Tag: 2015

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether plans to amend the Civil Partnership Act to allow opposite sex partnerships.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Ireferthe Right Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 14 July to the written question below.

    Answer referred to:Civil Partnerships Act 2004: written question – 5833

    Tim Loughton:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has any plans to bring forward an amendment to the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 to permit opposite sex civil partnerships.

    Caroline Dinenage:The Government has no plans to extend the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to opposite sex couples.

    The Government carried out a review of the operation and future of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 required by The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which included a full public consultation inviting views on potential changes to civil partnership.

    The Government published a report, following the review, which concluded that the Government would not make any changes.

    (14 July 2015 : written question 5833)

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to call upon all European Union member states to uphold the principle of non-refoulement for refugees from Eritrea.

    Lord Bates

    We have updated our country information and guidance on Eritrea. This takes into account the UN Commission of Inquiry’s report as well other sources reporting on the human rights situation. The revised documents, covering illegal exit and national service, were published on 9 September and are available on the Gov.uk website. They recognise that there are human rights challenges in Eritrea – particularly around the national service programme – but, as with all asylum applications, stress the need to consider each claim on its individual merits.

    All EU Member States have a responsibility to respect the principle of non-refoulement. We are confident that our European partners understand and apply this, whether to Eritrea or anywhere else. We are in regular discussions with our EU counterparts – individually and via the European Asylum Support Office – to discuss various aspects of asylum policy and practice.

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

    Lord Soley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Soley on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential to reduce aviation emissions through improved air traffic management.

    Viscount Younger of Leckie

    The UK has set targets for the next five years for air traffic management aimed at reducing flying times and therefore aircraft emissions. These are in line with the environmental target contained within the EU performance scheme. In addition UK industry is actively involved in the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme which is developing new technology and operational procedures that will lead to further improvements in this area. This includes the implementation of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Future Airspace Strategy which has the need to reduce aviation emissions as a key objective.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of Saudi Arabia’s 2014 Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing on religious freedom in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has been following Saudi Arabia’s counter-terrorism and terrorism financing legislation issue closely since it started being implemented on 31 January 2014. There has been no change to the limited level of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia and we are not aware of any persecution of religious groups through this legislation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor this, including through the annual Human Rights and Democracy report.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the number of students with a disability in higher education; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The latest statistics available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that in the academic year 2013/14 there were 1.1 million UK domiciled enrolments at UK Higher Education Institutions, of which 138,670 declared a disability.

    Further information is published on the HESA website and can be located from this web-link https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/

    “

  • George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Kerevan on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the potential effects of the Japanese deflation on the UK economy.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including Japanese inflation developments, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was raised by business rates in the Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    In 2013-14, the total business rates income raised in Newcastle upon Tyne was £128.5 million. Based on their own estimates, the total business rates income in 2015-16 is expected to be £154.1 million

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that bookmakers have a code of conduct relating to fixed odds betting terminals.

    Tracey Crouch

    It is a licence condition that bookmakers adhere to social responsibility requirements, as set out in the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, including specific requirements on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). In addition, the Association of British Bookmakers recently published its revised Code on Social Responsibility, which also requires its members to have in place measures on FOBTs to help players stay in control.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times in the past 12 months (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have raised the issue of state aid clearance for the steel sector with the European Commission.

    Anna Soubry

    The state aid rules on giving rescue and restructuring aid to steel companies are clear and all such interventions are prohibited. Officials have been in regular communication with the Commission to progress our application for the broader support package for energy-intensive industries including steel, and the Secretary of State will be raising this with the Competition Commissioner at the earliest opportunity.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what dates officials or Ministers at HM Revenue and Customs have met (a) representatives of Mitie and (b) representatives of MiHomecare in the last year.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not comment on an individual taxpayer or company for reasons of confidentiality.