Tag: 2015

Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many vessels belonging to people smugglers have been apprehended or destroyed in the Mediterranean in 2015.

Earl Howe

Since July 2015, the EU Naval Force Operation in the Mediterranean, Operation SOPHIA, has disposed of around 40 migrant boats. Her Majesty’s Government does not hold information on the total number of boats destroyed by other European actors operating in the Mediterranean. Figures are correct as at 10 November 2015.

January 1, 2023
Lord Patten – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations either directly or via Commonwealth mechanisms to the government of Malaysia concerning the current prosecution of the cartoonist professionally known as Zunar.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have repeatedly lobbied for the repeal of this act at the highest levels, including by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), when he visited Malaysia in July. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and our High Commission in Malaysia have met Zunar a number of times, most recently in October. We continue to follow his case closely.

January 1, 2023
Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have asked, or will ask, the government of Turkey to hold an independent inquiry into the closures and curfews imposed on the districts of Cizre and Sur by the security forces in September; whether they plan to ask the government to ensure that full compensation is paid for civilians killed or wounded, and that responsibility be established for deaths and injuries; and if not, why not.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We welcome the visit on 15-16 October of Turkey’s national human rights body to Cizre and Sirnak to conduct analysis and research on the recent events there. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Turkey closely and raise concerns regularly with the Turkish authorities. At the same time, we recognise Turkey has a right to act proportionately in response to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) violence. PKK attacks must stop and peace talks resume soon, in the interests of Turkey and the wider region. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can.

January 1, 2023
Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) redundancy and (b) voluntary exit programmes for civil servants are currently in operation in each department.

Matthew Hancock

This information on the number of exit schemes currently in operation is not collated centrally.

January 1, 2023
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 22 September (HL1905), what is their latest assessment of the financial costs faced by Kent County Council in supporting asylum-seeking children, and what additional funding they are offering that council to help it to do so.

Lord Bates

The Government recognises the outstanding work of Kent County Council in caring for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC). Home Office officials have met Kent officers to understand the additional financial pressures they facing as a result of the high numbers of UASC in their care and we continue to work through the detail. The Immigration Minister has met the Leader of Kent County Council to discuss the situation.

As well as working with Kent, we believe a national response is required. We are working closely with the Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Children’s Services to finalise plans for a new scheme to disperse unaccompanied child asylum seekers to the care of other local authorities.

January 1, 2023
Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 40 of the North East Devolution Agreement, what progress he has made on developing an agreed implementation, monitoring and evaluation plan for evaluating the impact of north east devolution.

James Wharton

Implementation, monitoring, and evaluation are key parts of any Devolution Deal, and my officials are working closely with representatives of the North East Combined Authority to ensure that we have robust arrangements in place.

January 1, 2023
Marie Rimmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marie Rimmer on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the building of homes for social rent.

Brandon Lewis

We have already allocated £1 billion towards our commitment to deliver 275,000 affordable homes by 2020. This will be the fastest rate of affordable housing building in the last 20 years.

Since April 2010 we have delivered over 260,000 affordable homes, with almost 60,000 delivered last year.

January 1, 2023

Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women were injured while serving in Afghanistan in each year of the UK’s engagement in war in that country.

Penny Mordaunt

The table below provides a summary of the number of UK female Service personnel injured in Afghanistan in each year between 7 October 2001 (start of operations in Afghanistan) and 30 November 2014 (end of NATO combat operations).

Female UK Service Personnel Injured in Afghanistan by injury classification and year, 7 October 2001- 30 November 2014. 1.

Female Military in Afghanistan	All	7 Oct 2001-31 Dec 2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
All injured female personnel	206	0	2	3	3	23	19	24	30	23	31	34	14
Battle injury	24	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	6	4	4	3	1
Non-Battle injury	181	0	2	3	3	22	18	20	24	19	26	31	13
Disease/ Non-Battle injury 2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0

1 Based on year of Injury, numbers exclude female personnel who were injured and subsequently died.

2 For these UK Female Service Personnel it has not been possible to determine from electronic records held by Defence Statistics if they were injured or had an illness. The record identifies these personnel as Disease/Non Battle Injury.

January 1, 2023

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-11-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent UN Commission of Inquiry report on human rights abuses in Eritrea under President Isaias Afwerki.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We recognise the important work of the UN Commission of Inquiry and are concerned by their findings on human rights in Eritrea, in particular reports of arbitrary detention, and shortcomings in the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms. At the Human Rights Council in July, we supported an extension of the Commission’s mandate so that it can continue its work.

We regret that the Commission has been unable to visit Eritrea and therefore had to rely on witnesses who are outside of Eritrea and whose testimony may have been based on first-hand experience of Eritrea some time ago. We have made clear to the Government of Eritrea that it must improve respect for human rights and honour its international obligations, including allowing the Commission access.

January 1, 2023
Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the UK’s coal resources are used in the most effective manner.

Andrea Leadsom

The UK’s coal mining sector continues to meet a significant proportion of UK demand – in 2014, this was around 20%. In recent years, a number of domestic mining companies have struggled to remain profitable as a result of changes in the global coal market, and the Government has provided substantial financial support to avert the insolvent and unmanaged closure of these mines.

The Government continues to engage regularly with the coal sector to discuss the role of coal as we transition to a low carbon economy.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced recently that we will look to limit our use of coal from 2023, with an end date of 2025 and we will consult on this in the New Year. However, security of supply remains non-negotiable and no decisions will be taken which puts this at risk.

January 1, 2023