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Tag: 2015

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what timetable she plans to set for ratification of the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.

    Karen Bradley

    The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention in June 2012. We will only commit to ratification when we are absolutely satisfied that we comply with all articles. The UK already complies with the vast majority of the articles but primary legislation is required to comply with the extra-territorial jurisdiction provision set out in Article 44 of the Convention. We are liaising with the devolved administrations about ratification, including the further legislative steps required.

    We will continue to lead efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. End Female Genital Mutilation and combat early and forced marriage, both at home and abroad.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the safety and security of UK HGV drivers from their approach to Calais to entering the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    The haulage industry is hugely important to UK trade and prosperity and Her Majesty’s Government regularly speaks with haulage industry representatives to listen to their concerns regarding the situation in northern France. The Government is funding improved security measures and port infrastructure to protect the travelling public, including HGV drivers, in the Calais area. This includes the introduction of security fencing around port perimeters and along the port approach roads at Calais port and at the Coquelles Eurotunnel site; and the introduction of new secure zones for UK-bound HGVs at both locations. In addition, the UK and French authorities also work closely to share intelligence to combat illegal migrant activity and organised immigration crime.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish information about the number of trans people in prison.

    Caroline Dinenage

    As my Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation, committed to the House on 20 November, my Department will publish data on the number of trans people in prison in due course.

    While the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not currently have complete information, work is in hand and Ministers are currently receiving advice on the best way to collect this data whilst complying with our legal duties under both the Equalities Act and the Gender Recognition Act.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will issue a response to the report entitled Halving the Gap by Lord Law of Dalton, Baroness Meacher and Baroness Grey-Thompson, published in December 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in Bill on 20th July and we will review all reports which relate to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the National Offender Management Service on the implementation of guidelines on the care and management of transsexual prisoners.

    Caroline Dinenage

    As I informed the Women and Equalities Committee, the National Offender Management Service is currently reviewing the policy document on transgender prisoners to ensure that this continues to provide the most appropriate support for transgender people in custody, as well as extending it to address the needs of transgender people serving community sentences. I will be taking a close personal interest in this to ensure that transgender offenders continue to be appropriately cared for and supported. The intention is to implement the revised guidance in due course.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to (a) clinical commissioning groups, (b) hospital trusts and (c) health and well-being boards on BRCA gene testing for (i) patients who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and (ii) people identified as likely to have the BRCA gene mutation due to their family history.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England published a new Clinical Commissioning Policy on Genetic Testing for BRCA1/2 mutations in July 2015, based on updated guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This policy applies to patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer and people likely to have the BRCA gene mutation due to their family history.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times participants in the Mandatory Intervention Regime under the Help to Work scheme are required to attend appointments at Jobcentre Plus each week.

    Priti Patel

    The Mandatory Intervention Regime (MIR) under the Help to Work scheme delivers all the employment support measures available through the JCP Offer and, to supplement those, provides more intensive, personalised support through increased work coach interviews. The length, nature and frequency of these additional interviews is determined locally on a case by case basis and may vary over time.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Carol Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to amend the three month rule for the habitual residence test to allow access to income based jobseeker’s allowance for UK nationals returning to the UK after a period away who have retained financial commitments at home.

    Priti Patel

    It has always been the case that any UK national who returns to this country after an extended period must demonstrate they are habitually resident to be eligible for income-related benefits. Since 1 January 2014, most jobseekers must also have been living in the UK for three months before any consideration can be given to whether they are habitually resident to be eligible to receive income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

    Regulations were amended from 9 November 2014 to exempt from the three month residence requirement members of the Armed Forces and Crown servants who were serving abroad and others who had paid certain types of UK national insurance contributions during their absence abroad. We have no plans to introduce further exemptions from the three month requirement.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the local economy of the closure of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Shipley; and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the Library.

    Mr David Gauke

    On 12 November, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the next stage of its ten-year modernisation programme. As part of that, the department demonstrated its long-term commitment to Yorkshire and the Humber by setting out that it would establish a Regional Centre in Leeds.

    A number of factors were considered by HMRC when deciding where to locate its new Regional Centres. In addition to cost, it considered local and national transport links, the local labour market, supply of future workforce and the retention of current staff and skills.

    HMRC modelled the impact of locating the Regional Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber in both Bradford and Leeds. For both scenarios, it took into account the potential loss of jobs for staff expected to be outside of reasonable daily travel (defined as approximately 1 hour from home to work, though dependent on individual circumstances).

    HMRC first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, setting out how and why it is changing. The department is committed to continuing to support all of its employees who are affected by these changes.

    Staff in Yorkshire attended a number of face-to-face events, providing feedback on the potential location of the regional centre. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.

    This transformation programme will ultimately enable HMRC to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. It will generate estate savings of £100 million a year by 2025.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the UK contributed to UN and African Union peacekeeping and stabilisation in low and middle income countries which (a) was not and (b) was classified as Official Development Assistance in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

    James Duddridge

    The UK’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping for low and middle income countries for Financial Year 2014/15 was £319.2m of non Official Development Assistance and £23.6m of Official Development Assistance funding; and for 2013/14 was £295.9m of non Official Development Assistance and £20.5m of Official Development Assistance funding. The UK does not make a direct contribution to the African Union. However, the annual UN Peacekeeping payments include a contribution and support to the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia.