Tag: 2015

  • Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the estimated cost per household will be to suppliers of having to issue an in-home display as part of the smart meter home display.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Energy suppliers are required to offer their domestic customers an In Home Display (IHD) for no upfront charge. Our latest Impact Assessment published in January 2014 estimates that IHDs will cost energy suppliers £15 per display.

    GB trials and international experience demonstrate that real time feedback from In Home Displays are instrumental to energy savings.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the decision was made by Defence Equipment and Support to transport special nuclear materials through Glasgow on 29 July 2015.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The decision to withdraw the High Security Vehicle from service on 31 July 2015 was made in February 2015.

    Decisions and timings on the routes to be used for the transportation of Defence Nuclear Material are part of the operational planning process. I am withholding further information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) targets and (b) goals the Bahraini authorities have been asked to work towards in the reform programmes in that country funded by his Department; and what progress has been made towards achieving those goals.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government of Bahrain set out its own programme of reforms to implement the recommendations of Bahrain’s Independent Commission of Inquiry in 2011 and to respond to recommendations made at the UN Universal Periodic Review of Bahrain’s human rights situation. Our assistance supports Bahrain’s reform programme and is focussed on strengthening human rights and the rule of law. We welcome progress made in areas including: youth justice; the establishment and increasing effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s office, the Prisoner and Detainees’ Rights Commission and the reformed National Institute of Human Rights. We continue to work with the Government of Bahrain to ensure momentum and progress on its reforms, for the benefit of all Bahrainis.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Oral Statement of 26 November 2015, Official Report, columns 1489-94, what representations he has received from members of the International Syria Support Group on his proposed strategy for tackling ISIL.

    Mr David Cameron

    We have regular discussions with fellow members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which includes the US, France and regional partners, about our strategy for tackling Daesh. The most recent ministerial meeting of the ISSG took place in Vienna on 14 November. We expect that a further meeting will take place in December. Such fora are an important means making steps towards the common goal of achieving a political solution to the Syria crisis and the defeat of ISIL. We will continue to play a leading, active role as a member of the ISSG.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect civilians in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the conflict in Syria. To date, we have pledged over £1.1 billion aid in response to the crisis in Syria and the region, making us the second biggest bilateral donor after the United States. We are exploring with the UN and other major donors how best to ensure that the momentum on fund-raising is maintained over the longer term, including how to respond to the 2016 Appeals, once these have been issued. The UK has provided £6.7m for the Syrian civil defence teams (known as ‘White Helmets’) to carry out search and rescue, fire fighting and First Aid in besieged areas. They have saved over 14,840 lives since March 2013. We are also working with other international donors to establish and build up the Free Syrian Police, a moderate police force in opposition-controlled areas in Syria. We are also taking action internationally. The UK co-sponsored and lobbied hard for UN Security Council Resolutions 2165 and 2191 which enable the UN to deliver aid across borders, without the consent of the regime, to assist those in the hardest to reach areas. By 31 August 2015, the UN and its partners had delivered 175 convoys of aid cross-border.

  • Lord Harrison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Harrison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are changing the availability of podiatric services to diabetics, and if so, based on what criteria.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Podiatry services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups working with local partners and based on the need of the local population, resources available and evidence based practice. These commissioning decisions are informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Clinical networks provide opportunity to adopt and disseminate best practice.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans for the public consultation on the Cancer Drugs Fund to begin.

    George Freeman

    The Government remains committed to the Cancer Drugs Fund and is working with NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the future arrangements for the Fund.

    NHS England has advised that its plans for a public consultation on its proposals for the Fund are being finalised.

  • Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Bates on 25 November (HL Deb, col 691), whether they plan to introduce primary legislation in relation to extraterritorial jurisdiction when dealing with forced marriages; whether they will then fully ratify the Istanbul Convention; and if so, what is the expected timetable for doing so.

    Lord Bates

    We have already taken extra-territorial jurisdiction on forced marriage through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. However we will need to take extra-territorial jurisdiction over a number of other offences in order to be fully compliant with Article 44 of the convention. Primary legislation will be required and the Government is currently considering the approach to implementing the extra-territorial provisions and working with devolved administrations regarding ratification. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for introducing further amendments to domestic law to be able to take extra-territorial jurisdiction over the remaining offences and will seek to legislate as soon as the approach is agreed and Parliamentary time allows. The Government takes its international commitments very seriously and will only commit to such ratification when we are absolutely satisfied that we comply with all articles.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of post-release prisoners who fatally overdose on opioids.

    Ben Gummer

    Information on opioid-related deaths in England following release from prison is not held centrally.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the productivity levels in the UK compared with the rest of the G7 in each year since 1990.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The data is available on the ONS website, under the international Comparisons of Productivity section. For your ease, I have provided the table below:

    Current price GDP per hour worked (UK=100)

    Year

    UK

    G7 exc. UK

    Year

    UK

    G7 exc. UK

    Year

    UK

    G7 exc. UK

    1990

    100

    2000

    100

    107

    2010

    100

    115

    1991

    100

    119

    2001

    100

    108

    2011

    100

    114

    1992

    100

    116

    2002

    100

    106

    2012

    100

    116

    1993

    100

    112

    2003

    100

    105

    2013

    100

    117

    1994

    100

    111

    2004

    100

    105

    2014

    100

    120

    1995

    100

    111

    2005

    100

    106

    1996

    100

    109

    2006

    100

    104

    1997

    100

    109

    2007

    100

    106

    1998

    100

    109

    2008

    100

    107

    1999

    100

    111

    2009

    100

    110

    Data are in current prices, allowing cross-country comparison of productivity for each individual year.

    Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, First Estimates for 2014, ONS (Sep 2015)

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2014—first-estimates/stb-icp0915.html

    * Productivity data for the G7 are unavailable for 1990 due to the absence of comparable data for pre-reunification Germany.