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  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has offered to countries in West Africa to help tackle the recent outbreak of the deadly form of the Ebola virus.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID continues to closely monitor the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa. DFID has committed $30,000 (£17,908) for infection control training and supplies in Liberia through UNICEF. In Sierra Leone, DFID is supporting Ebola sensitisation efforts in communities and through UNICEF has prepositioned medical supplies to districts on the Liberia and Guinea borders. We are also working with the Government of Sierra Leone on their Ebola Emergency Response Plan to help bridge critical funding gaps.

    In addition to our direct support, the UK funds a substantial share of contributions from the European Community Humanitarian Office, which has provided €1.4 million to the region to combat the recent outbreak.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 568W, on catalytic fund, whether it has been agreed how the catalytic fund will function and who will be able to access funding; and if she will make a statement.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The new catalytic financing mechanism will aim to provide incentives to attract new private funds alongside increased domestic budgets for high impact nutrition interventions. The scope and governance of the fund is being developed with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. No funds have been disbursed. DFID will consider its own contribution once the mechanism and governance have been agreed.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how her Department plans to support the Tanzanian Government to ensure the effective implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy for All Children, pre and primary education age, in and out of school programme.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID is the largest financier of the Global Partnership for Education and in Tanzania has supported the award of a £57m grant to implement the “Literacy and Numeracy Education Support (LANES)” programme. LANES targets the acquisition of reading, writing and numeracy skills among children in and out of school, targeting especially the marginalised.

    DFID’s programme in Tanzania provides major support to basic education. In 2013/14 £24m of education sector budget support was provided directly to the Tanzanian government. In addition a £49m programme of support commenced, to improve the overall quality of primary education in seven disadvantaged regions.

  • Diane Abbott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diane Abbott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to allow the most vulnerable Syrian refugees to come to Britain.

    James Brokenshire

    The first group of Syrian refugees arrived in the UK on 25 March as part of the
    Government’s Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) Scheme. The next group of
    refugees
    is expected to arrive this month, with further groups to follow on a regular
    basis. We continue to work with UNHCR to establish a steady flow of cases.

    Whilst there is no set quota we predict that the VPR scheme will support
    several hundred people over the next three years.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a list of young person’s advocates in each region.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office is funding 13 Young People’s Advocates posts for three
    years (April 2012 – March 2015) to provide direct support to young women who
    have been victims, or are at risk of, sexual violence by gangs. The full
    breakdown of posts, organisations and areas covered is available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/support-for-young-victims-of-sexual-violence-
    and-gangs

    Measures are in place to conduct an assessment of perceptions of the scheme
    among Young People’s Advocates and local practitioners in the areas where they
    are based.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of young person’s advocates in supporting young victims of crime.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office is funding 13 Young People’s Advocates posts for three
    years (April 2012 – March 2015) to provide direct support to young women who
    have been victims, or are at risk of, sexual violence by gangs. The full
    breakdown of posts, organisations and areas covered is available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/support-for-young-victims-of-sexual-violence-
    and-gangs

    Measures are in place to conduct an assessment of perceptions of the scheme
    among Young People’s Advocates and local practitioners in the areas where they
    are based.

  • Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain McKenzie on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the Emergency Services Mobile Communication programme; and what steps she is taking to ensure that commercial operators offer a service at least equivalent to the existing service.

    Karen Bradley

    The current Airwave Solutions Ltd contracts were let under a 20 year Private Finance Initiative arrangement, with a series of 15 year contracts, which expire over the period from September 2016 to December 2020.

    The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme aims to introduce a replacement for Airwave, as current contracts expire from September 2016. The requirements have been developed in partnership with the emergency services and we are running an open and fair competition in accordance with government guidelines.

    The aim is to provide a replacement solution which is at least equivalent to the existing service, but not necessarily delivered in the same way.

  • Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Huppert on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the consequences for the UK of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-293/12 and C-594/12 (Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others); what implication that decision has for (a) enforcement of the Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 and (b) her powers to reimburse any expenses incurred by a public communications provider in complying with those Regulations.

    Karen Bradley

    As my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, stated to the Home Affairs Committee
    in answer to a question from the Honourable Member on 8 April, we are
    considering the judgment and its implications carefully. The retention of
    communications data is absolutely fundamental to ensure law enforcement
    agencies have the powers they need to investigate crime, protect the public and
    ensure national security.

  • Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if, in the light of the High Court decision of 11 February 2014, she will now set up a public inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Secretary has decided not to seek permission to appeal the judgment and is giving fresh consideration to the exercise of her discretion to establish an inquiry. The Government continues to co-operate fully with the Inquest into Mr Litvinenko’s death.

  • Paul Beresford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Beresford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Beresford on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many confirmed cases of oro-pharyngeal cancer there were in the last five years for which figures are available; and how many of those cases resulted in death.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.