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Tag: 2015

  • Baroness Hamwee – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Hamwee – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) parents of a minor, (2) siblings of a minor, and (3) other persons, were granted, on the basis of exceptional compelling, compassionate circumstances outside the Immigration Rules, a family reunion visa for reunion with a family member in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection, in each year from 2011 to date; and from which countries those persons have come.

    Lord Bates

    Family reunion applications are considered within the scope of the Immigration Rules. Under these Rules, only pre-existing families are eligible for family reunion i.e. spouse, civil partner, unmarried/same sex partner and minor children who formed part of the family unit at the time the sponsor (the person granted protection in the UK) fled to seek asylum.

    Family reunion visas are available to help families that become fragmented. Family reunion is intended to allow family members who formed part of the family unit before the refugee fled their country of origin, to reunite in the UK.

    The number of Family reunion visas issued and the country of application from 2011 to date can be found in the table below. It is not possible to break down the data to the applicant’s relationship with the individual that has already gained asylum in the UK.

    To note: ‘*’ appears where there are less than three applications.

    Applications issued

    Country of application

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015
    (Jan-Jun)

    Albania

    *

    *

    *

    5

    –

    Algeria

    –

    –

    *

    –

    5

    Bahrain

    *

    15

    10

    5

    5

    Bangladesh

    –

    10

    5

    10

    10

    Belarus

    *

    5

    –

    5

    –

    Belgium

    –

    5

    5

    –

    5

    Burma

    20

    25

    5

    5

    5

    Cameroon

    60

    40

    30

    55

    15

    Canada

    *

    *

    *

    –

    *

    China

    25

    15

    20

    20

    10

    Congo (Dem. Rep.)

