Tag: 2015

Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the monthly sales figures for (1) e-cigarettes, and (2) tobacco products, in prison shops in the past year.

Lord Faulks

For prisons in England and Wales monthly sales (number of units sold[1]) for the period December 2014 to November 2015 were as follows:

	TOBACCO & CIGARETTES	SUNDRIES[2]	E CIGARETTE
DECEMBER 2014	318,300	252,500	310
JANUARY 2015	352,500	284,200	140
FEBURARY 2015	283,600	228,300	80
MARCH 2015	291,700	228,400	20
APRIL 2015	344,100	282,500	40
MAY 2015	290,800	230,100	60
JUNE 2015	286,000	216,000	60
JULY 2015	350,400	268,400	40
AUGUST 2015	286,900	220,400	6,500
SEPTEMBER 2015	280,200	219,100	5,600
OCTOBER 2015	344,200	268,700	3,000
NOVEMBER 2015	278,400	220,200	1,500

It should be noted that some of the variation in monthly sales is due to months having four weekly accounting periods and other months having five.

From December 2014 to mid-August 2015 e-cigarettes were only available in prisons in Wales plus the three Public Sector Prison establishments in England, (Eastwood Park, Stocken, and Preston) hence the relatively low sales. From 17 August 2015 all public sector establishments offered an e-cigarette on their Local Product List (prison shop form). The decrease in e-cigarette sales since August is thought to be due to an initial peak in sales when these products were first introduced.

[1] Rounded to the nearest 100, or nearest 10 when sales are less than 1,000.

[2] Sundries include, for example, rolling papers, lighters, matches, filter tips and rolling machines.

01/01/2023

Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of cascading Class 319 rolling stock to Southern’s Coastway Stopping services once the full fleet of Class 700 trains are in operation on the Thameslink routes.

Claire Perry

The Government remains determined to provide better, more comfortable journeys for passengers. However, it is for the relevant train operator to determine the type and quantity of rolling stock that is deployed on a particular route. When cascaded stock is available, it is for the operator to decide whether to bid for them.

01/01/2023
Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2015, which found that women are being paid the average wage men earned in 2006.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that the gender pay gap in the UK remains the lowest on record.

There are now also more women on FTSE Boards and running businesses than ever before, and this year the UK was ranked as the best place in Europe for female entrepreneurs.

I am proud of our achievements, but recognise there is still more we must do. This is why the government is introducing new regulations that will require larger employers to publish their gender pay gap information. This will encourage companies to take action and drive change on this important issue.

01/01/2023
Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 13246, what payment is given to libraries to partner with the Department on digital inclusion.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department does not make any direct payments to libraries in relation to partnering on the delivery of digital inclusion.

DWP is working with Local Authorities through ‘Universal Support’ to build claimants’ digital capability. Libraries are one potential route for delivering this support, where deemed appropriate by our Local Authority partners.

01/01/2023
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 what was the amount of the revenue element of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund in (1) 2014–15, and (2) 2015–16.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

In 2014-15, £64.9m revenue funding was provided through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. A further £64.5m was provided in 2015-16.

01/01/2023
Lord Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of recent reports about VAT fraud by online traders operating from abroad, whether they plan to pursue (1) Amazon, and (2) eBay, for any UK VAT that has been evaded by traders using those online marketplaces; and if not, why not.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is actively targeting operational and intelligence activity to tackle this issue. However, HMRC is unable to give details of its plans in respect of any individual taxpayer because of taxpayer confidentiality.

01/01/2023
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 the short wave radio transmission of BBC World Service programmes has been jammed in each year from 1999 to 2014.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The BBC World Service has advised that short wave radio transmission has been jammed in the following countries: 2004 to present – Uzbekistan 2010 – China (Mandarin) 2012 to 2013 – Iran 2013 to present –China, which has also affected parts of India, Bhutan and Bangladesh

01/01/2023
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.

01/01/2023
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.

01/01/2023
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.

01/01/2023