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  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which government department is responsible for surveillance, production of a reorganised surface picture, and security, of the UK territorial seas.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The responsibility for the security and surveillance of the UK territorial seas is shared across a number of Government departments and agencies including the Department for Transport, Border Force, and Ministry of Defence.

    The National Maritime Information Centre provides the platform for the cross-government understanding of maritime activity. It brings together information and intelligence provided by the various Government departments and agencies and supported by international partnerships provides the UK with unified situational awareness of maritime activity in the UK and international waters.

  • The Duke of Somerset – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The Duke of Somerset – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Duke of Somerset on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered the longer-term advantages of selling surplus Ministry of Defence property by leasehold rather than freehold, and if so, what conclusions they have drawn.

    Earl Howe

    The Ministry of Defence largely sells its surplus estate freehold in accordance with the disposal process set out by the Treasury, in order to ensure best value for the taxpayer. However, if warranted, properties may be sold with a long-term leasehold in order to retain an element of influence over their future use and occupation.

  • Lord Sharkey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Sharkey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public funding was involved, and on what terms, in the purchase by Greybull Capital of Tata Steel’s Long Products Europe business.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The transaction was a private commercial deal, supported by financing from commercial lenders. Her Majesty’s Government did not participate in the funding of the transaction.

  • Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many passport applications have been made using the legend of a deceased person in each of the past six years.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    We do not routinely publish this data.

  • Lord Radice – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Radice – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Radice on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were employed in the NHS in England last year; how many (1) left, and (2) joined, the NHS in that period, and of those who (1) left, and (2) joined, how many were not UK citizens.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Annual data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) shows that in September 2015, there were 1,151,138 people employed in the National Health Service in England. In the period between September 2014 and September 2015 there were 136,168 leavers and 155,326 joiners.

    Information on how many leavers and joiners were not United Kingdom citizens is not held centrally.

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on relations between the UK and Turkey of the decision in the Turkish Parliament to strip parliamentary immunity from 124 deputies.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The lifting of parliamentary immunity is a matter for the Turkish parliament. As a modern democracy and candidate for EU accession, we would expect Turkey to undertake any subsequent legal processes transparently and fully respect the rule of law.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the recent elections in the Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus on the UK’s aims for the talks process on the reunification of Cyprus, and on their foreign policy position regarding that island.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Following elections to the legislature in the Republic of Cyprus, the UK will continue to support strongly the efforts of the two communities to reunite Cyprus. We also look forward to continuing to work closely with the Republic of Cyprus across a range of shared interests, including security and defence issues, and reinforcing the values that underpin the Commonwealth.

  • FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations have taken place between the Home Office and other relevant government agencies with reference to the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting communiqué in which Heads recalled the importance to the people of the Commonwealth for legitimate and temporary reasons in order to benefit from stronger economic

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Home Office regularly consults with other Government departments and agencies about all aspects of the UK immigration system including with regard to those visiting the UK from the Commonwealth.

    The UK continues to contribute to the Commonwealth Secretariat led group looking at the movement of Commonwealth citizens and how that can be improved taking due regard to the requirement in the Communiqué that the actions should “not conflict with national legislation and international obligations.”

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken in connection with the reference in the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting communiqué to the proposal for a Commonwealth Advantage under which all member governments would consider further possible measures to enhance the scope for Commonwealth citizens to access each other’s countries more easily and for longer than is currently possible.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Home Office officials continue to contribute to a Working Group led by the Commonwealth Secretariat which is looking at the movement of Commonwealth citizens and how that can be improved, taking due regard to the requirement in the Communiqué that the actions should “not conflict with national legislation and international obligations”. Commonwealth Heads of Government have requested a progress report on these Working Group discussions at their next meeting.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is currently detained in Iran, and what assurances they have received as to her wellbeing.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case with Foreign Minister Zarif on 17 May. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), also raised the case with the Iranian Chargé d’affaires on 18 May. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and denies consular access on those grounds. We understand that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is able to call her family and we welcome the recent news that she was moved out of solitary confinement.