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Tag: 2015

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the recommendation by Human Rights Watch in its report on the treatment of detainees in Bahrain, The Blood of People Who Don’t Cooperate, that the UK should suspend funding, support and training for security service reform until Bahrain enacts listed reforms and issues a standing invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. We are aware of ongoing allegations against Ministry of Interior personnel, and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities. The Government of Bahrain has previously committed to consider ratifying the Optional Protocol of the Convention Against Torture. The UK strongly supports this and we have been working with the authorities to share best practice on torture prevention measures. We also continue to ask the Government of Bahrain to allow a visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

    We welcome the progress made by Bahrain on their reform programme particularly in the areas of youth justice, the establishment and increasing effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s office, the Prisoner and Detainees’ Rights Commission and the reformed National Institute of Human Rights. We continue to work with the Government of Bahrain to ensure momentum and progress on its reforms, for the benefit of all Bahrainis.

    The Government of Bahrain has asked the international community for their assistance in implementing the reforms necessary to improve the human rights situation, including in the security services. We strongly support them in their efforts and that is why we will continue to offer bilateral assistance for Bahrain’s reform programmes. In August, following a meeting with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), reiterated the UK’s support for ongoing political reform in Bahrain but encouraged His Majesty to continue to demonstrate substantive progress in all areas. Our package of technical assistance is focused on strengthening human rights and the rule of law, in line with the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the Universal Periodic Review.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many fines for their child’s non-attendance at school have been levied on parents in England in each year since 2005.

    Nick Gibb

    The number of penalty notices issued to parents for offences relating to Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996 in each academic year since 2004/05 is set out online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parental-responsibility-measures-academic-year-2012-to-2013.

    The most recent data published by the Department for Education is for the academic year 2012/13. The department does not collect data regarding fines issued by the courts on this matter.

    The Ministry of Justice publishes data on criminal justice system outcomes by offence in England and Wales. This information can be viewed at the following link under the offence category “112A Education Acts”:

    www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014

    “

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Answer by Baroness Altmann on 19 November (HL Deb, col 265) promising to look at the gender pay gap for older women, whether they will also look into the gender pay gap between men and women under 35 years of age.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We are pleased with the progress made towards eliminating the gender pay gap women working full time under the age of 40, but we are not complacent. To encourage young women to consider a wide range of career options, we have revised statutory guidance for schools on careers to raise aspirations; established a new Careers and Enterprise Company to encourage greater collaboration between employers and schools to inspire young people; supported the ‘Your Life’ campaign to encourage more young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM); and published the ‘Your Daughter’s Future’ guidance for parents.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the foraging of food in natural habitats.

    Rory Stewart

    Species targeted for wild food foraging are generally common and widespread. These species that are deemed at risk are protected by the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

    Guidelines on the picking of edible fungi can be accessed at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/Eng_NF_FungiCode.pdf/$file/Eng_NF_FungiCode.pdf

    Any proposals for wild food foraging on sites of special scientific interest in England would require consent from Natural England.

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps he has taken to prevent the loss of UK manufacturing sector jobs.

    Anna Soubry

    The best way the Government can support manufacturing jobs is to continue to secure a strong, growing economy. The Government continues to invest in our world leading aerospace, automotive, defence, energy and transport sectors that will secure high quality manufacturing jobs.

    Around a third of the 2,000 new inward Foreign Direct Investment projects in 2014/15 were in the areas of advanced manufacturing and life sciences and I was pleased to see that UK manufacturing PMI hit its highest level in over a year in October.

  • Lord Crisp – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Crisp – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Crisp on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The UK adopted the Sendai Framework in March 2015. The UK has a range of robust mechanisms in place for dealing with disasters and reducing disaster risk. The National Focal Point for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, recently attended the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, the regional body responsible for tracking progress against the Sendai targets. Implementation of the Sendai Framework is at an early stage, but work is ongoing within the UK to further improve domestic disaster risk reduction, and sharing best practice and building capability overseas – including through peer review, highlighted in the Sendai Framework as a means to strengthen disaster risk governance. The UK volunteered to be the subject of the first international peer review in 2012, and UK experts have subsequently taken part in peer reviews in Bulgaria and Finland.

  • Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations the Financial Conduct Authority has received from (a) other financial services authorities and (b) banks on the use of the financial services messaging platform Symphony.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This is an operational matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government.

    The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Rt Hon Joan Ryan by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Lord Quirk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Quirk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bates, Lord Faulks, and Lord Bridges of Headley on 21 September (HL2010, HL2011, HL2014), to what extent they are examining the potential use of Automatic Speaker Verification in respect of the detection of fraudulent telephone access to government services.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The government currently has no plans to introduceAutomatic Speaker Verification in respect of the detection of fraudulent telephone access to government services.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Carol Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) undertakes monitoring or verification of the decisions of Concentrix in terminating tax credit payments to claimants; what mechanisms are in place to allow Concentrix to report back to HMRC on actions taken in individual cases; and whether those mechanisms have been used.

    Mr David Gauke

    I can confirm that HM Revenue and Customs closely monitors and verifies the decisions of Concentrix.

    Full details can be found in the Contract, which is available to view here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the International Network for Government Science Advice on improving scientific advice within UK Departments of State based on best practice worldwide.

    Matthew Hancock

    In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not normally disclosed.