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Tag: 2014

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent report by Church Action on Poverty, Oxfam GB and The Trussell Trust Below the Breadline: The relentless rise of food poverty in Britain.

    Lord De Mauley

    The Government noted the recent Below the Breadline report. The factors that impact on household food security are complex and include economic, social and environmental influences. There is no official definition of “food poverty”. A single measure would not be able to reflect the multi-faceted aspects of this issue. Year on year food prices have fallen for the first time since 2006 with an annual rate of inflation of -0.6 per cent in the year to May 2014. This is down from 0.5 per cent inflation in April.

    We recognise the extremely valuable work of civil society groups in supporting local communities. There has long been a tradition in this country of voluntary and charity organisations providing support to people in need.

  • Karen Lumley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Karen Lumley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Lumley on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that betting shops are not placed in the same planning use class as cafes, banks and public houses.

    Nick Boles

    Yes.

    Betting shops are currently in the A2 (“financial and professional services”) use class. The Budget announced that we will consult on introducing a wider ‘retail’ use class; I can confirm that this would not include betting shops or payday loan shops.

    Moreover, to increase access to retail banking and to encourage new entrants, we have already recently amended secondary legislation such that shops (A1) are now able to change to banks, building societies, credit unions and friendly societies, within the A2 use class. This does not cover betting shops or payday loan shops.

  • Lord Eames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Eames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Eames on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current state of their discussions on possible compensation for victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland where such victimhood can be attributed to explosives or other weapons supplied by regimes outside the United Kingdom.

    Baroness Randerson

    The Government recognises the importance of this issue for the many people who suffered at the hands of Qadhafi sponsored terrorism. The Prime Minister has asked the National Security Advisor, Sir Kim Darroch, to lead cross Government activity to build a dialogue with the Libyan authorities on reconciliation initiatives. Sir Kim’s efforts are designed to support all of those who have suffered as a result of Qadhafi’s support to terrorism, and are not focused exclusively on any one group of victims. He has been talking to the Libyan Government about how best to take forward these matters given the challenging security and political situation in Libya.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2014, Official Report, column 356W, on London Academy of Excellence, whether the enrolment data for 2013-14 for the London Academy of Excellence is now available; and if he will publish that data.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The London Academy of Excellence is the only 16-19 free school that provides data on its pupil numbers through the individualised learner record; this is the equivalent to the school’s census return for further education institutions.

    The enrolment numbers requested are not yet available. We are expecting to have them by the end of April.

    The pupil numbers and funding covering all open academies and free schools for the academic year 2014/15 will be published in October. This will include the London Academy of Excellence.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom regarding the postal service standards provided by TNT.

    Jenny Willott

    Ministers and officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) meet with officials from Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, on a regular basis to discuss a broad range of market issues. There have not been any specific discussions about TNT Post’s service standards.

    All postal operators are subject to regulatory conditions set by Ofcom. These regulatory conditions cover such things as the security and confidentiality of the mail that operators handle and ensure that effective complaints procedures are in place for consumers. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

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  • Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will instruct UK diplomats resident in Japan to raise the human rights case of Mr Iwao Hakamda with the Japanese authorities.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    British Ministers have made clear to their Japanese counterparts on numerous occasions the UK’s hope that Japan will move to abolish the death penalty. This is in line with UK policy towards all countries which continue to use the death penalty. Most recently, on 12 December 2013, EU Ambassadors in Tokyo wrote a joint letter to the Japanese Foreign Minister on , expressing their concern at executions which took place the same day, and deploring the eight executions authorised by the Minister of Justice since the beginning of that year.

    The FCO part-funded a study by the NGO Death Penalty Project in 2013, the conclusions of which argue that aspects of Japan’s use of the death penalty – including the sentencing and detention of Mr Hakamada – amount to breaches of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The British Embassy in Tokyo has disseminated this report widely in Japan, including to all Members of the Diet, and we continue to raise the points in the report with the Japanese authorities. The British Embassy in Tokyo will continue to follow closely the case of Mr Hakamada, and will work with like-minded partners to raise its profile. The Embassy and the FCO put out messages on social media about the case on 28 March following his release for retrial.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Government spent on National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2013-14.

    Jenny Willott

    Final figures for the Government spend on National Minimum Wage enforcement during 2013/14 are not yet available.

  • Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will digitise all evidence relating to Hillsborough which is being reviewed by the IPCC and Operation Resolve investigations; and if she will make it her policy to publish such evidence electronically upon completion of both investigations.

    Damian Green

    The IPCC and Operation Resolve are responsible for the publication of the
    findings of their investigations. Decisions on whether to publish will be made
    once the investigations are complete.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the difference in the record of the number of primary fires in England attended by the Fire and Rescue Service in paragraph 1.20 of the Fire Statistics Great Britain 2012-13 and in table 1a of the appendices to the Fire Incidents Response Times, England 2012-13, what assessment he has made of whether average response times for 2012-13 have been wrongly calculated.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to my answer of today, Official Report, PQs 200566, 200567 & 200568.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) fatal and (b) serious injuries were suffered by cyclists in London in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The number of reported a) killed and b) seriously injured cyclists in London in each of the last 10 years is given in the table below.

    Number of killed and seriously injured cyclists in London: 2003-2012

    number of casualties
    Year a) Killed b)Serious
    2003 19 419
    2004 8 332
    2005 21 351
    2006 19 373
    2007 15 446
    2008 15 430
    2009 13 420
    2010 10 458
    2011 16 555
    2012 14 659

    Data for the year 2013 will be available in June 2014.

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