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Tag: 2014

  • Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mike Wood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Wood on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken was from a visa appeal being granted at tribunal to the post issuing the visa in (a) Mumbai and (b) Islamabad in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    James Brokenshire

    From 1st January to 31st March 2014, it took on average 34 days in Mumbai and 31 days in Islamabad to issue a visa after the tribunal decision was received in the respective post.

  • Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance judges will receive on settling inheritance disputes which were initially settled under the Sharia succession rules guidance issued by the Law Society.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

    The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

    The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

    The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many employees of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, broken down by grade, have remained at the same grade since 2010 and in that period received pay rises.

    Mr Charles Walker

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.

    Letter from Marcial Boo, July 2014:

    As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about IPSA staffing.

    29 of our current employees have worked for IPSA since 2010. Of those 29, 17 have remained at the same grade and received pay rises of 1% in 2012 and 2013.

    Grade

    Number

    A

    1

    B

    11

    C

    3

    D

    0

    E

    2

    F

    0
  • Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the Law Society’s inclusion of Sharia succession rules in its guidance and its compatibility with existing equalities legislation.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

    The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

    The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

    The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will introduce an embargo on the export of weapons to Israel.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza. We call for an immediate de-escalation and restoration of the November 2012 ceasefire, to avoid further civilian injuries and the loss of innocent life.

    The United Kingdom does not believe that imposing a blanket arms embargo on Israel would promote progress in the Middle East Peace Process. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend its citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties.

    Export licence applications to all countries continue to be considered on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time of application. In view of the situation in Gaza, we are keeping all licence applications under review to ensure that all our decisions remain consistent with our human rights commitments and all applicable criteria. If a decision is taken to suspend or revoke licences we will announce this to Parliament, and where possible we will do this in concert with our EU partners.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department’s proposed constitution on society lotteries, which was first announced in December 2012, will consider ways to help the sector maximise returns to good causes.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Decisions on what elements will be considered in the consultation on society lotteries have yet to be taken. We have commissioned advice from the Gambling Commission which will inform us of the scope and content of the consultation.

  • David T. C. Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David T. C. Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he expects to publish the British Geological Survey’s assessment of the hydrocarbon resources in the Weald area of the south of England.

    Michael Fallon

    The British Geological Survey Weald Basin Report has been published and can be viewed at the following link:

    http://www.bgs.ac.uk/shalegas/

    “

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the total value of public service contracts that were awarded by (a) his Department and (b) NHS bodies to voluntary sector organisations in the last year for which figures are available.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The total value of public service contracts awarded by the Department on voluntary sector organisations’ contracts in 2012-13 was £39.77 million and for NHS bodies, which is taken to mean primary care trusts (PCTs), the equivalent was £542.76 million.

    Prior to their abolition in 2013, the vast majority of healthcare commissioned by the NHS was directly through PCTs, who were responsible for commissioning healthcare from providers based on the needs of their local population.

    2013-14 information for both the Department and NHS bodies will not be available until the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 are published later in the year.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life was in the context of Interventions and Regulations, as quoted as part of his Department’s submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    I refer my Rt. hon. Friend to the answer given on 26 June 2014, Official Report, column 283W.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of running (a) the Case Resolution Directorate, (b) the Case Assurance and Audit Unit and (c) the Older Live Cases Unit in each year of those bodies’ operations.

    Karen Bradley

    The operational costs of running the Case Resolution Directorate (excluding
    enforcement costs, detention and removal escort costs or asylum and immigration
    tribunal costs) was approximately £32 million per year. The costs are inclusive
    of an outsourced administrative function in 2009-2011. Support costs for
    applicants were accounted for separately for this period.

    The total running costs of the Case Assurance and Audit Unit was £27.4 million
    (2011/ 2012) and £19. 5million (2012/ 2013). The total running costs of the Older Live
    Cases Unit was £7.8 million (2013/ 2014). The Older Live Cases Unit budget spend to
    date for 2014/ 2015 is £1.87 million. Since setting up the Case Resolution Directorate,
    operational running costs have decreased year on year.