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  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the inadvertent use of Libyan financial assets for the funding of militias in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Funding of militias by the Libyan Government dates from the immediate aftermath of the 2011 revolution. The ongoing conflict has made it difficult for subsequent governments to regularise the situation. We welcome the announcement that the Libyan political dialogue members are expected to sign the Libyan Political Agreement. A ceasefire will be essential in order for a Government of National Accord (GNA) to operate. It will be crucial for the new GNA to quickly integrate supportive militias into a regularised national budgetary and security framework.

    As underlined at the Rome Conference on 13 December, the United Kingdom stands ready with our international partners in supporting a new Government of National Accord in restoring stability, including economic, technical and security assistance, as requested.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect Libya from further infiltration by Daesh.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh and groups affiliated with it. These groups pose a threat to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests and citizens overseas. We are working closely with international partners to deepen our understanding of Daesh’s presence in North Africa, including in Libya, and to develop a comprehensive approach to defeat it. This includes working closely with Libya’s neighbours to enhance their ability to protect themselves against threats from terrorists in Libya, and prevent fighters and weapons being smuggled across the region. We are supporting UN-led efforts to establish a Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya, which will be crucial in the long term to tackling the Daesh threat present in that country and across the region.

    I joined international and regional Ministers at the Rome Conference on 13 December to underline our firm commitment to providing the new GNA with full political backing and technical, economic, security and counter-terrorism assistance, as requested.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to paragraph 19 of the Prime Minister’s written response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report on British military operations in Syria published on 26 November 2015, what the evidential basis is for the statement that within Syria local councils and emerging local governance structures (a) have become stronger and (b) deliver basic services to a population of over 1.1 million people.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK, through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, is supporting local councils and emerging local governance structures in 28 communities across Syria. These communities contain a population of 1.1 million people. Our support means that local councils have the assistance they need to deliver essential services, including health, education and utilities, in a way that they were not able to previously. This also includes specific support for building good governance practices. This is confirmed by our project partners who operate in Syria.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the case of Ali al-Nimr.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    During his visits to the UN General Assembly in September and Saudi Arabia in October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised Ali Mohammed al-Nimr’s case at a very senior level. This is in addition to the representations our Ambassador in Riyadh continues to make on this case.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the current threat from international terrorism to be downgraded from severe.

    Mr John Hayes

    The UK terrorism threat level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC). JTAC operates independently of Ministers and considers all relevant information to assess the threat from international terrorism. Its judgements are made on the basis of the latest intelligence, and it keeps the threat level under constant review.

    The current threat level is SEVERE, meaning that an attack is highly likely. Members of the public should remain alert to the danger of terrorism, but they should not let the fear of terrorism stop them from going about their day-to-day life as normal.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support farmers to invest in new capital equipment.

    George Eustice

    Investment in the agriculture sector is an important driver to improving its productivity and growth. To support this, the Government has a range of tax and subsidy measures in place.

    The Annual Investment Allowance is at its highest ever permanent level of £200,000, with effect from 1 January 2016. This is of particular benefit to firms investing heavily in plant and machinery, such as those in the agricultural sector. From April 2016, self-employed farmers will be able to average their profits for Income Tax purposes for two years or five years. This will enable farmers to spread volatile profits further and better plan their investments.

    The Government also supports the agricultural sector through direct recognition of any actual depreciation in the capital gains tax computation at the point of sale. Agricultural land and buildings remain subject to a number of tax reliefs and exemptions including exemptions from business rates, agricultural property relief from inheritance tax and capital gains rollover relief on developed agricultural land.

    The Government also supports investment in the agricultural sector through capital grants under the Rural Development Programme. This is primarily through the Countryside Productivity scheme, focusing on innovative investment that will lead to a step change in productivity.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times the National Wildlife Crime Unit has assisted police in wildlife crime investigations in (a) London and (b) the UK in each of the last five years.

    Rory Stewart

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton North, Alex Cunningham, on 17 November 2015, PQ UIN16012.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on consumer energy bills of using daylight saving time all year.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are constantly reviewing consumer energy bills, however an assessment on the effect of using daylight saving time all year could have on consumer energy bills has not been carried out.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to tourism of using daylight saving time all year.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government has not made any recent assessments of the potential benefits of using daylight saving time all year. The Government has no plans to consider any changes in this area in the absence of consensus across the UK.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce a National Defence Medal; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 December 2015 to Question 19127 to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Melanie Onn).