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  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they contribute to the EU programme of assistance to the Palestinians; what is the gross annual amount of funding for that programme, and what percentage of that funding the UK’s contribution, if any, represents; and what percentage of that programme’s funding is provided to the Palestinian Education Authority.

    Baroness Verma

    The EU is a major donor to both the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, providing over €290 million in 2016 to the Palestinian people, including the refugees who live outside Occupied Palestinian Territories in the camps of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The UK contributes to the EU budget as a whole, not individual instruments within it. The UK’s share on EU expenditure in EU instruments is approximately 14.5%. The EU funding to the Palestinian Authority is through the PEGASE mechanism, providing the salaries for vetted civil servants only.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy with regard to the payment of child benefits to EU migrants (1) who have been resident in the UK for fewer than four years, and (2) whose children are also resident in the UK.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    I refer the honourable member to the recent UK White Paper ‘The Best of Both Worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union’, available on the gov.uk website.

    The UK’s settlement will mean that Child Benefit paid to EU nationals living here, but whose children live outside the UK, will no longer be paid at UK rates but be paid at a rate that reflects conditions – including the standard of living and Child Benefit paid – of the country where the children live.

    Eligibility rules for Child Benefit for individuals moving to the UK can be found on the gov.uk website.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in Delvigne v Commune de Lesparre-Médoc (Case C-650/13); and whether any changes to legislation or government policies are required as a result of that judgment.

    Lord Faulks

    The UK’s ban on prisoner voting stays in place and as we have consistently stated, remains a matter for Parliament to determine.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Decision of the European Council concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU will affect the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights to the UK.

    Lord Faulks

    The Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU will not affect the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the UK.

  • Biography information for Lord McColl of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Biography information for Lord McColl of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord McColl of Dulwich on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many victims of trafficking or modern slavery who are EEA nationals and in receipt of a positive Conclusive Grounds decision under the National Referral Mechanism have been issued with (1) minded to remove” letters

    Lord Bates

    The information requested is not collected centrally and could only be provided by investigation of individual case records.

    Where an EEA national has been issued with a positive conclusive grounds decision they will not be served with administrative removal papers. EEA nationals who have left the Government-funded service provided under the victim care contract who are not exercising treaty rights and are not entitled to remain on other grounds may be encouraged to return home voluntarily.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether EU citizens can enter the UK for the purposes of seeking employment.

    Lord Bates

    All European Union citizens may enter the UK on production of a valid passport or identity card and have an initial right to reside for three months. Those who wish to stay longer can do so as a jobseeker for a further three months, providing they have a genuine prospect of work. After that period, they must be exercising a Treaty right as a worker, a student, or a self-employed or self-sufficient person, or be liable for removal.

    The new EU settlement negotiated by the Prime Minster also confirms that we do not have to pay Universal Credit to EU nationals who come to the UK as jobseekers.

    In line with the transitional controls imposed through the Accession of Croatia (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations, Croatian nationals, who are subject to worker authorisation, have no right to reside in the UK as jobseekers.

  • Lord Framlingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Framlingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Framlingham on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the dangers posed to trees and shrubs by Xylella fastidiosa, and the experiences of France and Italy in tackling that disease, what steps they are taking (1) to prevent it entering this country, and (2) to deal with any incursion should it occur.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Xylella fastidiosa is a regulated pathogen in the EU under the Plant Health Directive, with strengthened requirements now in place in response to the risk posed by this organism. This includes measures to protect against its introduction from countries outside the EU, as well as requirements to prevent infected material being moved from areas within the EU where it is present.

    Xylella fastidiosa is currently not present in the UK and we are taking robust action to protect against its introduction, including restricting high-risk imports, inspecting host material from outside the EU and raising awareness, through publicity and direct interaction with growers and trade associations.

    Our aim is to prevent further introductions into the EU as a whole (thereby protecting the UK) and to prevent spread from areas of the EU where it is present. This includes engaging actively with our EU partners and the European Commission on ensuring we have the best possible protective measures in place.

    Imports of host plants from outside the EU can now only take place where the pest status of the country or origin has been confirmed and when stringent import conditions have been met. All such imports are inspected at points of entry. Plant species which have been confirmed as a host in the EU must now be accompanied by a Plant Passport, meaning they can only be moved into and within the UK by officially authorised businesses. Additional requirements apply to areas where the pathogen is present to prevent the movement of potentially infected plants from such areas.

    Through our delivery bodies we are applying the EU-wide provisions as well as carrying out surveillance visits of premises growing and trading host plants. In the event of an incursion, a full investigation would take place to determine the circumstances and the actions required. Should an outbreak occur, the requirements of the EU Decision would apply, including destruction of infected and potentially infected plants and demarcation of the outbreak area with restrictions imposed in line with the Decision. We are working closely with industry bodies to raise awareness and encourage good practice.

  • Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Clement-Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Clement-Jones on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of proposals that the pharmaceutical industry should pay entirely for overspends in the Cancer Drugs Fund on the number of medicines that the industry puts forward for possible inclusion in that Fund.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England plans to invest in a new £340 million Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) to provide early access to cancer drug indications. Under the new process, any drugs that receive either a draft recommendation for routine commissioning or, where uncertainty exists, a recommendation for use within the CDF, will receive interim funding from the CDF from the point of marketing authorisation.

    This earlier access to cancer drugs will benefit both patients and the pharmaceutical industry and NHS England believes it is only fair that the pharmaceutical industry makes a contribution if any overspend occurs.

    NHS England’s impact assessment will not be completed until the detailed outcomes from the current consultation on the future of the CDF are confirmed.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendations on employment support and the housing benefit cap on page 81 of the Mental Health Taskforce report, published in February 2016; and what steps he plans to take to implement those recommendations.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We welcome the Mental Health Taskforce Report, which sets out how important employment can be in supporting people with mental health conditions, and how to improve current services. We have already gone some way to implementing the recommendation on employment and are improving support by developing a new Work and Health programme, which will be providing employment support to claimants with a health condition or disability and the very long term unemployed. We are investing £43 million in a range of trials to develop our evidence base on what works for those with mental health conditions; and investing in increasing employment support in therapy services. The Prime Minister also recently announced over £50m investment to more than double the number of employment advisors in IAPT services, so that they are linked in to every talking therapy service in the country.

    We will publish a White Paper later this year that will set out reforms to improve support for people with health conditions and disabilities, including exploring the roles of employers, to further reduce the disability employment gap and promote integration across health and employment.

    We work closely with the supported housing sector to ensure they are supported as effectively as possible, and highly value the work they do. As part of this we have commissioned an evidence review of supported housing. The results of this research will determine our future policy development and any appropriate exemptions.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the employment rate for adults in England with (a) mental health, (b) physical health and (c) no declared health conditions has been in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

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