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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are consulting (1) Barnardos, (2) Save the Children, (3) Oxfam, (4) Citizens UK, (5) the Trussell Trust, (6) Magic Breakfast, (7) FareShare, (8) FoodCycle, (9) Baby Basics, (10) The Children’s Society, and (11) any other organisations, about food and fuel poverty and the relationship between benefit sanctions and food and fuel poverty; and if not, why not.

    Lord Freud

    The Department for Work and Pensions constantly engages with a wide range of stakeholders, interested parties and other organisations across a wide range of issues that affect those receiving benefits.

    The All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger, and the Church report ‘Time to rethink benefit sanctions’, amongst others, all recognise that the reasons that people use food banks are complex and overlapping. There is no robust evidence that links sanctions and food bank use.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the status of the City of London as a world financial centre is explicitly protected during the renegotiations on the UK’s membership of the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    As part of the European reform agenda the Government is negotiating ensure competitiveness is embedded in the DNA of the EU, so that the UK financial sector can continue to thrive as the global centre of European finance. The Government is also negotiating to ensure that the UK remains able to effectively safeguard the stability and integrity of the UK’s financial system. This means ensuring that UK regulators have responsibility for financial stability and supervision in the UK.

    The City of London does not, however, get special treatment in the Government’s reform agenda. A special protection for the UK financial sector would not be in the interests of the single market in financial services, from which the UK benefits. Instead, we are demanding that the single market works in the interest of all 28 Member States.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the allegations by Abu Anan that Israeli forces fired tear gas into or directly outside a Palestinian house resulting in the death of a baby through gas inhalation.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While our officials in Tel Aviv have not raised this specific case with the Israeli authorities, we remain extremely concerned by the violence that we have seen across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr. Ellwood), said in his press statement of 13 October, “We are also concerned by the use of force by Israeli security personnel in response to protests and security incidents”.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of changes in revenue from the Horserace Betting Levy arising from the activities of remote betting operators based offshore.

    Tracey Crouch

    The levy rate is set annually and is paid by bookmakers based in Great Britain, it does not currently apply to betting operators based offshore. The Government remains committed to replacing the current levy system to create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators.

  • Lord Harries of Pentregarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Harries of Pentregarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harries of Pentregarth on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any representations to the government of Georgia about its actions towards the independent tv station Rustavi 2.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    In response to developments in the legal case concerning the Rustavi 2 TV station, the UK and other EU Member States’ Missions released a joint written statement on 6 November with the Embassy of the United States of America in Georgia, which said:

    "The Delegation of the European Union, in agreement with the Heads of Mission of the EU Member States in Georgia, and the Embassy of the United States of America express our concern related to the appointment of a new management to the Rustavi 2 TV company.

    In light of the recent interim decision of the Constitutional Court and considering that the substantial judgment of the first instance court in the Rustavi 2 case does not envisage immediate enforcement, the preventive measures adopted on 5 November raise serious questions about the independence of the judiciary and the actual degree of freedom of the media in Georgia.

    As our respective Missions have publicly stated many times, freedom of media and independence of the judiciary are essential foundations of a democracy, and diverse opinions should be encouraged in democratic societies. We call on all political actors to refrain from any step or statement that could prevent the Georgian judiciary from ruling dispassionately on this case.

    The government and judicial institutions need to uphold the principles of media freedom and political pluralism that are an integral part of Georgia’s declared aspirations.

    We will continue to monitor developments closely and raise concerns with all relevant parties as appropriate.”

    Our Ambassador in Tbilisi has also held discussions with senior members of the Georgian government and will continue to engage on this issue, bilaterally as well as with EU and other concerned partners.

  • 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, what the ratio of students to instructors in Force Development and Adventure Training is; whether there is a different ratio of students to instructors for each of those activities; whether that ratio has changed in the last 10 years; whether he plans to review that ratio as a result of the Force Development and Adventure Training review; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    Force Development (FD) and Adventurous Training (AT) are governed separately. AT instructor to student ratios for each approved AT activity are laid out in Joint Service Policy (JSP) 419 (Joint Services Adventurous Training), which can be found at the following website:

    www.raf.mod.uk/rafhpa/rafcms/mediafiles/3033F0D5_5056_A318_A81B12353A721C24.pdf

    FD is a term predominantly utilised by the Royal Air Force and is made up of many delivery mechanisms, including AT, collective training and military exercises. The instructor to student ratio varies according to the activity risk assessment, which is carried out for each activity. Where AT is used as a delivery mechanism for FD, instructor to student ratios within JSP419 will be used.

    The policy for AT student to instructor ratios is regularly reviewed and updated.

  • Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords will seek advice from the clerks of both Houses on any changes to procedures for considering secondary legislation.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

    Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

    Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

    The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

    Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

    Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on how many occasions a special adviser in her Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been accompanied by special advisers on three overseas trips since May 2015.

  • Baroness Stern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Stern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Stern on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many referrals to the RAF mental health care system from members of 13 and 39 squadrons there have been each month over the last year.

    Earl Howe

    During Financial Year 2014-15, there were fewer than five Regular Royal Air Force personnel from 13 Squadron or 39 Squadron who were seen for an initial assessment at Ministry of Defence Specialist Mental Health Services.

  • Graham Brady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Brady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Brady on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the efficacy of anakinra for patients diagnosed with idiopathic recurrent pericarditis; and what the (a) target, (b) average and (c) longest time taken to approve that drug for use was in the last 12 months for which data is available.

    George Freeman

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not hold information concerning the efficacy of anakinra for patients diagnosed with idiopathic recurrent pericarditis.

    Kineret, containing the active substance anakinra, was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2002 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in adults. The licence was extended to include treatment of Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes. Anakinra is not licensed to treat idiopathic recurrent pericarditis.

    The EMA is required to issue an opinion on applications for new indications within 90 days of receipt of a valid application. This period will be extended if it needs to request supplementary information from the applicant. The applicant will be requested to provide supplementary information within one month, although this may be extended to two months. The assessment of any supplementary information by EMA should be completed within 60 days. The European Commission is required to amend the marketing authorisation within two months of the EMA opinion.

    The MHRA does not hold information on average and longest time for approval of variations by EMA.