Tag: 2015

  • Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make representations to his Danish counterpart on reopening the inquest into the death of commercial diver Stephen O’Malley in 2012.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Under powers in the Coroners Act 1988 (as amended) a new coroner investigation may be ordered by the High Court, with the authority of the Attorney General, where it is in the interests of justice to do so because of fraud, rejection of evidence, irregularity of proceedings or insufficiency of inquiry in the original inquest or new facts or evidence have come to light. It therefore falls outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials in the Department for Transport were working as part of the team dealing with rail franchising in 2014–15 and 2015–16.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The information is not held in the format requested. Staff working in franchising sit in Passenger Services, with other staff carrying out much wider roles.

    The number of people (permanent and temporary) working in Passenger Services as at 31st March 2015 was 221.

    The number as of 1st December 2015 is 235.

    Our forecast requirements for future years are as follows:

    2016/17 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

    2017/18 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

    2018/19 234.25 Full-Time Equivalents

  • Baroness Manzoor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Manzoor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how many people will work more hours as a result of the proposed four-year freeze in working age benefits from 2016.

    Lord Freud

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which countries local FM radio stations broadcasting BBC World Service programmes in-country have been closed down by the authorities in each year from 1999 to 2014.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The BBC World Service has advised that they experienced closures to their service in the following countries: 2006 – Tajikistan 2008 – Oman 2009 –Azerbaijan 2010 – Somalia 2010 – Sudan 2008 to 2011– Israel 2014 – Rwanda

  • Lord Fearn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Fearn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Fearn on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what control there is over the flight of drones in the United Kingdom.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Article 166 of the UK Air Navigation order (ANO) 2009 requires operators of RPAS to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purposes of avoiding collisions. It also states that an operator may only fly the aircraft if they are reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made.

    In addition, Article 138 of the ANO 2009, which also applies to RPAS, states that “a person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property.” This includes persons within another aircraft, and of course the aircraft that those persons are within. The government expects users to understand and comply with this type of regulation which has been made in place for many years, albeit covering the flight of the more traditional model aircraft.

    Safety and Security must always be the overriding priority and both commercial and leisure operators most operate drones responsibly and within the rules. I am able to confirm that with regards to the policing and monitoring of such vehicles the Police has provided initial guidance to constabularies across the UK.

    Operators of RPAS that collect personal data must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) unless a relevant exemption applies. The requirements of the DPA are regulated by the independent Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to bring the law on abortion in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.

    Lord Dunlop

    Constitutionally, abortion law in Northern Ireland is a transferred matter, and is therefore the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact on (1) the total number of households whose benefits would be capped under the new limits proposed in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, (2) the number of children in households affected by the cap, and (3) the cost to the public purse, if (a) child benefit, and (b) child tax credits, were not included in the benefits cap.

    Lord Freud

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the income of an existing tax credit claimant in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20 of changes announced to tax credits and the universal credit rollout in the Summer Budget 2015 and the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Priti Patel

    At the summer budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the Government’s commitment to move the UK from a high tax, high welfare, low wage society to a lower tax, lower welfare, higher wage society. This remains the case, and Universal Credit (UC) is delivering this.

    UC is a fundamentally different benefit to the legacy benefit system and provides people with support into, and to progress in work.

    Therefore there is no meaningful way of comparing an unreformed Tax Credit system with Universal Credit. The Government has committed to transitional arrangements as we reform the benefits and Tax Credit system. Those transferred by DWP from tax credits to UC will receive Transitional Protection. In addition, estimates of entitlements under UC of the sort requested will vary depending on assumptions on the level of earnings.

  • 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 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 21 September (HL1909), what assessment they have made of the impact of the large number of migrants camped at Calais on the United Kingdom’s relationship with France.

    Lord Bates

    The French Government is responsible for the care of migrants in Calais, including support over the winter. However, both governments are committed to finding a sustainable solution to the situation in Calais. One aspect of the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August committed the UK to providing £3.6 million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help support a range of work to manage the migrant population in Calais. Additionally, the UK has provided £530,000 to fund a project to identify those in the camps at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and to provide them with appropriate support within the French system.

    The UK and French Governments are unified in their response to these migratory pressures and both governments recognise the importance of close partnership and collaboration.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2015 to Question 15582, whether he has commissioned legal advice on the findings of the Quality Contract Scheme Board and the consequences for buses.

    Andrew Jones

    The Quality Contract Scheme Board’s report concerns a proposal under existing legislation. The Department has considered the report internally but has not sought any external legal advice on the findings of the Quality Contract Scheme Board.