Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the UNHCR about the de-registration of Syrian refugees in Lebanon; what assessment he has made of the effect of the Lebanese government programme to de-register refugees in Lebanon on the number of refugees reported to be in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have regular discussions with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the situation of refugees in Lebanon. Unregistered refugees do not have the official documentation required to get access to essential services. We continue to lobby the Government of Lebanon to allow refugees to register with UNHCR and have given UNHCR over £44 million towards their work in the region. This includes support for registering Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The UK is also providing £1.9 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council for information, counselling and legal assistance to refugees in both countries. This aims to ensure refugees are aware of their rights and are able to access all relevant services available to them. Lebanon has shown remarkable generosity in hosting over 1.1 million refugees from the Syria crisis. The UK recognises the great strain that this is placing on the country and we remain committed to supporting Lebanese stability in the face of these pressures.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat ISIL and simultaneously prioritise the protection of civilians in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK already has a robust, long-term and comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat ISIL. As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (David Cameron) said on 16 November, the UK’s approach covers a full spectrum response – military power, counter-terrorism expertise and defeating the poisonous narrative that is the root cause of this evil. We are reinforcing our investment in our response and working tirelessly to protect UK citizens, both at home and abroad, from the threat posed by ISIL.

    We are also playing a leading role in the 65-member Global Coalition tackling ISIL. That international effort includes military action against ISIL in its heartlands in Iraq and Syria, coordinated international efforts to cut off its finances, tackling foreign fighter flows, and stabilising areas which have been liberated from ISIL. The Coalition is also confronting ISIL’s ideology by exposing this extremism for what it is – a belief system that glorifies violence and subjugates its people, most of all Muslims. On 28 November, I co-chaired the Coalition Strategic Communications Working Group’s social media conference in London.

    The UK remains committed to protecting civilians in Syria, both from the brutality of ISIL and the indiscriminate killing of the Assad regime. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer I gave to Question 15059 on 13 November.

  • Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote trade and diplomatic connections with the Commonwealth.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The UK is committed to maintaining and strengthening its economic and diplomatic engagement with the Commonwealth. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) led a strong UK delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Malta in November. He announced funding for a number of initiatives including to help the Commonwealth’s small island states develop their maritime economies.

    The UK pressed to ensure that trade issues were covered in the CHOGM communique. Commonwealth leaders agreed to advance global trade negotiations and in particular ratify the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

    I and The Minister for Trade and Investment, the right hon the Lord Maude of Horsham, took part in the Commonwealth Business
    Forum in Malta. Lord Maude addressed the opening plenary on leveraging trade networks across the Commonwealth, and pushed for progress on free trade agreements to facilitate and increase trade between Commonwealth countries. He also held a number of bilateral meetings to discuss trade and investment opportunities. The UK continues to be a strong supporter of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council which organised the Business Forum and is expanding business networks across the Commonwealth.

  • Kwasi Kwarteng – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kwasi Kwarteng – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kwasi Kwarteng on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding the Government plans to provide for research on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma brain tumours.

    George Freeman

    The usual practice of the Department’s National Institute for Health Research and of the Medical Research Council is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Both funders welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and other brain tumours. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been in export performance in each of the English regions in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publishes the Regional Trade Statistics series on its website which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/RTS/Pages/default.aspx

    “

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential future effect of immuno-oncology treatments and funding of such treatments through the NHS budget.

    George Freeman

    We have made no such assessment.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides guidance on the prevention and treatment of ill health and the promotion of good health and social care. NICE technology appraisal guidance makes recommendations on whether selected drugs and treatments represent a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources.

    NICE has issued technology appraisal guidance that recommends the use of pembrolizumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma after disease progression with ipilimumab and is currently appraising a number of other immuno-oncology treatments/indications such as nivolumab.

    Commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK police and intelligence staff are based in (a) Europe and (b) Turkey; and if she will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    For national security reasons we do not disclose details of intelligence officers or counter terrorism police deployed or based abroad.

    In respect of wider policing we do not hold details of all overseas deployments by police forces. We only hold details of those deployments which provide assistance to an international organisation, foreign government or police service and therefore require authorisation from the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary under the provisions of Section 26 of the Police Act (1996).

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations have been commenced by the National Crime Agency into human trafficking, in each of the last three years.

    Karen Bradley

    The National Crime Agency was established on 7 October 2013 and, at that time there were eight human trafficking investigations under way.

    Between 7 October 2013 and 6 October 2014 the NCA commenced a further eight NCA human trafficking investigations.

    Between 7 October 2014 and 7 Oct 2015 the NCA commenced a further 11 human trafficking investigation. In addition, over the same period, the NCA has provided specialist support to over 60 investigations led by other law enforcement agencies involving human trafficking.

  • Scott Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Scott Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Scott Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to change the distribution of Common Fisheries Policy quotas for inshore fishing fleets.

    George Eustice

    Defra is in the final stages of a permanent quota realignment exercise which will represent a 14% uplift in the amount of quota the inshore fleet currently receives.

    We have also announced that the inshore fleet will be the principal beneficiaries of any quota uplift received as a result of the introduction of the demersal landing obligation.

    For species subject to the discard ban from January 2016, we have announced that the non-sector pools will receive the first 100 tonnes of any quota uplift received and 10% of any remaining uplift. For 2016 this represents more than 1,000 tonnes of uplift to support the non-sector in their adaptation to the landing obligation and includes key stocks such as haddock, whiting and plaice.

    In the Celtic Sea there will be an estimated additional 126 tonnes of whiting and 142 tonnes of hake to support the non-sector.

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, by what process his Department identified the areas of policy within its responsibility proposed for reservation in Annex B of the publication Powers for a Purpose: Towards a lasting devolution settlement for Wales, published on 27 February 2015.

    Dominic Raab

    Annex B to the Powers for a Purpose Command Paper provided an illustrative list of the main areas in which reservations would be needed in a reserved powers model. The list described the Government’s emerging thinking as the new reserved powers model was being developed. The Government published its full proposals in the draft Wales Bill on 20 October.