The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations against Rohingya people in Burma.
Mr Hugo Swire
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 November 2015 (PQ14884), which can be located at: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for which drugs he is the marketing authorisation holder; and under what circumstances he became the marketing authorisation holder for each such drug.
George Freeman
The Secretary of State currently holds a market authorisation for one drug, Healthy Start Children’s Vitamins Drops.
This product was originally granted a licence in 1972 as licence of right. The reasons for this likely stem from the need to ensure supply of this product when a commercial supply of a similar product could not be procured.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure parity between the regulation of nurses and midwives and other regulated health professions.
Ben Gummer
The Law Commissions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have completed a review of the regulation of all health and (in England) social care professionals including nurses and midwives and published their report on 2 April 2014. One of the key recommendations made by the Law Commissions was to introduce much greater consistency between the professional regulators as well as simplifying the legislation.
The joint four UK country response to the Law Commissions was published on 29 January 2015 which accepted wholly or in part the vast majority of its recommendations.
The Department is currently reviewing how best to take forward the work of the Law Commissions. We hope to be able to provide an update on this work soon.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many buses in England outside London are fitted with audio-visual announcement systems (AV); and what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of AV on bus patronage.
Andrew Jones
We do not publish statistics on the number of buses in England which are fitted with audio visual systems. Analysis of data from the Nottingham City area did not suggest that AV equipment had a statistically significant impact on patronage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which passenger rail contracts let by (a) his Department, (b) the Scottish Government, (c) the Welsh Government, (d) Transport for London and (e) Merseyrail are (i) franchises, (ii) concessions, (iii) management contracts and (iv) other types of passenger rail contract.
Claire Perry
Under the terms of the Railways Act 1993 (as amended), all operational contracts for the supply of passenger rail services are franchises.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons expenditure on personal tax credits has increased since 2009.
Damian Hinds
The OBR’s Welfare Trends Report 2014 sets out how historical spending changes have been driven by, for example, changes to caseloads and average awards.
As it sets out, policy decisions between 2003 and 2009 increased the caseload of tax credit claimants and increased discretionary uprating of the child element, contributing to expenditure as a percentage of GDP increasing from 1.1% in 2003/04 to 1.9% in 2009/10.
By 2010, 9 out of 10 families with children were eligible for tax credits. Reforms under the Coalition government decreased this to 6 out of 10.
http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/wordpress/docs/Welfare_trends_report_2014_dn2B.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harries of Pentregarth on 2015-11-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will press the government of Indonesia to implement the recommendations of the Human Rights Watch report Something to Hide? Indonesia’s Restrictions on Media Freedom and Rights Monitoring in Papua; and in particular whether they plan to ask the government of Indonesia to (1) issue a specific written directive instructing all relevant ministries and security forces to (a) comply with the decision in May to lift restrictions on foreign media access to Papua and West Papua, and (b) stop restricting the operations of international NGOs and the movement of their staff in Papua and West Papua; (2) instruct the National Police to stop requiring accredited Indonesia-based foreign correspondents to apply for travel permits to report from Papua and West Papua; and (3) instruct the National Police, the Armed Forces and the State Intelligence Agency to (a) investigate fully incidents in which their staff do not comply with the lifting of restrictions on foreign media and international NGOs’ personnel, or impede, obstruct, harass or arbitrarily detain them, and (b) prevent the surveillance, harassment, and intimidation of, and violence against, Indonesian journalists in Papua and investigate incidents in which such abuses allegedly occurred.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We welcome the Indonesian government’s commitment to improving the situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. This includes President Joko Widodo’s visit in May, when he granted clemency to a number of prisoners and announced the lifting of travel restrictions for foreign journalists. Since May, a number of foreign journalists have successfully visited and reported from the region. Staff from our Embassy in Jakarta visit Indonesia’s provinces regularly, discussing our concerns with relevant authorities. Our Ambassador visited Papua in May, where he discussed ways to ensure the sustainable and equitable development of the provinces with members of the police, and religious and community leaders. We will continue to raise concerns where we have them with the appropriate authorities across Indonesia.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NHS England plans to publish guidance to commissioners on their duty to pay excess treatment costs.
George Freeman
NHS England has confirmed that guidance to commissioners on their duty to pay excess treatment costs will be published by the middle of November 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are assisting Burundi and its neighbours to prevent further sectarian violence.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK has been actively working with the international community to prevent sectarian violence in Burundi. Our activities in New York, the EU and the region, including calls from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), to the Burundian Foreign Minister, Ugandan Foreign Minister and African Union (AU) Peace and Security Commissioner have had an impact. There are signs the Burundian government is taking a more conservative approach in using the police and security forces. We have also pushed for the EU to start Article 96 negotiations with Burundi. Burundi has agreed to participate in Article 96 negotiations, having initially refused. We support a sanctions regime for Burundi whereby four individuals have been listed so far and the EU and AU are considering further sanctions on individuals. We continue to work with the AU who are mobilising the financial and political resources to assist with the mediation process between the East Africa Community and Burundi.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees of Border Force are seconded to Kos and Lesbos; and what their (a) powers and (b) duties are.
James Brokenshire
UK Border Force currently has twelve staff deployed to support Frontex joint operations in the Mediterranean, and one staff member seconded to Frontex Headquarters, Returns Sector, in Warsaw. Eight of the twelve staff support joint operation ‘Poseidon Sea’ in Greece: two in Kos, three in Lesbos, one in Leros, one in Samos and one in Chios; and four support Frontex joint operation ‘Triton’ in Italy: two in Trapani, one in Lampedusa and one in Syracuse.
UK staff cannot exercise any powers on Frontex operations. Border Force staff debrief migrants to gather intelligence on their routing, modus operandi and any facilitators involved; Border Force staff also screen migrants to establish their identity, to aid the host member state with documentation and return of those migrants with no right of stay in Europe.