Blog

  • Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the debate in the House of Lords on 5 November (HL Deb, cols 1811–40) on the regeneration legacy of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, what assessment they have made of Lord Moynihan’s remarks that the UK should have a sports policy.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    I am grateful for Lord Moynihan’s valuable contributions to that debate in the House.

    The Minister for Sport has made it clear that a new approach to sport is needed. The Government published a consultation paper on a new sport strategy in early August and the responses received are being considered. The Government will publish its new strategy for sport in due course, the first such strategy for 13 years.

  • Lord Lester of Herne Hill – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Lester of Herne Hill – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the feasibility study of 2014 on caste discrimination.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We are currently considering the conclusions and recommendations of the caste feasibility study as part of our wider consideration of the implications of the Tirkey v Chandok tribunal judgments. We will keep the House informed of further developments on this matter.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what dates in the last 24 months the government of the Republic of Ireland attended in any capacity meetings held under section 1 of the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has held regular meetings with the Irish Government over the last two years in accordance with the established three-stranded approach.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 29 October (HL2879) concerning the 1998 Belfast Agreement, whether the answer applies to changes in the names of cities and towns in Northern Ireland other than Londonderry.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has no plans to change any names of towns or cities in Northern Ireland, and would only do so with consensus. It remains fully committed to supporting the institutions and principles established under the Belfast Agreement and to affording due respect to the cultural traditions in Northern Ireland.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who are the UK members of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly; and to which political group each member belongs.

    Lord Dunlop

    Responsibility for appointing the United Kingdom delegation to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly lies with the Lords Speaker and the Speaker of the House of Commons.

    The current members of the United Kingdom delegation and the political party to which they belong are set out below:

    MEMBERS

    Lord (Paul) Bew

    Cross-Bench

    Baroness (May) Blood MBE

    Labour

    Mr Andrew Bridgen MP

    Conservative

    Ms Deirdre Brock MP

    SNP

    Mr Oliver Colvile MP

    Conservative

    Miss Rosie Cooper MP

    Labour

    Rt Hon Baroness (Jean) Corston

    Labour

    Rt Hon Mr Jeffrey Donaldson MP

    DUP

    Lord (Alf) Dubs

    Labour

    Mr Mark Durkan MP

    SDLP

    Mr Nigel Evans MP

    Conservative

    Mr Paul Farrelly MP

    Labour

    Lord (Robin) Glentoran

    Conservative

    Ms Helen Jones MP

    Labour

    Mr Danny Kinahan MP

    UUP

    Mr Jack Lopresti MP

    Conservative

    Rt Hon Lord (Brian) Mawhinney

    Conservative

    Mr Conor McGinn MP

    Labour

    Mr Nigel Mills MP

    Conservative

    Lord (Roger) Skelmersdale

    Conservative

    Mr Robin Walker MP

    Conservative

    ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

    Ms Caroline Ansell MP

    Conservative

    Ms Victoria Atkins MP

    Conservative

    Mr Tom Blenkinsop MP

    Labour

    Viscount (Robin) Bridgeman

    Conservative

    Mr Glyn Davies MP

    Conservative

    Lord (Bernard) Donoughue

    Labour

    Lord (Reg) Empey

    UUP

    Mrs Margaret Ferrier MP

    SNP

    Lord (James) Gordon of Strathblane

    Labour

    Rt Hon David Hanson MP

    Labour

    Mr Stephen Hepburn MP

    Labour

    Lord (John) Kilclooney

    Cross-Bench

    Ms Siobhain McDonagh MP

    Labour

    Sir Alan Meale MP

    Labour

    Lord (Christopher) Tugendhat

    Conservative

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the call by the European Commission as part of the EU enlargement strategy for Turkey to lift media restrictions to improve respect for human rights and the rule of law, and to re-start comprehensive peace negotiations with Kurdish militants and constitutional nationalists.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the Commission’s EU enlargement strategy, which commends Turkey’s considerable efforts on refugees and recognises the progress Turkey has made in recent years. The strategy also highlights where Turkey needs to do more to meet EU standards through continuing reform, particularly in the areas of fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, and rule of law. As we have made clear, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) needs to cease its attacks and we fully support a resumption of peace talks. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can.

  • Colleen Fletcher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Colleen Fletcher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Colleen Fletcher on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle domestic violence.

    Karen Bradley

    Tackling domestic violence is a key priority for this Government.

    We have created a new offence of domestic abuse, we are making improvements to the police response and this year provided over £20m to fund specialist domestic and sexual violence services, national helplines and refuges.

  • Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that police forces are able to maintain existing levels of frontline policing over the next five years.

    Mike Penning

    Ultimately, decisions on the size and composition of a police force’s workforce are for individual chief officers and Police and Crime Commissioners. The police have demonstrated that, with reform, it is possible to deliver more for less and to prioritise available resource at the frontline.

  • Suella Fernandes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Suella Fernandes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Suella Fernandes on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on changing the police funding formula.

    Mike Penning

    Current police funding arrangements are complex, opaque and out of date. This reflects views put forward by PCCs, police forces and Committees of this House. It is essential that we come to a new funding formula that is fair, transparent and matched to demand – but also one that is supported by policing as a whole. However, we have listened to the views of policing partners and are minded to delay the proposed changes to the formula for 2016/17.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelly Tolhurst on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on changing the police funding formula.

    Mike Penning

    Current police funding arrangements are complex, opaque and out of date. This reflects views put forward by PCCs, police forces and Committees of this House. It is essential that we come to a new funding formula that is fair, transparent and matched to demand – but also one that is supported by policing as a whole. However, we have listened to the views of policing partners and are minded to delay the proposed changes to the formula for 2016/17.