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Tag: 2014

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what international progress has been made towards establishing the Green Climate Fund ahead of the UN’s climate summit in Lima; and when she expects this fund to be ready for capitalisation.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The Green Climate Fund Board has agreed a list of eight operational policies needed to complete the design of the fund, with a view to taking decisions at the next Board meeting in May. The Board will also decide the next steps towards a contributions process, with a view to enabling pledges by the meeting in Lima.

  • John Leech – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    John Leech – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Leech on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a cap on data charges which can be imposed by mobile telephone operators.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    On 3 December Government announced it had reached agreement with the mobile network operators and other telecommunications providers(1) as part of the Telecoms Consumer Action Plan (2). Working with Government and Ofcom, major telecoms companies have agreed to reduce the risk of unexpectedly high bills. As a result, all of the main operators now provide ‘near data allowance’ alerts to help consumers manage their data usage. They have also increased the visibility and usability of other usage monitoring tools, such as apps. Some operators also offer spend caps to help limit any out of allowance charges that consumers may incur.

    In addition, customers who use data while abroad are protected by the Roaming Regulations. These limit the amount that operators can charge for data roaming within the EU. They also require all mobile operators to apply a cut-off limit once consumers have used €50 (excluding VAT) of data per month (within or outside of the EU), unless the consumer has opted for another limit. The provider must send an alert when the consumer has reached 80 per cent and then 100 per cent of the agreed data roaming limit, and must stop charging at the 100 per cent point unless the consumer consents to continuing to use data.

    (1) 3, BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone

    (2) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-vows-to-end-unfair-consumer-bill-and-subscription-practices

    “

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on the viability of public houses of the method by which business rates are currently calculated.

    Brandon Lewis

    Decisions on rateable values are made independently of Ministers by the Valuation Office Agency. All rateable values are based on the rental value of the property and for public houses rates are based on actual rents paid by tenants. Ratepayers should contact the Valuation Office Agency if they are concerned about their rateable value and may appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal if their dispute cannot be resolved.

    As part of our review of business rates administration, the Government will consider options for arriving at a rental based assessment for non-domestic properties including public houses and the discussion paper, published last month, invites views on this issue.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions the Prison Service Gold Command has been opened in each of the last 36 months; and what the nature was of each incident that caused it to be opened.

    Jeremy Wright

    A Gold Command Suite (GCS) is located at National Offender Management Service (NOMS) headquarters in London. It provides strategic assistance in the managing of serious prison incidents to the Governor of a prison in England and Wales.

    Reason

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Hostage

    20

    27

    54

    Concerted indiscipline

    4

    6

    13

    Escape

    1

    Industrial Action

    1

    4

    Barricade

    2

    Civil Disturbances

    1

    At Height

    3

    5

    11

    Fire

    1

    Barricade

    2

    Miscellaneous

    1

    Total

    32

    43

    81

    Although there has been an increase in the number of times the GCS was opened, the number of callouts of Tornado staff (a mutual aid arrangement between prisons who respond to the most serious incidents that cannot be managed locally) is half of what it was in 2007. There has been no rise in the number of serious incidents being attended.

    A large part of the increase in the number of times the GCS was opened was for hostage incidents. Many incidents that we manage as “hostage” we believe to be acts of collusion between the alleged perpetrator and victim(s) in attempts to have their demands met. NOMS National Tactical Response Group, which has the specialist skills required to deal with such incidents, is frequently called to attend as a precautionary measure. Many of these incidents are dealt with very quickly with minimal disruption to the prison.

  • Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the additional costs resulting from Israeli border, access and planning controls to UK-funded development projects in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    No such assessment has been possible. UK aid helps to finance the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal deficit, which would significantly decrease if Israeli movement and access restrictions in the OPTs were lifted. The World Bank estimates that if Israeli restrictions were lifted in ‘Area C’ of the West Bank alone, the Palestinian economy would expand by more than a third and potentially would not require international donor assistance.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her priorities are for extending the scope of the National Crime Agency in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the UK.

    Karen Bradley

    The National Crime Agency is committed to assisting the Police Service of
    Northern Ireland in tackling serious and organised crime as far as the
    restrictions on its powers permit.

    Discussions continue in order to achieve full operating powers for the National
    Crime Agency in Northern Ireland to ensure the response to organised crime in
    Northern Ireland is more effective. This is a priority.

    The National Crime Agency does have full operating powers elsewhere in the UK.

  • Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many UK citizens are not being paid those Zimbabwean government pensions to which they are entitled; and what steps the UK Government is taking to end that default.

    Mark Simmonds

    The Overseas Service Pensioners Association (OSPA) have estimated that there are approximately 1250-1500 pensioners who are entitled to a pension from the Government of Zimbabwe, of whom 300-400 are estimated to be resident in the UK. This is unverified by the Government of Zimbabwe.

    The payment of Zimbabwe public service pensions is the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe. We appreciate the frustration and financial burden the non-payment of pensions puts on many pensioners and have continually pressed the Government of Zimbabwe to fulfil their obligations.

  • Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014 at the next European Union meeting of Foreign Ministers.

    Mark Simmonds

    We expect the next Foreign Affairs Council to focus on Ukraine. Nigeria is not currently on the agenda. Our High Commissioner in Abuja has discussed the abductions with his EU colleagues.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the letter dated 5 March 2014 from the Minister of State for Pensions to the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, what estimate he has made of the number of service spouses who will be affected by his plans to bring forward legislative proposals to make national insurance credits available for past periods for service spouses.

    Steve Webb

    Subject to Royal Assent of the Pensions Bill a duty will be placed on the Secretary of State to make regulations to allow service spouses and civil partners, due to reach State Pension age from 6 April 2016, to apply for National Insurance credits for periods during which they accompanied their husband, wife or civil partner on a posting outside the UK. The regulations will make provision to allow credits for periods between 1975/76 and 2010.

    We are working with the Ministry of Defence on the finer details of the scheme including the manner in which applications will need to be made and the precise date when the administrative arrangements will be in place.

    We estimate that up to 20,000 individuals could have a higher single-tier pension from these credits as some individuals may, at state pension age, already have sufficient qualifying years to gain a full single-tier pension.

  • Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pete Wishart on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to ensure that pregnant women and nursing mothers in receipt of section 4 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are recognised as a vulnerable group when contracting and allocating placement accommodation.

    James Brokenshire

    The guidance and procedures on providing accommodation to pregnant women in the
    asylum support system is contained in the policy document "Healthcare needs and
    Pregnancy Dispersal guidance", which can be found at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthcare-needs-and-pregnancy-disper
    sal-instruction

    The Home Office is currently considering some changes to the document following
    consultation with the Refugee Council and Maternity Action.

    Pregnant women are already recognised as a vulnerable group in the asylum
    support system. Regulation 4 of the Asylum Seekers (Reception conditions)
    Regulations 2005 provides that their special needs must be taken into
    consideration.