Tag: 2014

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made any representations to the Iranian government on (a) the need to respect trade union rights and International Labour Organisation conventions and (b) the detention and abuse of Shahrokh Zamani.

    Hugh Robertson

    Independent unions and labour organisations have been heavily repressed in Iran, and many members have been jailed or harassed. The UK has repeatedly called on Iran to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of expression to all Iranians.

    We are aware of the detention of Shahrokh Zamani, a member of the Founding Board of the Syndicate of Paint Workers of Tehran, who was sentenced to prison for “acting against national security by establishing and or being a member of groups opposed to the system”. The UK has called for Iran to release all political prisoners.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure the long-term viability of the system for paying benefits into Post Office card accounts under the universal credit programme.

    Steve Webb

    No decision has been made on the future of the POca but discussions are currently taking place between DWP, Post Office Ltd and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to consider the future needs of customers beyond 2015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with devolved regional assemblies to agree a strategy to prevent bacillus cereus infections.

    Jane Ellison

    Bacillus cereus is a spore forming bacterium found widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation. There is limited prevention as it is a naturally occurring bacterium. However, the Food Standards Agency has published advice on their website which details information on potential food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) undertake inspections of manufacturing facilities with reference to the standards of Good Manufacturing Practice to verify that companies are producing medicines that are of the correct quality and safety. The manufacture of sterile products, such as Total Parental Nutrition, is subject to special requirements in order to minimise risks of bacterial contamination.

    In the case of medicines, the MHRA and Public Health England (PHE) are currently investigating what has caused the recent incident where Total Parenteral Nutrition became contaminated with Bacillus cereus . Based on the information we currently have, we believe this is an isolated incident and the appropriate immediate action has been taken to avoid a recurrence.

    The devolved administrations have been informed of the current incident involving Bacillus cereus. The investigations into the cause of this incident are still ongoing. The Department will continue to discuss matters with the devolved administrations for minimising Bacillus cereus infection.

    The investigations being undertaken by MHRA and PHE are in their advanced stages and preliminary findings will be published as soon as possible. While the MHRA and PHE are undertaking their own investigations, it would be normal practice for the Coroner to report on the individual case he is currently considering.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 18W, on employee ownership, for what reason the details of the Exchequer impact of the tax rules for the shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are not available.

    Mr David Gauke

    Employers are not required to provide details of any shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements to HM Revenue & Customs until they submit their annual employment-related securities return for 2013-14. No details or estimates of the total value of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are currently available.

    Estimates of the Exchequer impact of the capital gains tax exemption and the income tax and national insurance treatment of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements in tax years to 2017-18 can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tiin/emp-shareholder-status.pdf

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on its proposals to increase professional fees for nurses by £20 per annum later in 2014.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is an independent body and it is therefore for the NMC Council to determine the level of the annual fee it charges for registration. On 26 March 2014, the NMC Council reviewed the level of this fee and agreed a proposal to increase it from £100 per annum to £120 in March 2015. The NMC is running a public consultation between 8 May and 31 July 2014, where its proposal is open to scrutiny. No decision on the proposed fee increase has been made at present.

    Ministers keep the issue of professional regulation under regular review and the Department has frequent contact with professional regulators, including the NMC. On 12 March 2014, I met with representatives of the NMC for a regular update meeting. This meeting was not specifically set up to discuss the NMC registration fee, but during this meeting the NMC provided information about its fee review process.

  • Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 114W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, how many of those referred were (a) men and (b) women, by country; what steps are taken to ensure after the victim exits the shelter into which they have been placed by the Salvation Army they are not re-trafficked or contact their former traffickers; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in
    which they were found in January 2014 was provided in the Answer of 7 April
    2014, Official Report, columns 114-5W, on human trafficking: victim support
    schemes. However, this data was provided in a number of separate tables. The
    information was not withheld and is provided below in an alternative format,
    giving the same data broken down by individual case, in one table.

    The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any
    form of formal contact after the recovery and reflection period. However, some
    survivors do maintain informal contact with their support provider. All support
    providers will work with victims throughout their support period to help them
    move on from the service. We are looking at what more we can do to help victims
    reintegrate effectively.

