Tag: 2015

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli government on the use of force by Israeli security personnel in response to protests.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    On 15 October, the Charge d’Affaires at our Embassy in Israel raised our concerns with Israel’s Deputy National Security Adviser, including specific discussions around punitive demolitions and the security at the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif. On 16 October the National Security Adviser, Mark Lyall Grant, spoke with Israel’s National Security Adviser, Yossi Cohen, about the violence in Jerusalem and called for de-escalation and the need to do everything possible to keep the situation calm. Our officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to urge both sides to de-escalate the current tensions.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve tests for Lyme disease to ensure early diagnosis.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England regularly review new tests for Lyme disease and participate in a Europe wide Quality Assurance programme to ensure that the most suitable tests available are used.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out the matters that have been discussed under the Memorandum of Understanding her Department entered into with the Saudi Arabia Ministry of the Interior in March 2014.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Home Office does not publish nor detail discussions relating to security co-operation agreements with international partners as to do so would undermine bilateral relations and prejudice our ability to conduct work under these agreements.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether fast track trials in Chichester County Court (a) have been or (b) are planned to be moved to Eastbourne County Court.

    Andrew Selous

    To reduce the waiting times for fast track hearings in Sussex, all fast track cases have been centralised to be heard at Eastbourne County Court on two days each month. The first hearings begin on 26 October 2015 which will include cases from Chichester.

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department made of Sir Howard Davies’s potential business links to Heathrow Airport; and what other due diligence it conducted before appointing him as chair of the Airports Commission.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Sir Howard Davies was required to complete and sign a register of interest disclosure form stating any potential conflict with his work in leading the independent Airports Commission. Registers of all the Commissioners’ interests are available on the Airports Commission’s website at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airports-commissioners-conflicts-of-interest-disclosure.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure whistleblowers and hon. Members can communicate with each other without their communications being intercepted.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government’s position on the Wilson Doctrine was set out by the Prime Minister in a written ministerial statement made on 4 November 2015.

    As the Prime Minister made clear, the Wilson Doctrine has never been an absolute bar to the targeted interception of the communications of Members of Parliament or an exemption from the legal regime governing interception. The Doctrine recognised that there could be instances where interception might be necessary.

    The Prime Minister announced that as matter of policy the PM will be consulted should there ever be a proposal to target any UK Parliamentarian’s communications under a warrant issued by a Secretary of State. This applies to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly and UK members of the European Parliament. It applies to all activity authorised by a warrant issued by a Secretary of State: any instance of targeted interception and, electronic surveillance and equipment interference, when undertaken by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. This is in addition to the rigorous safeguards already in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Code of Practice issued under it which set out a series of robust safeguards for any instance of interception.

    It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny any specific activity by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 it is an offence for anyone to identify an individual interception warrant or an individual interception that takes place.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Government funding for science on the provision of infrastructure for cancer research.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department has not made a specific assessment of the effectiveness of Government funding for science on the provision of infrastructure for cancer research. The Government has committed to invest £6.9bn in science infrastructure to 2021 including £150m for clinical research infrastructure, elements of which can benefit cancer research. Wider information about funding for cancer research is available from the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI). The NCRI is a UK-wide partnership between government, charities and industry which provides co-ordination and co-operation in UK cancer research and works to ensure that the c£500m pa funding from NCRI partners for cancer research is spent efficiently.

  • Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the joint ministerial declaration on UK/French co-operation in tackling ongoing illegal migration in northern France and across Europe, issued on 20 August 2015, how many of the security audit recommendations made by a British and French specialised team on 10 August 2015 have been fully implemented.

    James Brokenshire

    The Joint Security Audit which was undertaken with the French Authorities in August identified priority risk areas from migrant activity and work is continuing at pace to complete priority physical measures. These include fencing of shuttle platforms at the Eurotunnel site and the freight approach road as well as anti-intrusion measures in-and-around the Channel Tunnel itself. A number of these measures have been completed and the remainder will be completed in the coming weeks.

  • David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the results of the Family Test applied to the policies proposed in the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords].

    James Wharton

    The Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill is an enabling Bill. The Government will undertake the appropriate tests and publish them before any implementation orders are made.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Wilson Doctrine has been consistently applied to the communications of the hon. Member for South Down; and whether that Member has been subject to surveillance.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government’s position on the Wilson Doctrine was set out by the Prime Minister in a written ministerial statement made on 4 November 2015.

    As the Prime Minister made clear, the Wilson Doctrine has never been an absolute bar to the targeted interception of the communications of Members of Parliament or an exemption from the legal regime governing interception. The Doctrine recognised that there could be instances where interception might be necessary.

    The Prime Minister announced that as matter of policy the PM will be consulted should there ever be a proposal to target any UK Parliamentarian’s communications under a warrant issued by a Secretary of State. This applies to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly and UK members of the European Parliament. It applies to all activity authorised by a warrant issued by a Secretary of State: any instance of targeted interception and, electronic surveillance and equipment interference, when undertaken by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. This is in addition to the rigorous safeguards already in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Code of Practice issued under it which set out a series of robust safeguards for any instance of interception.

    It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny any specific activity by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 it is an offence for anyone to identify an individual interception warrant or an individual interception that takes place.