Tag: 2015

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

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

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to spend the £5 million pledged for the development of the new Commonwealth counter-extremism unit.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), announced UK funding of £5million over 5 years to establish a Counter-Extremism and Counter Radicalisation Unit in the Commonwealth Secretariat. Setting up a new unit recognises that Commonwealth countries must work together to counter extremist ideologies and build their counter extremism capabilities. The unit will:

    •Provide technical assistance to governments developing counter-extremism strategies.

    •Mobilise Commonwealth civil society networks to counter radicalisation through targeted counter-narratives and strategic communication training.

    •Enable Commonwealth members to meet their international counter extremism obligations. There is a demand from Commonwealth countries for support in implementing international counter extremism obligations, for example in relation to UN Security Council Resolution 2178.

    Other Commonwealth partners have also pledged a contribution to this unit. We will work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth members and key stakeholders to ensure that UK funding supports the work of countries across the Commonwealth to tackle the threat of extremism

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what (a) discussions he has had and (b) consultations he has undertaken with sector stakeholders on potential changes to earning repayment thresholds for 24+ Advanced Learner Loans.

    Nick Boles

    The consultation Freezing the student loan repayment threshold covered both higher education student loans and 24+ Advanced Learning Loans. Stakeholders with an interest in 24+ Advanced Learning Loans were notified of the consultation when it was published.

    “

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of political progress in Myanmar.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Burma has made remarkable progress since beginning the reform process in 2011. The elections on 8 November were an important milestone in Burma’s transition to democracy, and we welcome the conduct of the process, which observers have characterised as well-managed, orderly and peaceful. However, the transition is not yet complete and the incoming administration will face many serious challenges. Of particular importance will be to build a sustainable and comprehensive peace with all groups in Burma and address human rights violations, most urgently those committed against the Muslim Rohingya community in Rakhine State.

  • Karl McCartney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Karl McCartney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Government support for the tourism sector in Wales.

    Alun Cairns

    In July, the Government published its 5-point plan to ensure the benefits of tourism extend beyond London and across the UK. The Welsh economy continues to benefit from a thriving tourist industry, with recent figures showing the amount spent by overseas visitors increased by £34 million over the last year.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Joseph Johnson

    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 is 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.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to enable refugees from the Middle East and other war zones who have close family connections with the UK to come to this country safely to apply for protection.

    Lord Bates

    There is no provision in our Immigration Rules for someone to be given permission to travel to the UK to seek asylum or humanitarian protection. However, we recognise that families may become fragmented because of the nature of conflict and persecution and the speed and manner in which those seeking asylum often flee their country of origin. Our refugee family reunion policy allows immediate family members of a person in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status – that is a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18, who formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin – to reunite with them in the UK.

    We also operate three discretionary resettlement schemes for recognised refugees for whom resettlement is the most appropriate answer. We operate these schemes in partnership with the UNHCR: Gateway; Mandate; and the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme. Under the Syrian VPR Scheme we are working closely with the UNHCR to resettle close family groups where at least one member qualifies under the scheme.

    We are also making a significant contribution to support refugees and their families in other ways. The UK has contributed over £1 billion in humanitarian aid in response to the Syrian crisis and we intend to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees displaced to neighbouring countries over the lifetime of this Parliament.

  • 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, whether his Department plans to publish an update of the National Infrastructure Plan and infrastructure pipeline before the end of 2015.

    Greg Hands

    The government will publish a National Infrastructure Delivery Plan next spring, setting out in detail how it will deliver key projects and programmes over the next 5 years. This will be underpinned by a refreshed National Infrastructure Pipeline.

  • Lord Wills – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Wills – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the progress being made in achieving their target of establishing superfast broadband coverage to 90 per cent of the UK by 2016.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government’s Superfast Broadband Programme, which has £1.7 billion of funding from central government, local authorities, devolved administrations and European funding sources, has contributed to well over 3 million homes and businesses in the UK having access to superfast broadband. Our programme remains on track to deliver superfast broadband coverage to 90% of the UK by early 2016 and to 95% of the UK by December 2017.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraphs 1.207 to 1.212 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether financial support will be provided to the Working Class Movement Library in Salford.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Working Class Movement Library is a private reference library and archive, run by a charitable trust. The most effective archives develop strong funding models to support sustainable, resilient and innovative services. The National Archives’ website provides information to help archive services develop fundraising strategies, identify appropriate funding sources and explore a range of fundraising techniques. More information can be found at:

    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/finding-funding.htm

    “

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will consult with local authorities and Academy sponsors on what role local authorities should play as strategic commissioners when all schools in an area have become Academies.

    Lord Nash

    At present there are no local authorities where all schools have become academies and therefore the issue has not arisen.