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Tag: 2014

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of job searches required of jobseeker’s allowance claimants is in (a) each English region and (b) each age group.

    Esther McVey

    There is not set number of jobsearches required.

    It is a condition of entitlement for Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants to be actively seeking work. To meet this requirement, claimants are generally expected to take all reasonable steps each week to give them the best prospects of obtaining work.

    DWP Work Coaches agree steps that it is reasonable to expect the claimant to undertake, taking into account individual circumstances and record these in a Claimant Commitment which is regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the human rights situation of Yazidi women in areas of Iraq controlled by ISIS.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government continues to condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) against all communities throughout the areas under its control. We are working closely with the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional government and our international coalition partners to assist and protect civilians wherever we can.

    The human rights situation for many living in areas under ISIL control is gravely concerning, including for Yezidi women. We have received reports, including a recently published Amnesty International report, of the ordeal faced by these women and others abducted by ISIL including rape, sexual abuse, forced marriage, forced conversion and women being sold as slaves. Through the Department for International Development we are funding activities to protect vulnerable civilians including through legal assistance and support groups for women. We continue to explore what further support we might be able to provide to vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons.

  • – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 November 2013 (WA 113–4), by Earl Howe on 30 October 2013 (WA 259) and 22 January 2014 (WA 128–9), the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison, on 17 December 2014 (HC Deb, cols 96–7WS) and the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison, on 12 January 2015 (HC220181), whether section 3ZA(4)(b) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) and paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 2 (activities for which licences may be granted: licences for treatment) would already permit spindle-chromosomal complex transfer or pronuclear transfer to be licensed for use in treatments on the basis of their various statements that neither the nuclear DNA nor the mitochondrial DNA of eggs or embryos would be altered by virtue of using these techniques; if so, what is the purpose of the proposed regulations 4(a)–(c) and 7(a)–(c) of the Draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 for otherwise proscribed procedures if no nuclear or mitochondrial DNA of any cell of the embryo has been altered”; or if not

    Earl Howe

    The Department is confident that the Draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 have a sound legislative base in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended.

  • Lord Tyler – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Tyler – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tyler on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the revenues which would be realised by applying income tax to Winter Fuel Payments.

    Lord Freud

    Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments1.

    We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.

    Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant’s benefit.

    The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue2.

    Notes:

    1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.

    The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.

    The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.

    2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.

    This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.

    Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect that the review of level crossing legislation will result in a legislative proposal being put before Parliament.

    Baroness Kramer

    We want to bring forward legislation as soon as possible.

    However, whilst we have accepted the majority of the recommendations made by the Law Commission, our response to its report noted that there were a number of areas where we believed that further consideration with stakeholders, including the Scottish and Welsh Governments, was necessary before reaching a conclusion.

    The Department for Transport has produced a Level Crossing Reform Action Plan which explains how this work will be taken forward including an indicative timetable for bringing forward legislative proposals during 2016. Initial discussions with stakeholders are already underway.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 29 July 2014 (HL1320), how many F35B aircraft will initially be allocated to the Operational Conversion Unit.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Based on current planning assumptions, five aircraft will be allocated to the Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Marham when it begins pilot training in July 2019.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 January 2015 to Question 219648, who the members of the care.data Programme Board are; and (a) by whom and (b) by what process those board members were appointed.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Programme Board was reconstituted in June 2014 following a Project Validation Review carried out by the Major Project Authority. Programme Board members were formally invited to join by the Senior Responsible Owner, Tim Kelsey, based upon the requirement for a balance of representation from the Department of Health, those arm’s length bodies with involvement in the programme and representation from those involved in the delivery of the programme at a local level.

    care.data Programme Board member

    Organisation

    Eve Roodhouse

    Health and Social Care Information Centre

    Andy Williams

    Health and Social Care Information Centre

    Tim Kelsey

    NHS England

    Dr Geraint Lewis

    NHS England, Patients and Information

    Prof John Newton

    Public Health England

    Simon Denegri

    National Institute for Health Research

    Peter Knight

    Department of Health

    Mark Davies

    Department of Health

    David Knight

    Department of Health

    Tom Ward

    Care Quality Commission

    Dr Ian Hudson

    Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

    Neil Stutchbury

    Monitor

    Sir Bruce Keogh

    NHS England

    Dr Sarah Schofield

    West Hampshire clinical commissioning groups

    Donna Braisby (Secretariat)

    Health and Social Care Information Centre

  • Ann Clwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with government officials in Bahrain about a future visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK encourages the government of Bahrain to agree a new date for a visit by the Special Rapporteur for Torture. On 14 January, my Rt Hon and noble Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Baroness Anelay, met the Bahraini Minister of Justice and highlighted the importance of Bahrain continuing to enhance its overall co-operation with UN institutions, including with the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on investor-state dispute settlement in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 7 November 2014 to question 212541.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart on (a) the position of that country in relation to the administration of Western Sahara and (b) whether Spain has submitted information to the UN about conditions in that territory, as is required of an administering power.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have not made representations to the Spanish government relating to Western Sahara. Spain is not listed by the UN as the administering Power of Western Sahara and has not therefore transmitted information on the territory in accordance with Article 73 e of the charter of the UN.