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Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that military vehicle licences granted by the UK to the Egyptian government will not contribute to human rights violations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All defence and dual-use exports are required to meet the UK’s strict export control legislation and adhere to the UK’s international commitments, including under international treaties and other arrangements. We do not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and we take account of any risk that the goods might be diverted to undesirable end-users or end-use.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many adults applying for a passport for the first time have failed the personal interview test in each year since such interviews were required.

    Lord Bates

    Interview offices were established in 2008 for first time adult applicants. From 2008 to 2010 information on failed interviews was held in each Interview Office and not collated or transformed into centrally held data. A failed interview does not automatically mean the passport application has failed. It indicates that the interviewer was not fully satisfied with the answers given within the allotted interview time and the application requires further investigation.

    During this period a number of changes were made to the way in which we conduct our interviews; these changes have led to fewer interviews being failed. Our new interview processes are more flexible and allow us to gather more details from the applicant at the interview stage. This means that interview staff are able to progress the application to a point where they can advise central examining teams that a passport should be issued. Previously, with less freedom in the questions they could put to the applicant they may have had to fail the interview so that these details could be established by another means later on in the process.

    Calendar Year

    Volume of Interviews failed

    2010

    2,396

    2011

    2,009

    2012

    1,016

    2013

    795

    2014

    239
  • Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits to the UK of implementation of the original EU Waste Framework Directive.

    Rory Stewart

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October to Questions 13685 and 14733.

  • Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much ordnance has been released by UK armed forces over the Middle East this year, and what plans they have to order replacement stocks.

    Earl Howe

    From 1 January 2015 to 3 December 2015 the UK Armed Forces released 589 weapons in support of operations in the Middle East. All were targeted against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

    Munitions stockpiles are sufficient to support operational demand. Stockpiles are determined through an ongoing process which links industrial capacity to Defence requirements to ensure adequate replenishment of stocks.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa requested and were granted access to local specialist mental health in-patient beds in the last year for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    This information is not held centrally.

    The Government is providing additional funding to reduce waiting times and enhance or develop evidence based community eating disorder services, so that fewer young people will need admission to hospital as they will receive treatment closer to home.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs staff are employed to collect tax on small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) allocates resources in a flexible manner to ensure that it meets individual business needs.

    Information on the structure and organisation of HMRC is available at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts

    “

  • Richard Fuller – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Richard Fuller – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on introducing a facility for rolling over funding in her Department’s budget in order to avoid expenditure being concentrated at the end of financial years and to ensure that annual targets for development expenditure are met.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Department for International Development Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Chancellor on the introduction of a facility to roll-over funding.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his estimate is of the amount of New Home Bonuses to be granted to (a) East Northants Council, (b) the Borough Council of Wellingborough, (c) Northamptonshire County Council and (d) England in each of the next 10 years.

    Brandon Lewis

    As part of the Spending Review, the Government committed to the continuation of the New Homes Bonus. We will consult on reforms to the New Homes Bonus, including means of sharpening the incentive to reward communities for additional homes. We will also explore reducing the length of payments from six years including an option for savings of at least £800 million to be returned to local government and used to fund vital services such as adult social care. Details of both reforms will be set out shortly. There are no plans to change the basis of allocations for 2016/17. The allocations for 2016/17 will be published alongside the provisional Local Government Settlement for that year.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    David Mundell

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

    “

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2015 to Question 13645, what the names of each (a) head teacher and (b) school her Department is currently working with to improve the provision of PSHE in schools; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    We selected these headteachers to work with us on this issue because of the high quality of provision of PSHE education in their schools. The group of headteachers and practitioners that we are currently working with includes Carl Ward of Haywood Academy in Stoke on Trent; Cathie Paine of the Reach2 Academy Trust; Jerry Rayner of Rugby Independent School in Warwickshire; Michelle Colledge-Smith of the Outwood Grange Academy Trust; and Vanessa Ogden of Mulberry School in Bethnal Green.

    The group has not been asked to advise the Government on the content of PSHE. Their focus is to produce an action plan and recommendations for improving the quality of PSHE teaching. We want to draw on expertise from a range of headteachers and practitioners and will invite others to join the group as appropriate. The Department regularly speaks to a wide range of stakeholders and will continue to do so regarding PSHE.