Tag: 2015

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of Syrian children in Europe who are (a) vulnerable to trafficking and (b) unaccompanied.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    As of 2 November the number of people arriving in Europe had reached 745,229 according to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Of these 149,045 are children, including around 79,000 Syrian children. Humanitarian organisations are expecting that, given the rate of arrivals, a total of 225,000 children will need assistance between September and December 2015. All of these are considered to be vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

  • Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what type of body is Transport for the North; who made the decision to set it up; what are its terms of reference; whether it has a constitution; what form its controlling body takes, how its composition was decided, and who are its members; whether any members of the controlling body other than the chairman receive remuneration, and if so, on what basis and how much; what is its annual budget, and from which funds that budget is derived; how many staff are employed to work for it; where those staff are based; and what property it occupies, and on what basis.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Transport for the North (TfN) membership is drawn from the North’s combined and local authority, and Local Enterprise Partnership leaders working in a unique partnership with the Government, Network Rail, Highways England and HS2 Ltd. It was established by the Government with Northern leaders in October 2014. The TfN governance framework is outlined in the Principles for Governing the Relationship between Transport for the North (TfN) and the Department for Transport (DfT) document, which is attached and is available on the TfN website. The Chairman of TfN is the only Partnership Board member receiving remuneration for this role. Building on the summer budget commitment to provide funding to TfN, the Government is committing a total of £50m (£10m per annum) over this parliament, enabling TfN to build its capacity and capability to recruit the staff it needs and get on with planning better rail and roads to deliver the Government’s ambitious programme to create a Northern Powerhouse.This is in addition to the £8.5m already provided by DfT and up to £4m committed by the members of TfN. Following the recent appointments of the Chief Executive and Chairman, the recruitment process for both permanent and temporary staff is now underway. TfN is based at temporary premises in Manchester until a permanent location is agreed.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Natalie McGarry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Glasgow and (d) Glasgow East constituency who had claimed carer’s allowance immediately prior to attaining state pension age have ceased to be eligible to claim that allowance upon their receipt of the state pension since (i) January 2015, (ii) January 2014, (iii) January 2013, (iv) January 2012, (v) January 2011, (vi) May 2010 and (vii) January 2010.

    Justin Tomlinson

    There is no upper age limit to claiming Carer’s Allowance, so reaching State Pension age does not automatically remove eligibility to Carer’s Allowance.

    However, both Carer’s Allowance and State Pension serve to help replace income forgone, so social security rules operate to prevent them being paid together as that would be a duplicate provision for the same need. But, if a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer’s Allowance, State Pension is paid and topped up with Carer’s Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance, which is currently £62.10.

    Where Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid, the person will keep underlying entitlement to the benefit. This gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit, currently worth up to £34.60 a week, and even if a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.

  • The Countess of Mar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The Countess of Mar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 July (HL1538), whether, in preparing that answer, they took into account that a component of tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP) used in some engine oils is tri-xylyl phosphate (TXP), which is currently listed as a Substance of Very High Concern under Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 and as a hazardous substance under Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 because of its classification as toxic for reproduction, and that both TCP and TXP are listed as being suspected of causing harm to the unborn child or fertility.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Trixylyl phosphate (TXP) has been identified as reproductive hazard with effects on fertility based on the oral combined repeated dose and reproductive/developmental study submitted by the company Supresta Netherlands BV. The evidence in the study is derived from oral dosing of rats with various amounts of pure compound during time period of 33 to 48 days. Some effects to fertility were found in mid and high dose groups, however there was no evidence of the substance harming the development of the foetus.

    Based on the study, it is not plausible that the occupants of an aircraft would be exposed to sufficient quantities of TXP to have an impact on fertility.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the contribution made by bus commuters to economic output in the last year for which figures are available.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport has not estimated the contribution made by bus commuters to economic output. According to the latest statistical data, available for 2014 from the National Travel Survey, an estimated 8% of all commuting trips (including private transport) in England are made by bus.According to the same data source, 40% of all commuting trips made by public transport in England are made by bus, which is why I am pleased to see that bus fares in the period 2010-2015 have risen at a slower rate in real terms than in the period 2005-2010.

    For non-London residents, an estimated 6% of all commuting trips and 52% of all public transport commuting trips are made by bus. London residents use buses for 16% of all commuting trips, and bus trips make up 28% of all public transport commuting.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action can be taken by a local authority or a successful provider when a contractor appointed to enable a local healthwatch to be established and run does not respect the distinction between its role and the local healthwatch organisation being run by that provider.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Local authorities are responsible for making contractual arrangements for local Healthwatch statutory activities to be delivered in their area. As commissioners of the service, we expect local authorities to manage their contracts in order to ensure the local Healthwatch is able to operate effectively.

    The Local Government Association has published guidance to support local Healthwatch and local commissioners to put in place good governance arrangements, which includes clarity about the roles of all parties involved. A copy has been attached.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of Innovate UK’s contribution to the development of technologies in (a) aviation, (b) road transport and (c) ports and shipping.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport (DfT) works collaboratively with Innovate UK through a range of mechanisms to support technological development and innovation in all modes of transport. DfT and Innovate UK work together to support wider government objectives to develop the nation’s science and research capability to support UK economic growth. However, the Department has not made any separate assessment of Innovate UK’s contribution to the development of technologies in the transport sector. Innovate UK undertakes well established economic evaluations on the effectiveness and impact of its activities and are reported to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, as Innovate UK’s departmental sponsor.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions a special adviser in the Law Officers’ Departments accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Robert Buckland

    None. The Attorney General’s Office does not employ any special advisers.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Amnesty International’s report highlighting an increase in the number of political prisoners in Burma, what steps they are taking to raise the cases of those prisoners, and to promote the rule of law and the need for reform to meet proper standards of justice in Burma.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have welcomed the release of hundreds of political prisoners under the current Burmese government. But we have also spoken out vociferously about the worrying tempo of arrests, detentions and sentencing of political activists in the lead up to the elections on 8 November.

    We have regularly raised our concerns with the government of Burma at the highest levels. Most recently, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised this issue directly with the Minister for the President’s Office, U Aung Min, during his visit to Burma in July. Officials from our Embassy in Rangoon meet regularly with civil society on this issue and we lobby on individual cases. We also raise our concerns publicly in our Annual Report on Human Rights and in multilateral fora such as the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, where the UK has co-sponsored Resolutions calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. We will continue to work with the incoming Burmese government to make progress on this important issue.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Harriett Baldwin

    As has been the case under successive Administrations, civil servants, including special advisers, may routinely accompany their Ministers on official visits. Information relating to Ministers’ overseas visits are published on my Department’s website, as part of the Government’s wider transparency agenda.

    All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.