royal Palaces.

    Baroness Randerson

    On 1 April 2014, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for operating Hillsborough Castle to Historic Royal Palaces (HRP). This includes the upkeep, maintenance and presentation of the Castle to the public.

    HRP will provide the NIO with a number of services, including the continued readiness of the Castle for use by the Royal Family, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the Minister of State for Northern Ireland.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the offer of partial amnesties by President Assad of Syria.

    Baroness Warsi

    The limited amnesties on prisoner release offered by President Assad do not offer a genuine solution to the problems in Syria. While the British Government has been consistent in calling for the release of political prisoners it is as yet unclear who these amnesties will affect and how prisoners’ safety will be assured. The lies and brutality of the Assad regime, as set out in the UN’s Commission on Inquiry reports, mean that this amnesty will not provide reassurance to the Syrian opposition. If the Syrian regime is serious about bringing the conflict to an end, then they should release political prisoners unconditionally and negotiate seriously within the framework set out in the Geneva communiqué.

  • Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ashcroft on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any gallantry awards other than the Victoria Cross and the George Cross can be awarded posthumously.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    All military and civilian gallantry awards may be awarded posthumously.

  • Baroness Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Meacher on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to respond to concerns expressed by the leaders of the social care profession that profit-making companies should not determine sensitive family matters.

    Lord Nash

    The Government’s proposals regarding the delegation of children’s social care functions would enable local authorities to delegate children’s social care functions to a third party. The intention is to broaden the range of approaches available to secure the best outcomes for children in their area. The proposals do not oblige local authorities to delegate any functions and do not remove responsibilities from local authorities for ensuring their statutory obligations on child protection and children’s social care are met.

    The consultation on the proposals closed on Friday 30 May and the Government is currently considering the responses.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to reduce the number of children living in poverty.

    Lord Freud

    This Government remains committed to ending child poverty by 2020. Our approach, based on our published Evidence Review , is to tackle the root causes of child poverty, both now and in the future, by focussing on worklessness, low pay and raising educational attainment. This approach and the actions we propose to take are set out in full in our draft Child Poverty Strategy 2014-17. We will shortly publish the final version of the Strategy.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of Turkey to help prevent foreign fighters entering Syria.

    Baroness Warsi

    The UK has regular discussions with international partners focused on tackling the shared threat from foreign fighters travelling to Syria. These include contacts with the Government of Turkey, with which we work to prevent foreign fighters from using Turkey as a transit route for Syria, including by strengthening protective security measures and using passenger information.

  • Priti Patel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Priti Patel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Priti Patel on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will add to the National Infrastructure Plan a scheme to upgrade and improve the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey.

    Danny Alexander

    This Government recognises the importance of transport infrastructure to support the economy and, as set out in the National Infrastructure Plan 2013, has already announced over £28 billion of funding for enhancements and maintenance of national and local roads

    The specific schemes identified in the National Infrastructure Plan 2013 have the ability to complete or begin their construction in the next Parliament. Proposals for improvements to the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey are not yet sufficiently developed to be included in the Highways Agency pipeline of future projects, and are therefore not currently included in the National Infrastructure Plan.

    However, the A120 is being looked at by the Highways Agency as part of its work on the East of England Route Strategy, which will look to determine the nature, need and timing of future investment that might be required. I would encourage you to engage with the Highways Agency’s route strategy process.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the daily average (a) number and (b) proportion is of (i) male and (ii) female prisoners serving custodial sentences who are out of prison on temporary licence.

    Jeremy Wright

    Temporary release can be a valuable tool in the resettlement of prisoners in the community but it must never take place at the expense of public safety. We conducted a fundamental review of the policy and practice of rerelease on temporary licence (ROTL) after serious failures last year. We are introducing a system that enhances the assessment of serious offenders and restricts access to ROTL to cases where there is a clear, legitimate reason for the release. We have already introduced some of these changes and have additionally introduced a restriction on prisoners transferring to open conditions and having ROTL if they have previously absconded from open prisons; or if they have failed to return or reoffended whilst released on temporary licence.

    It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time specified, I will write to you with an answer as soon as possible.