    Nationality

    Gender

    Region

    Agency Type

    Nigerian

    Female

    South

    Self Referral

    Lithuanian

    Female

    South

    Police

    Vietnamese

    Male

    East

    NGO

    Romanian

    Female

    West Midlands

    NGO

    Lithuanian

    Male

    South West

    Police

    Lithuanian

    Male

    South West

    Police

    Albanian

    Female

    Wales

    Self Referral

    Bulgarian

    Female

    South

    Police

    Polish

    Male

    West Midlands

    GLA

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    NGO

    Nigerian

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Sierra Leonean

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Indian

    Male

    South East

    Home Office

    Vietnamese

    Female

    North West

    Home Office

    Nigerian

    Female

    South East

    Home Office

    Ugandan

    Female

    South East

    Home Office

    Vietnamese

    Male

    South East

    Legal Representative

    Ghanaian

    Male

    South

    Police

    Ghanaian

    Male

    South

    Police

    Romanian

    Male

    West Midlands

    Police

    Romanian

    Male

    West Midlands

    Police

    Romanian

    Male

    West Midlands

    Police

    Romanian

    Male

    West Midlands

    Police

    Romanian

    Male

    West Midlands

    Police

    Togolese

    Female

    East

    Police

    Nigerian

    Female

    South East

    Local Authority

    Czech

    Male

    Yorkshire

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    South East

    Home Office

    Ugandan

    Female

    East

    Self Referral

    Indian

    Female

    South East

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South East

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    Not Known

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Police

    Vietnamese

    Female

    Not Known

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Slovakian

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Local Authority

    Slovakian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Local Authority

    Nigerian

    Female

    South

    Other

    Moroccan

    Female

    West Midlands

    Home Office

    Cameroonian

    Male

    North East

    Other

    Not known

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Nigerian

    Female

    Not Known

    Home Office

    Chinese

    Male

    West Midlands

    NGO

    Hungarian

    Male

    Yorkshire

    NGO

    Polish

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Police

    Nigerian

    Female

    South

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Lithuanian

    Male

    South West

    Police

    Romanian

    Female

    West Midlands

    Police

    Czech

    Male

    North West

    Other

    Sri Lankan

    Female

    South

    Police

    Pakistani

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Vietnamese

    Male

    South

    Legal Representative

    Romanian

    Female

    South

    Other

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Nigerian

    Female

    South

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    West Midlands

    NGO

    Kenyan

    Female

    East

    Home Office

    Hungarian

    Female

    South East

    Police

    Slovakian

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Local Authority

    Slovakian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Local Authority

    Kenyan

    Female

    South

    Self Referral

    Cameroonian

    Female

    North West

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Police

    Slovakian

    Female

    West Midlands

    Police

    Albanian

    Male

    South East

    Police

    Iranian

    Male

    South

    NGO

    Nigerian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South East

    Other

    Czech

    Female

    South West

    NGO

    Bulgarian

    Male

    South West

    Police

    Hungarian

    Male

    South

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Home Office

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    NGO

    Nigerian

    Female

    Wales

    Home Office

    Polish

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Police

    Ugandan

    Female

    South

    Legal Representative

    Vietnamese

    Male

    East Midlands

    Legal Representative

    Slovakian

    Male

    Yorkshire

    Police

    Slovakian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    Police

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    Legal Representative

    Ethiopian

    Female

    South

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    South

    NGO

    Iraqi

    Female

    East Midlands

    NGO

    Albanian

    Female

    Yorkshire

    NGO

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she authorised the UK’s classification of (a) Google, (b) Facebook, (c) webmail services and (d) other companies that operate in the UK as external communications.

    James Brokenshire

    External Communication is defined within the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 and the statutory Interception of Communications Code of Practice which was approved by Parliament and came into force on 1 July 2002. The Government has no present plans to amend the definition of external communication.

    Under RIPA, interception warrants are issued by the Secretary of State.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Energy and Climate Change about the local socioeconomic effects of the Magnox nuclear sites before the award of the decommissioning contract on 31 March 2014; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    This Department has not had any discussion with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) about the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) competition to secure a new Parent Body Organisation for Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd. The NDA ran the competition in strict accordance with UK and EU procurement regulations. Oversight and governance of the process was provided by the NDA’s Competition Programme Board. The Government is represented by the Shareholder Executive (on behalf of DECC), HM Treasury and Infrastructure UK.

  • Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Murphy on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to support the adoption of a target to integrate climate adaptation and emissions reductions into development plans and poverty reduction strategies in Open Working Group negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Justine Greening

    The UK supports integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies into development plans and poverty reduction strategies. This language is included in the most recent draft goals and targets list released by the co-chairs of the Open Working Group (OWG) on 2 June.

    The final targets in the post-2015 development framework will be subject to international negotiations in the United Nations, in which the UK will play an active role.

  • Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children were aged under five in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.