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Tag: 2014

  • Michael McCann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Michael McCann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael McCann on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many cases against his Department funded by legal aid public interest lawyers represented clients in each of the last 10 years.

    Anna Soubry

    All of the judicial review proceedings relating to Iraq and Afghanistan brought by the firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) in the last ten years have been publicly funded through the legal aid budget. According to available records PIL has represented approximately 200 clients in issued judicial review proceedings. It is not possible to provide a meaningful annual breakdown as some claims made in one year have had further claimants joined to them in subsequent years.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people having difficulty making mortgage repayments have requested help from the Financial Ombudsman Service in each of the last three years.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government does not collect data on the number of cases referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS routinely collects and publishes statistics about the complaints referred to them, which they make publicly available on their website.

  • 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 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value of (a) exports to and (b) imports from Egypt was in each of the last three years.

    Hugh Robertson

    According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), UK imports from Egypt were worth £1.36 billion in 2010, 1.41 billion in 2011 and 1.21 billion in 2012. Over the same period, UK exports to Egypt were worth £1.77 billion in 2010, 1.70 billion in 2011 and 1.59 billion in 2012. ONS figures from 2013 will be published in October 2014.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, columns 527-8W, on the Bellwin scheme, how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by each of the authorities which have registered for funding under the Bellwin scheme.

    Brandon Lewis

    Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is causally linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. As was the case under previous and current Administrations, it operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.

    As at 9 June, 110 local authorities have registered for the December 2013 to February 2014 severe weather events. They now have until 30 June 2014 to submit their formal claims. However, only 20 local authorities have submitted formal claims so far.

    A table deposited in the Library lists the reimbursement payments that have been made to date. In the remaining cases, the claims have literally just been received or we are waiting for the local authorities to provide supporting information. All valid claims will be paid quickly.

  • Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many marriages reported as suspicious or sham were (a) same sex marriages, (b) heterosexual marriages and (c) civil partnerships in each year since 2009.

    James Brokenshire

    Sections 24 and 24A of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 place a duty on
    registration officers to submit a report to the Home Office where they have
    reasonable grounds to suspect that a marriage or civil partnership is a sham
    being entered into for immigration purposes. Table 1 shows the
    number of section 24/24A reports received in each year since 2009. Same sex
    marriages only came into effect this year there is therefore no data relating
    to this period, or for civil partnerships before 2011.

    The Home Office Intelligence Management System (IMS) records allegations from
    the public regarding immigration-related offences. Since 30 September 2012 we
    have recorded the following numbers of reports relating to sham marriage as set
    out in Table 2.
    These figures relate to reports identified by the public as possible sham
    marriage.

    Table 1

    Year

    Number of section 24/24A reports

    Of which refer civil partnerships

    2009

    561

    2010

    934

    2011

    1,741

    28

    2012

    1,891

    28

    2013

    2135

    25

    Table 2

    Year

    Number of reports relating to sham marriage recorded on IMS

    2012 (from 30 September)

    984

    2013

    6909

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what current RAF airfields have (a) standard airfield concrete runways and (b) asphaltic concrete runways.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    There are no RAF airfields that have a concrete only runway.
    The following RAF airfields have a asphaltic/concrete runway:

    RAF Benson (Joint Helicopter Command Base)
    RAF College Cranwell
    RAF Coningsby
    RAF Leeming
    RAF Leuchars
    RAF Lossiemouth
    RAF Marham
    RAF Odiham (Joint Helicopter Command Base)
    RAF Scampton
    RAF Shawbury
    RAF Waddington
    RAF Valley

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the UK has taken to support UN Security Council Resolution 2139 regarding humanitarian access in Syria.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK played a leading role in ensuring the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2139 on 22 February. Since then, we have regularly echoed the UN Security Council’s demand that all parties to the conflict, in particular the Syrian authorities, implement fully the requirements of UNSCR 2139. We welcome the National Coalition’s commitment to implementing UNSCR 2139 and have encouraged those with influence on the parties to urge them to implement the demands of the resolution. The UK is working closely with P5 colleagues and others in New York on a draft resolution in response to the UN Secretary General’s call for the UNSC to act decisively to address the worsening humanitarian situation.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessments he has made of the successes and failures of the differing primary school starting age in other countries such as Finland and Norway.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Formal school starting ages vary across OECD member states. However it is useful to compare the state provision of education for young children prior to the start of compulsory education as the majority of children in OECD countries have entered the education system at a young age – participation rates in formal childcare and pre-school are broadly similar across Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.

    Research indicates that most countries have published curricula governing the provision of early years education from the ages four to six years which are consistent in their use of learning objectives and expected outcomes. The Department has commissioned the OECD to carry out an international review of pedagogy and practice in the early years to investigate this issue further. We anticipate a report in autumn 2014.

    Research has demonstrated that all-round development is enhanced for those children attending nursery compared to those who don’t before starting school. This suggests that attending a formal learning environment from an earlier age is typically beneficial. Furthermore duration in nursery matters, with every month of nursery experience after age two years linked to better intellectual development and improved independence, concentration and sociability at age five with a continued effect at Key Stage 1.

    High quality early years education will help close the attainment gap that already exists by the beginning of primary school between disadvantaged children and their peers. Evidence is clear that children’s learning and development in their early years is crucial to later attainment. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project found that high quality early years education is a strong predictor of achievement in English and mathematics later on in school.

    We cannot provide the information requested on representations on this topic. The Department receives a huge volume of mail and representations on education and children’s issues. There would be a disproportionate cost to providing a response in this case.

  • Andrew Selous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Selous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Selous on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance will be provided to police officers on the implementation of the new drug driving offence; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department is in regular contact with the Police Service about the implementation of the new drug driving offence and has every confidence that the police will implement it effectively including the application of the statutory medical defence.

    The Police Service is in the process of amending their procedures, which will include the statutory medical defence and its operation. These will be issued in advance of the introduction of the new offence. This will provide each force plenty of time to consider the new procedures. We are confident forces will properly consider and include the new offence alongside current drink and drug drive training.

  • Dr Julian Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Dr Julian Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Lewis on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if it remains Government policy that barn conversions to dwellings without the need for planning permission will not be permitted in national parks; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    As I outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 6 March 2014, Official Report, Column 51WS, the permitted development right for the change of use from an agricultural building to a dwellinghouse does not apply in national parks. There are no plans to change this. However, we have been clear that we expect national parks and other local planning authorities to take a positive and proactive approach to sustainable development, balancing the protection of the landscape with the social and economic well-being of the area.