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  • Jo Stevens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jo Stevens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian government about the FARC prisoners on hunger strike.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We understand that there are members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on hunger strike in 13 prisons across the country. Whilst the United Kingdom cannot interfere in Colombia’s judicial process, we have in the past raised concerns regarding due process and prison conditions with the Government of Colombia – particularly in relation to imprisoned trade unionists. That said we do not currently intend to make specific representations to the Colombian government about the current hunger strike by members of the FARC.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the establishment of an independent international body to investigate violations of international law in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation and alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law in Yemen. The UK fully and actively supports the UN’s efforts to achieve a political solution to bring an end to the conflict. This will help create the conditions for the legitimate Government to improve its capacity to protect human rights. The UK has previously engaged the Yemeni Government – both bilaterally and through the UN Human Rights Council – on a wide range of human rights issues. We continue to raise the importance of compliance international human rights law with all sides to the conflict.

    We welcome the September UN Human Rights Council resolution which contains mechanisms for monitoring the human rights situation in Yemen. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has been tasked to help Yemen investigate human rights abuses and violations, but it will be up to Yemen to decide on how it sets up its own domestic mechanism. We welcome Yemen’s commitment to cooperate with the UN on protection of human rights.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Saudi Arabia on the ending the restrictions on imports of fuel, food and medical supplies to Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    During a visit to Saudi Arabia on 28 October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met his counterpart, Minister Al Jubeir. They discussed humanitarian issues, including humanitarian access to Yemeni ports, as well as the need for accelerating the political process in Yemen. We welcome the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister’s and President Hadi’s statements that all of Yemen’s ports are open and the initial indications of progress on maritime access, but more needs to be done.

    To have real impact, commercial and humanitarian access must be sustained and systematic. The UN verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) is the best way to ensure this. We are working closely with the UN to establish it as soon as possible. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) has also expressed the UK’s readiness to support to the UNVIM and DfID has just committed £1.4 million to the UN to support its establishment.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had about a national job profile for Hazardous Area Response Team paramedics.

    Jane Ellison

    Local lead Clinical Commissioning Group commissioners contract with providers to deliver a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) service compliant with the national specification. Banding and pay arrangements are not specified within the national HART service specification. NHS England, as advised by the National Ambulance Resilience Unit deems this to be a matter for employing trusts and their lead commissioners.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups implement in full the Infertility Network UK recommendations on access to IVF treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department funded Infertility Network UK (INUK) to develop advice to NHS Commissioners on standardising eligibility criteria for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The Department has consistently encouraged NHS Commissioners to have regard to this advice. The INUK advice is listed as a resource for clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the NHS England “Commissioning Fertility Services Factsheet”.

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend that eligible couples should receive three full cycles of IVF treatment. The Government has made clear that blanket restrictions on treatment are unacceptable and all decisions on treatment should be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and in line with NICE Guidelines.

    While we have not made an assessment of access to IVF treatment, we are aware of the annual survey by Fertility Fairness. I have written to stakeholders, including Fertility Fairness, and invited them to discuss what could be done to improve the provision of IVF services along with representatives of NHS England and Monitor.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the Infertility Network UK recommendations on access to IVF treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department funded Infertility Network UK (INUK) to develop advice to NHS Commissioners on standardising eligibility criteria for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The Department has consistently encouraged NHS Commissioners to have regard to this advice. The INUK advice is listed as a resource for clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the NHS England “Commissioning Fertility Services Factsheet”.

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend that eligible couples should receive three full cycles of IVF treatment. The Government has made clear that blanket restrictions on treatment are unacceptable and all decisions on treatment should be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and in line with NICE Guidelines.

    While we have not made an assessment of access to IVF treatment, we are aware of the annual survey by Fertility Fairness. I have written to stakeholders, including Fertility Fairness, and invited them to discuss what could be done to improve the provision of IVF services along with representatives of NHS England and Monitor.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the role of stakeholder banks in supporting regional growth.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Each quarter the British Bankers Association and the Council for Mortgage Lenders publish data showing the outstanding stock of lending in each postcode. This allows challenger banks, smaller building societies, credit unions and community development finance institutions (CDFIs) to find areas where there is a lack of lending so they can offer finance to those customers and support growth in that regional area.

    The Government recognises the important role that stakeholder banks play in supporting their communities. We more commonly refer to stakeholder banks as credit unions, building societies and mutually-owned savings banks.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to encourage the growth of stakeholder banks within the UK.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government has taken significant steps to support stakeholder banks. We more commonly refer to stakeholder banks as mutually-owned financial service firms such as credit unions, building societies and mutual savings banks.

    The Government has encouraged the growth of the credit union sector by increasing the maximum interest rate that credit unions can charge on loans from 2% to 3% per month; investing £38m in the sector through the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Credit Union Expansion Project; ensuring that universal credit and pensions payments can be paid into any credit union account; and launching a Call for Evidence which allowed all credit unions, regardless of size or influence, the opportunity to contribute their vision for the future of the sector to the wider debate.

    This Government has supported the building societies sector through a number of initiatives including: carving out building societies from the Independent Commission on Banking’s ring-fencing regulations; extending ISA eligibility to Core Capital Deferred Shares; allowing building societies to create floating charges for the first time; and applying a £25m sector-specific allowance to carried-forward losses for Corporation Tax.

    The Airdrie Savings Bank is the only remaining example of a mutual savings bank in the UK. At the Summer Budget the government announced that savings banks established under the Savings Bank (Scotland) Act 1819 will benefit from the same £25m carried-forward loss allowance for Corporation Tax as the building society sector. This will be backdated to 1 April 2015 and is being actioned through the Finance Bill 2015.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects there to be universal access to superfast fibreoptic broadband in Easington constituency.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In the Easington constituency we estimate that around 90% will benefit from superfast broadband coverage through commercial roll out. According to current forecasts a further 7% will have access under the publicly funded Superfast Broadband Programme by the end of September 2018. As announced by the Prime Minister on 7 November, the Government intends to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation in this Parliament. A four-week consultation on the Government’s proposed approach to taking this work forwards was published on 23 March.

  • Byron Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Byron Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Byron Davies on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2015 to Question 2354, when the review of the enforcement response to bribery and corruption will be published.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The UK Anti-Corruption Plan, published in December, announced that Cabinet Office would take forward a review of the enforcement response to bribery and corruption. The review has now concluded and its findings are being considered by Ministers.