Tag: 2014

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Laos about the persecution of Christians in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our recently re-opened Embassy in Vientiane regularly raises human rights concerns with the Lao government, including their adherence to their international human rights commitments that protect freedom of religion and belief. Laos has seen some improvements in religious freedom over the past decade with a reduction in the number of long-term Christian prisoners of conscience. However, we are aware of cases of Christians being arrested for proselytising. The EU raised these cases at the last EU-Laos Human Rights Dialogue in February 2013 and we will press for it to be raised at the next EU-Laos Human Rights Dialogue which will take place in Brussels in May 2014. We continue to work with the EU and other like-minded partners to raise our concerns about religious freedom with the Lao government.

  • Biography information for Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Biography information for Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Liam Byrne on Business, Innovation and Skills.

    1

    Mr David Willetts

    No estimate of retention rates at alternative providers has yet been made. The designation conditions that apply from 2014/15 onwards require alternative providers to provide a data return to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This data once available will help inform BIS decisions on designations and enable the Department to estimate retention rates across the sector.

  • 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.

  • Biography information for Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Biography information for Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Gregory Campbell on Defence.

    1

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence-sponsored cadet forces offer challenging and enjoyable activities for young people, and prepare them to play an active part in the community while developing valuable life skills.

    Information held centrally by the Ministry of Defence on the numbers of sea and army cadets in Northern Ireland is provided in the following tables. For sea cadets, reliable data is available from January 2005. For army cadets, estimated information on the Army Cadet Force is available from March 2012 although comparable data about the Army Combined Cadet Force is not available in the format requested. Information prior to these dates could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

    Sea Cadets

    Royal Marine (RM) Cadets

    Adult Volunteers (Sea and RM)

    January 2005

    225

    13

    146

    January 2014

    235

    22

    157

    Change +/-

    +10

    +9

    +11

    Army Cadet Force

    Army Combined Cadet Force

    Adult Volunteers

    March 2012

    1,925 (estimated)

    Not held

    350 (estimated)

    January 2014

    1,422

    598

    397

    Change +/-

    -503

    Not known

    +47

    Since 2012 the Army has worked to improve the accuracy of their record keeping with a concerted effort to identify those cadets not actively participating and to either encourage them back into cadet activities or to remove them from the management information system. This has accounted for a significant drop in Army Cadet Force figures over the past few years. However, we are actively recruiting Army cadets in Northern Ireland and numbers are beginning to increase.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which firm had its award of a contract to provide publicly-funded immigration services withdrawn in the 2010 tender round.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Biography information for Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Fiona Bruce on Health.

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    Jane Ellison

    The information is shown in the following table:

    Selective reduction abortions performed under ground E by gestation, residents of England and Wales, 2013

    Gestation Weeks

    Total

    Under 13

    25

    13 to 19

    39

    20 to 23

    7

    24 and over

    24

    Total

    95

  • Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brian H. Donohoe on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the forthcoming independence referendum on the National Air Traffic Service Centre in Scotland’s ability to secure international contracts.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No assessment has been made as we believe Scotland is stronger in the UK and the UK is stronger with Scotland in it. NATS’s success in winning international contracts is a matter in the first instance for its Board.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Written Statement of 27 March 2014, Official Report, columns 56-7W, on Atos, how many Atos Healthcare staff currently carrying out work capability assessments are expected to carry out personal independence payment assessments in future; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Department maintains separate contracts with Atos Healthcare for the delivery of work capability assessments and Personal Independence Payment assessments and these contracts require that resources for these two contracts be kept separate.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new personal independence payment claims were submitted by December 2013; and how many decisions have been made on those claims.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the maximum length of time taken to process an application for personal independence payments has been since the introduction of that payment.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.