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Tag: 2015

  • 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 what steps they are taking to ensure the welfare of the two Burmese students who were arrested shortly after visiting the UK on a programme designed to build representative student unions in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain in contact with the four Burmese students who visited the UK in May and are monitoring the case of Zayar Lwin who was arrested on 7 July after participating in a protest rally at the end of June. Two others have been charged in absentia, but not arrested. More widely, we have called for all remaining student protestors to be released from prison and for repressive legislation still on the statute books to be amended. Our Embassy in Rangoon closely monitors the cases of political prisoners and student protestors who have been charged and remain in detention. Representatives from our Embassy in Rangoon attended the most recent trial hearing in Thuyawaddy on 13 October of the students arrested following the Letpadan protests in March.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.122 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what estimate his Department has made of the effect of reducing the income disregard on the household income of a tax credit claimant family with (a) two earners and two children, (b) one earner and two children, (c) two earners and one child and (d) one earner and one child whose income rose by £5,000 during the year.

    Damian Hinds

    Reducing the income rise disregard to £2,500 brings forward some of the benefits of Universal Credit, so that tax credit entitlement reflects claimant’s recent earnings. It makes the system fairer so claimants on similar incomes will receive similar awards. The effect of reducing the income rise disregard on a family claiming tax credits will depend on the household’s income level before it increased.

  • Lord Teverson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Teverson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Teverson on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which were the 10 countries in which the highest number of interviews for potential international students in the UK took place, and what were the subsequent refusal rates for each country in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.

    Lord Bates

    The top 10 countries, in descending order, in which Tier 4 Student applications were undertaken and the subsequent refusal rates can be found in table to below:

    2015 (Jan-Jun)

    Nationality

    Refusal rate

    CHINA

    3%

    NIGERIA

    14%

    SAUDI ARABIA

    4%

    INDIA

    16%

    TANZANIA

    17%

    PAKISTAN

    41%

    TUNISIA

    31%

    TURKEY

    6%

    BRAZIL

    8%

    VIETNAM

    15%

    2014

    Nationality

    Refusal rate

    CHINA

    2%

    INDIA

    14%

    NIGERIA

    16%

    SAUDI ARABIA

    7%

    PAKISTAN

    31%

    THAILAND

    3%

    BRAZIL

    3%

    RUSSIA

    7%

    TURKEY

    5%

    BANGLADESH

    26%

    2013

    Nationality

    Refusal rate

    CHINA

    2%

    INDIA

    18%

    NIGERIA

    19%

    PAKISTAN

    40%

    SAUDI ARABIA

    7%

    THAILAND

    2%

    RUSSIA

    8%

    TURKEY

    8%

    UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

    1%

    BANGLADESH

    22%
  • Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11444, when the regeneration strategy for Jaywick will be fully implemented; and if his Department will (a) provide additional resources to improve the (i) standard of housing and (ii) quality of life and (b) liberalise planning rules for house building in Jaywick and Brooklands.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Jaywick Coastal Community Team are preparing their Economic Plan, to be completed by the end of January 2016. The Plan will outline the key economic issues facing Jaywick, setting out both the short term and longer term priorities for the Coastal Community Team.

    The Chancellor confirmed at Autumn Statement last week that the Coastal Communities Fund will be extended from 2017-18 to 2020-21 with at least £90 million of new funding. Details of the next bidding round will be announced in the New Year. The focus of the Fund will remain on support for sustainable jobs and growth.

    Tendring Council received £1.8 million in New Homes Bonus in 2015-16 and a total of £5.2 million since the scheme started in 2011-12. All new homes are constructed in accordance with Building Regulations, ensuring they meet minimum standards in respect of health, safety and sustainability.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many magistrates have resigned from 1 April to 1 November, and how many resigned during the same period in 2014.

    Lord Faulks

    The information requested is provided in the tables below:

    Resignations

    1 Apr. – 1 Nov. 2015

    1 Apr. – 1 Nov. 2014

    584

    606

    Percentage breakdown of resignations since 1 April 2015

    Age

    Ethnicity

    Gender

    >30yrs

    31-40yrs

    41-50yrs

    51-60yrs

    61-70yrs

    White / BAME*

    Male / Female

    >1%

    4%

    11%

    21%

    63%

    91% / 9%

    52% / 48%

    * BAME = Black and Minority Ethnic

    “

  • Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2015 to Question 17682, what the cost per trainee is of the Eagle training scheme at (a) Force Development Training Centre (FDTC) Bavaria, (b) FDTC Grantown-on-Spey, (c) FDTC Danesford/Weston on the Green/Halton and (e) overseas Eagles; and what the location is of the overseas Eagles training.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The highest priority for UK based Force Development Training Centres (FDTC) is the delivery of Phase One and Phase Two formal training. The EAGLEs training scheme makes use of any irreducible spare capacity. Therefore, costs for EAGLEs training at UK based FDTCs cannot be separated out from overall training costs at those centres.

    For Financial Year 2015-16:

    EAGLEs training at FDTC Bavaria has a fixed cost per person estimated at £488.00.

    The current projection for the planned 600 places for overseas EAGLEs training is £587.00 per person.

    Overseas Eagles training is carried out in Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway.

  • Lord Naseby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Naseby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which rebel groups in Syria are recognised and supported by the UK.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We support several moderate opposition groups in Syria who we would want to see involved in a political process. We define these groups in terms of ideology and tactics: moderates are liberal, secular or Islamist in their political outlook, call for a wider pluralistic system that respects the rights of all Syrians and reject terrorism and terrorist tactics, for example by seeking to protect civilians from harm and to prevent abuses. Several moderate opposition groups refer to themselves as being part of the Free Syrian Army. The UK does not support designated terrorist organisations in Syria or groups who use terrorist tactics, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Jabhat al Nusra, which are designated terrorist organisations under the UN al Qaeda sanctions regime.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information she holds on the number of countries calling for a commitment to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees; what the Government’s policy is on limiting the long-term global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    A number of countries are calling for a commitment to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, most notably through a new group called the Climate Vulnerables Forum. The Government supports the ‘below 2 degrees’ objective, and recognises the need to keep the temperature rise as low as possible below 2C, including the possibility of staying below 1.5 degrees. We are pushing for the highest possible mitigation ambition in the new agreement.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they believe that some parts of the UK require different human rights legislation to others; and if so, why and what are the different rights.

    Lord Faulks

    The government is committed to protecting human rights across the United Kingdom, continuing the UK’s proud tradition of respect for human rights. There is, of course, already some variation in the legal framework for human rights across the UK, as the devolved administrations have competence to legislate in respect of human rights in the policy areas which are devolved to them.

    The government was elected with a mandate to reform the UK’s human rights framework. We will consider the implications of a Bill of Rights on devolution as we develop our proposals. We will, of course, fully engage with the devolved administrations.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2015 to Question 14443, what sources of funding which are not from the Government are available for the resettlement of Chagossians in the Chagos Archipelago.

    James Duddridge

    Following the conclusion of a 12 week public consultation on the resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory on 27 October, the Government is now considering the responses. As part of that work we are aware of the existence of options including EU and private sector funding to reduce any potential upfront cost to the UK taxpayer of any resettlement. No decision has yet been made about whether to allow a resettlement, and because of that, no discussions have yet been had with any external funding organisations. In any decision, it is important we take into account the high cost associated with resettlement but also the open-ended liabilities it could incur and the need for the military facility on Diego Garcia to continue to operate unhindered.