    80

    55

    70

    45

    15

    Cuba

    –

    *

    –

    5

    –

    Denmark

    –

    *

    5

    –

    5

    Egypt

    20

    50

    145

    135

    120

    Ethiopia

    685

    475

    450

    295

    85

    France

    5

    –

    5

    *

    –

    Gambia

    40

    40

    40

    80

    50

    Georgia

    –

    5

    5

    *

    –

    Germany

    *

    –

    5

    –

    –

    Ghana

    15

    25

    25

    30

    10

    Greece

    *

    5

    5

    10

    5

    India

    45

    30

    30

    25

    15

    Iran

    190

    55

    *

    –

    –

    Iraq

    –

    –

    *

    35

    30

    Irish Republic

    *

    5

    –

    –

    –

    Israel

    5

    *

    10

    15

    –

    Italy

    5

    5

    5

    5

    *

    Ivory Coast

    –

    –

    –

    10

    *

    Jamaica

    5

    –

    –

    *

    –

    Jordan

    20

    40

    95

    385

    60

    Kazakhstan

    *

    *

    –

    –

    –

    Kenya

    160

    160

    105

    80

    20

    Kuwait

    25

    25

    30

    40

    40

    Lebanon

    10

    110

    280

    405

    260

    Libya

    *

    *

    5

    5

    *

    Morocco

    –

    –

    *

    10

    5

    Mozambique

    *

    *

    –

    –

    –

    Namibia

    *

    *

    *

    *

    –

    Nepal

    10

    –

    10

    15

    5

    Netherlands

    *

    *

    5

    5

    –

    New Zealand

    *

    –

    –

    –

    –

    Nigeria

    5

    10

    10

    10

    5

    No biometrics

    775

    595

    740

    630

    80

    Pakistan

    345

    305

    360

    525

    300

    Portugal

    –

    –

    5

    –

    –

    Qatar

    –

    *

    5

    *

    5

    Romania

    –

    –

    5

    –

    –

    Russian Federation

    5

    5

    *

    10

    –

    Rwanda

    5

    5

    5

    5

    –

    Saudi Arabia

    5

    10

    10

    25

    40

    Senegal

    5

    5

    5

    5

    5

    Sierra Leone

    35

    10

    15

    20

    5

    South Africa

    55

    25

    20

    25

    10

    Sri Lanka

    305

    250

    305

    220

    105

    Sudan

    215

    380

    360

    355

    230

    Sweden

    –

    5

    5

    *

    *

    Switzerland

    –

    –

    5

    –

    *

    Syria

    235

    105

    5

    –

    –

    Tanzania

    15

    5

    10

    10

    5

    Trinidad and Tobago

    –

    –

    –

    *

    5

    Tunisia

    5

    5

    –

    *

    –

    Turkey

    55

    215

    330

    550

    215

    Uganda

    85

    135

    225

    195

    45

    Ukraine

    *

    5

    *

    *

    –

    United Arab Emirates

    25

    100

    120

    75

    70

    United States

    *

    –

    5

    5

    5

    Uzbekistan

    10

    5

    5

    *

    –

    Vietnam

    5

    –

    –

    5

    *

    Zambia

    10

    *

    –

    10

    *

    Zimbabwe

    640

    265

    145

    110

    25

    Grand Total

    4305

    3670

    4120

    4540

    1940

    “

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Written Answers of 16 November 2015 to Question 16305 and of 23 November 2015 to Question 17205, whether agreed funding is now in place for the National Wildlife Crime Unit beyond March 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol East, Kerry McCarthy, on 7 December 2015, PQ18354.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to reintroduce charges for museum entry in the next year.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    This Government is committed to maintaining free admission to the permanent collections of major museums and galleries, as set out in the 2015 Conservative Party general election manifesto.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safeguards he plans to put in place to ensure that the proposed £22 billion NHS efficiency savings do not adversely affect the quality of services to people with Parkinson’s disease.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government has committed to invest an additional £10 billion in the National Health Service over this Parliament. Efficiency and high quality care go hand-in-hand; cutting waste and safer care are integral to ensuring better outcomes at a lower cost. The efficiencies the NHS needs to find are linked to the challenge of continued improvements in care across all services, including for people with Parkinson’s disease.

  • Lord Touhig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase staff retention in the Defence Medical Services.

    Earl Howe

    The Defence Medical Services (DMS) takes very seriously the issue of retention and ensures the views expressed by personnel in exit interviews, conducted when they leave the Service, inform policy in this area.

    There are no Financial Retention Incentives for personnel within the DMS as a whole. However, the Royal Navy has introduced Financial Retention Incentives for Submariner Medical Assistants based on their Return of Service. In addition, Medical and Dental Officers, Nurses (Officers and Other Ranks) and Veterinary Officers have bespoke pay spines which are seen as retention positive. Specialist Nurses are also able to claim Recruitment and Retention Pay.

    There are a number of non-remunerative incentives for DMS personnel and these include access to funded Continuing Professional Development courses; career opportunities outside the main clinical roles and responsibilities; inter trade transfers (predominantly from Combat Medical Technicians and Medical Assistants into an Allied Health Professional trade or Nursing) and the availability of post graduate training.

  • Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on incorporating discussion of organ donation and transplantation into the school curriculum.

    Jane Ellison

    The National Curriculum sets the minimum requirements for what schools should teach and schools can build on that knowledge to cover topics such as organ donation and transplantation based on the needs of their pupils. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) have recently launched updated resources for teachers and others to promote discussion around organ donation in learning environments. These resources will be promoted to teachers in England early in the New Year. The lessons packs are available online at

    https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/about-donation/educational-resources/

    In addition Anthony Nolan, an organisation part-funded by the Department of Health, delivers an education programme in partnership with NHSBT, through which volunteers deliver talks in schools and colleges to students aged 16 -18.

    Departmental officials and NHSBT will continue to explore additional opportunities to promote organ donation and transplantation to school age children.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered making illegal all odometer adjustment, and enforcing an outright ban on (1) the sale and purchase of odometer adjustment equipment, and (2) companies offering those services.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    I deplore the practice of mileage fraud.

    Odometers do go wrong and may be replaced, so there are occasions when adjustment of the odometer is legitimate. To help, consumers mileage is recorded at every MOT test and is available on the certificate and online. Although odometer adjustment is not currently unlawful, the misrepresentation of true mileage to a potential purchaser is illegal under consumer protection legislation.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she intends to respond to the report of the Children’s Commissioner, Protecting children from harm, published in November 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    The report captures the findings from the first part of the Children’s Commissioner’s inquiry into child sexual abuse in the family environment. The Government will give careful consideration to the findings of the full inquiry when it is completed in December 2016.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of rough sleepers in London.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    This Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society. One person without a home is one too many. That is why since 2010 we’ve invested more than £500 million to prevent and tackle homelessness in England. In London, we have given the Mayor £34 million to deliver pan-London rough sleeping services, with an extra £8.5 million for this work in 2015/16.

    DCLG publishes regular statistics on rough sleeping. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics. The latest figures, for 2014, are attached.

    More rough sleepers are being found and helped thanks to our investment. Our measures include supporting the roll-out of No Second Night Out across England through the Homelessness Transition Fund. In London, two-thirds of rough sleepers come off the streets after a single night. We have also commissioned the pioneering StreetLink service, which since its launch has helped over 14,500 rough sleepers by connecting them to local support services and avoid becoming entrenched in a life on the streets.

    We are committed to do more to improve services for homeless people with complex needs. Our investment includes £5 million for the world’s first homelessness Social Impact Bond, which is reaching 830 entrenched rough sleepers in London.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will take steps to (a) develop a comprehensive and detailed plans for the development of Montserrat and (b) encourage young Montserratians in the UK to return to Montserrat and assist with economic growth.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID is working jointly with the Government of Montserrat and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to establish a joint vision for Montserrat. This includes encouraging all Montserratians, home and abroad, to participate in the future of the island.