Tag: 2015

  • 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, how many additional UK police and Border Force personnel have been deployed to join 24/7 freight search teams in Calais since 20 August 2015.

    James Brokenshire

    For border security reasons the Home Office does not publicly disclose details of operational deployments at the UK border. Border Force continually monitors the pressures of illegal immigration at the UK border. Joint work is undertaken with French law enforcement agencies and port operators to bolster security and ensure staff from respective organisations are deployed to meet operational needs.

  • Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to change its policy on free school meal provision for infant school pupils.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The continuation of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) was a commitment in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto. The government is currently conducting a Spending Review across all its programmes.

  • Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the authorities in Iraq on the Yazidi community in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers continue to raise the situation of minority communities in Iraq with the Iraqi authorities. The Government condemns in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by ISIL against all communities throughout the areas under its control. We are working closely with the Iraqi Government, the Kurdistan Regional Government and our international coalition partners to assist and protect civilians. The human rights situation in areas under ISIL control is gravely concerning, including for Yezidis, and Yezidi women in particular. We have received reports, including from Amnesty International, of the ordeal faced by these women and others abducted by ISIL, including rape, forced marriage, sexual abuse, forced conversion, and being sold as slaves. Working with the Department for International Development, we are already funding activities to protect vulnerable civilians, such as legal assistance and support groups for women. We are continuing to explore what further support we might be able to provide to vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons. We welcome the commitments that Prime Minister al-Abadi has made to inclusivity, protecting Iraqi citizens, addressing human rights abuses and holding those responsible to account.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of HGV drivers in the UK relative to demand.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department recognises that there is a high demand for HGV drivers in the UK and that there is a shortage, manifesting itself in pressure on costs, delays to some deliveries and the recruitment of people from outside the UK.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance his Department gives to ensure that the implications of missing national insurance contributions are made clear to those concerned at the time they are missed.

    Mr David Gauke

    There is a range of guidance available to help a person understand the implications of not paying national insurance. A person’s record can be made up of national insurance contributions and credits from a variety of sources. When these are posted to the individual’s contributions record after the end of the tax year the individual may have insufficient contributions on their account for that year to qualify for certain benefits. These gaps in a person’s national insurance contributions record may be filled by the payment of voluntary Class 3 contributions.
    HM Revenue and Customs has published guidance on GOV.UK that explains when the payment of voluntary Class 3 contributions may be beneficial, eligibility, rates and how and when to pay. This is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

    “

  • 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 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will direct the College of Policing to disclose the content of each of the training courses it has provided to Saudi police officers.

    Mike Penning

    The College of Policing in common with other organisations, does not routinely publish details of commercial agreements and has no plans to do so. The Home Secretary has no plans to direct the College of Policing to disclose this information.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust paid in relation to the 33 patients admitted to Cygnet, Harrogate in 2014.

    Ben Gummer

    This information is not collected centrally.

    We have written to Derek Brown, Chair of the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust informing him of the hon. Member’s enquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to distribute a proportion of the frozen assets of the Muammar Gaddafi administration in the UK to the families of people killed (a) by Libyan-supplied semtex and weapons and (b) on flight LW1103.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    There is no legal basis upon which the UK could re-direct frozen Libyan assets or the interest accrued to individuals for the purposes of compensation. Regarding assets which belonged to Qadhafi or other regime figures, the UN Security Council has stipulated that when these are unfrozen, they will be made available to, and for the benefit of the Libyan people. For the duration of time that these assets are frozen, they and any interest they accrue will be governed in accordance with the specific sanctions in place over the individuals or entities to which the assets belong. In this case, the asset freezing measures are set out under EU Regulation 204/2011 which prohibits the release of frozen funds and the interest accrued belonging to listed individuals or entities except in very specific circumstances, which do not apply here.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of cattle have been tested for bovine TB in each of the last three years.

    George Eustice

    Bovine TB is a devolved matter. The figures presented below are for England only.

    Year

    Number of cattle tested during year (millions)

    Cattle population at June 1 (millions)

    2012

    3.4

    5.4

    2013

    3.7

    5.4

    2014

    4.0

    5.3

    Figures for the number of cattle tested for bovine TB represent all cattle tested during a calendar year. Cattle population estimates are as at a single point in time (1 June 2015). It is not, therefore, possible to determine the proportion of the cattle population which was tested in each of these years. All herds in the designated High Risk and Edge Areas of England are subject to annual surveillance testing for bovine TB, except for herds in the part of Cheshire falling within the Edge Area, which is currently subject to six-monthly testing. In the designated Low Risk Area all herds are subject to four yearly surveillance testing for bovine TB, except for certain higher risk herds which are subject to annual testing. Herds in all risk areas may also be subject to additional TB testing as a result of TB breakdowns.

  • Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on court hearings which have taken place in respect of Rebecca Prosser in Indonesia; and which such hearings have been attended by Consular officials.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    It is not our general policy to send consular officials, who are not legally trained, to attend court hearings. Consular officials have not therefore attended the court hearings. Consular staff remain in regular contact with Ms Prosser’s employer’s representatives, her legal team and her family.