Tag: 2014

  • Mr Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Dominic Raab on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2014, Official Report, column 604W, on EU Justice and Home Affairs, with which countries the EU as a legal personality has concluded co-operation agreements in the field of justice and home affairs.

    Karen Bradley

    I refer my Hon. Friend to the response given by the Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington) on 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 70W. In addition, JHA agreements have also been concluded with Brazil, Ukraine and Moldova during the course of this Government which build on the borders and immigration aspects of the Schengen system, in which the UK does not participate.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Prime Minister, for what reasons the G7 Summit Declaration does not mention Iraq; what discussions took place at that summit on (a) the rise of Al Qaeda-linked organisations in western and northern Iraq and (b) other issues relating to Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to my Oral Statement on the G7 on 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 549.

  • John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons Worksop Courthouse is planned to close.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    There are no plans to close the courthouse at Worksop. A consultation is currently underway on potential changes to listing arrangements at Worksop Magistrates’ Court. The consultation commenced on 19 March 2014 and closes on 30 April 2014 and all responses will be taken into account before any decision is made.

  • Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether agreement has been reached to extend to 2020 the reduction to household water bills for South West Water customers.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Government announced the decision to fund South West Water to enable it to cut bills by £50 per year for all household customers in the Budget 2011. Households in the South West have received the reduction since April 2013. The understanding has always been that this reduction would continue for the duration of both the current spending review and the next.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with train operating companies and rolling stock companies on the availability of rolling stock to train operating companies during the periods of franchise extension.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department for Transport regularly meets with the rolling stock companies to discuss the rolling stock market, including upcoming competitions and direct awards. In the development of each directly awarded franchise the Department has extensive discussions with the operator to discuss rolling stock issues, including maintenance, potential upgrades and the overall availability of stock during the period of the franchise, to ensure that appropriate levels of passenger service can be provided within the period.

    Ministers regularly meet with train operating companies and rolling stock companies to discuss a wide range of issues, including the rolling stock market. The Department expects train operators and rolling stock companies ultimately to resolve any issues with regard to the availability of rolling stock for the period of their franchise, or any extension thereof.

  • Lord Palmer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Palmer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Earl Howe on 3 April (HL Deb, col 1121–2), whether in preparing for the publication of the draft regulations on standardised packaging for tobacco products they are considering the scope of the types of tobacco products to be included, such as drawing a distinction between cigars and pipe tobaccos and mainstream tobacco products.

    Earl Howe

    The Government continues to carefully consider all issues relevant to the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products, including the scope of the types of tobacco products covered by the policy.

  • Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will amend the benefits rules on the habitual residency test to exempt family members in the services returning from an overseas posting; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    It has always been the case that all migrants, including UK nationals returning from anything more than a short period abroad, must satisfy the Habitual Residence Test. This is a vital tool which enables the Government to continue to protect the integrity of the UK welfare system.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored report, Children in Military Custody, on Israeli interrogation methods of Palestinian children; and what follow-up to the report they intend to undertake.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Mr Robertson), wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on 31 March 2014 to welcome the steps taken to date and to call for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. These were key UK recommendations at Israel’s Universal Periodic Review session at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October 2013.

    A progress report published in October 2013 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicates that Israel has taken some positive steps towards addressing the recommendations in the report. These include: the introduction of legal obligations to inform the child’s parents of an arrest and grant them legal status to be represented in court, as well as to notify minors of their legal rights; and standard operating procedures on methods of restraint. The Israeli military are also piloting a new procedure across the West Bank, whereby children are issued a summons to attend a police station in the morning, rather than being arrested at night, in their homes. The UK believes that the report "Children in Military Custody" has helped contribute to these changes in practice.

  • Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what advantages he expects to accrue from the new bespoke trading fund status of the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation; and what new freedoms that organisation will have which were not previously available to it.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Copies of the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Corporate Plan and the Framework Document will be placed in the Library of the House in due course, and published on the gov.uk website and the Defence Intranet. The Corporate Plan sets out the DE&S strategic objectives and timelines for the next three years. The Framework Document includes the function and governance arrangements for the new DE&S, including the freedoms and benefits.

  • Lord Pannick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Pannick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pannick on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will be publishing a response to proposals from the European Court of Justice for new rules of procedure that would permit the General Court to take into account, in actions for annulment, confidential information that has not been shown to some of the parties to the proceedings.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Government issued an Explanatory Memorandum on the 25 May April in which it highlighted these proposals as a matter of particular interest. This is a complex and sensitive issue which Governments across the EU are very carefully considering. We are aware of parliamentary interest in this issue and will continue to update on developments. Under the Treaty on European Union national security remains the sole responsibility of each Member State.

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