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Tag: 2015

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what incentives he is providing to encourage investment from Commonwealth countries in the UK.

    Matthew Hancock

    UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is the Government department that works to encourage foreign direct investment into the UK.

    UKTI’s has teams focussed on attracting inward investment in Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand and all UKTI teams in Commonwealth countries together with UK based UKTI staff provide support for companies or funds considering inward investment into the UK.

  • Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to publish the Government’s response to the review of gambling advertising before the General Election.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Yes.

  • Steve Baker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Steve Baker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Baker on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Germany on financial contributions for British victims of thalidomide.

    Mr David Lidington

    The British Ambassador to Berlin has recently raised the issue of compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide with the German Families Minister Manuela Schwesig. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently working with the Thalidomide Trust to secure a meeting between the Trust and the relevant German authorities in support of their campaign to seek compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide.

  • Keith Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Keith Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2013-14.

    Jane Ellison

    Figures for the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2013-14 are not yet available. The National Diabetes Audit for 2013-14, which will contain the information requested, is due to be published in late 2015.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the success of efforts to reduce the potential radicalisation of British Muslims in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    Work to stop people being drawn into extremist and terrorist activity remains
    a priority and is focused on: limiting the circulation of terrorist and extremist
    material on the internet, supporting more resilient communities and ensuring
    individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism are provided with the support they
    need.

    In March 2014 we launched a new tool for the public to report terrorist
    material to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU). Public
    referrals have tripled since it launched. Working in partnership with industry,
    the CTIRU refers unlawful terrorist content to them for removal.

    Since February 2010, CTIRU has secured the removal of over 75,000
    pieces of unlawful terrorist content with 75% of this total removed since
    December 2013.

    Radicalisation does not only happen online. We continue to disrupt
    propagandists who seek to radicalise vulnerable people directly and counter
    their narrative. The police and agencies routinely take action against those
    who promote terrorism under our existing terrorist legislation. In the year
    ending 30 June 2014, there were 239 persons arrested for terrorism related
    offences.

    We also exclude foreign nationals from the UK on the grounds of
    unacceptable behaviour. Training on awareness of radicalisation now includes
    specific advice in relation to travel to Syria and Iraq. We have trained
    130,000 frontline staff who may come into contact with potential travellers and
    run courses equipping parents to identify risks and have the confidence to seek
    support should they need it.

    The police, local authorities and all sectors included in the Prevent duty have
    a vital role to play in responding to concerns that individuals are being drawn
    into terrorism and extremism. Where specific concerns have been raised and
    individuals consent, the multi-agency Channel programme provides tailored
    support to people identified as at risk of radicalisation.

  • Russell Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Russell Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Russell Brown on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many vaccine damage payments have been awarded in each year since 2003.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The number of Vaccine Damage Payments made each year since 2003:

    2002/03 5

    2003/04 5

    2004/05 4

    2005/06 5

    2006/07 4

    2007/08 2

    2008/09 0

    2009/10 3

    2010/11 1

    2011/12 0

    2012/13 0

    2013/14 0

    2014/15 0

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 223458, what the current (a) employment protections and (b) collective bargaining rights are for contractors working in the offshore oil and gas sector.

    Jo Swinson

    A contractor’s employment protections will depend on the facts of the working relationship and the contract under which they are working. This is irrespective of whether the individual is being contracted for offshore work or not. Contractors who are actually workers or employees would be entitled to the same basic employment protections as other offshore workers with a similar status, and indeed would have common collective rights. Contractors who are self-employed may be entitled to a smaller number of employment protections, depending on the terms of their contract. There is no single list of the protections and rights of offshore workers and contractors because these will be specific to the contract, the location of the work place and the employment status of the contractor. The Government is exploring how to add clarity to this as part of the employment status review.

  • Gerald Howarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gerald Howarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Howarth on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the change in definition of ambulance in Government Amendment 43 of the House of Lords Committee stage of the Deregulation Bill will continue to permit private ambulance and medical providers to operate (a) conventional ambulances and (b) fast response cars and motorbikes under blue lights.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The relevant clause now contained in the Deregulation Bill is not intended to have any effect on the existing legal status of ambulances, including those used by the private or voluntary sector. Conventional ambulances may continue to use blue lights and be exempt from certain road traffic provisions when responding to emergencies. The amendments in the Bill continue to allow vehicles dispatched by the NHS ambulance services (including vehicles that private ambulance and medical providers operate), that are not ambulances, by allowing them to use blue lights and extending the road traffic exemptions to them.

  • Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerry Sutcliffe on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on which occasions his Department has received representations on the introduction of special tax arrangements to support a major sporting event since May 2010.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government receives representations on a wide range of issues. Providing tax exemptions are often a requirement of the bidding process.

  • Anne McIntosh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Anne McIntosh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne McIntosh on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to expedite the restoration of landline and internet services to more than 25 residences in Rillington and Sherburn in Ryedale following the breakage of a telephone pole on 20 January 2015.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom expects providers to resolve network faults, however caused, as quickly as possible. The regulator also expects providers to deal fairly and sympathetically with consumers who experience a loss of service as a result of network issues. This could include giving compensation or by allowing customers to exit their contract without penalty.

    The Communications Act requires telecoms providers to take appropriate measures to protect the security and resilience of their networks and services. When a security or availability incident occurs which has a significant impact on the operation of a network or service, the legislation requires the provider to report this to Ofcom. Ofcom monitors these reports closely and has the power to intervene if they believe a provider is not taking the appropriate measures.

    Ofcom has imposed minimum targets on Openreach requiring 80% of fault repairs to be completed within one to two working days of being notified and the company to report publicly on its performance, allowing Ofcom to monitor and intervene if required.

    Consumers can pursue claims for compensation caused by line outages by contacting their communications providers. If they are unhappy with the outcome of their complaint or how their complaint has been handled, they are able to pursue the case through the registered Alternative Dispute Resolution service – a free and impartial service that Ofcom requires all communications providers to have in place.