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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, if (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department plan to attend the joint conference between the EU and African partners in Valletta, Malta, on 11 November 2015, on migration.

    James Brokenshire

    The Valletta Summit on Migration will take place on 11-12 November in Malta. It will bring together the EU and Member States, partners from West, North and East Africa and international organisations to enhance cooperation on migration and to better address the dangerous and illegal crossings in the central Mediterranean.

    Our attendance will reflect the importance of this vital opportunity to build a partnership with Africa on these crucial issues. The Home Secretary is closely engaged on preparations for the Summit, as are the Prime Minister and other key Cabinet colleagues.

  • David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer to Question 10161 of 22 September 2015, on Sunday trading, when he plans to publish the results of the Family Test.

    Anna Soubry

    Pursuant to the answer given to Question 10161 of 22 September 2015, we still anticipate that the results of the Family Test will be published alongside the Government’s response to the consultation.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent progress towards achieving a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The only way to end the conflict in Syria is through a negotiated settlement to create an inclusive government, which can protect its people from the tyranny of ISIL and other extremists. We support the efforts of UN Special Envoy de Mistura to facilitate this. Russian actions have complicated the situation in Syria, making a political transition less likely. It is clear that Russia is carrying out airstrikes against the moderate opposition, who must be part of a political process. We call on Russia to stop targeting moderate opposition groups and to use its influence with the regime to deliver genuine negotiations on a political transition.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that carers are able to give each patient an appropriate amount of time on visits.

    Alistair Burt

    In most cases, very short visits from care workers are incompatible with high quality care. However, short visits may be appropriate in certain circumstances. For instance, checking medication has been taken.

    Local authorities are responsible for the commissioning of services, not the Government but both Government and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) agree that inappropriately short home care visits are unacceptable.The Care Act sends a clear message that commissioning services without properly considering the impact on people’s wellbeing is unacceptable.

    In September 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidelines on homecare which state that homecare visits should not normally be less than 30 minutes long. The Department published statutory guidance to the Care Act which directs local authorities when commissioning to consider national standards including NICE guidelines.

    Further, the Department worked with ADASS and the Local Government Association (LGA) to produce a framework of standards, ‘Commissioning for Better Outcomes’ which explicitly states that inappropriate use of short visits is not compatible with best practice. The framework is designed to support local authorities to improve their commissioning practices using self-assessment and peer challenge through the LGA’s programme of sector-led improvement.

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis 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 Haltemprice and Howden; and whether he 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.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the reasons are for his proposal to exclude taught masters students who are over the age of 30 from the new postgraduate loans scheme proposed for England.

    Joseph Johnson

    A consultation on the proposed postgraduate Master’s loan scheme was held earlier in the year. The consultation covered proposed terms and conditions, including an age eligibility criterion and the eligibility of distance learning. Consultation responses are currently being analysed and the Department will respond in the autumn.

  • 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 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people have received the disability students’ allowance in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    Information on students awarded and paid Disabled Students’ Allowance is published annually by Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education England’. The latest statistics are available at the following link: http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx

    Payments to full-time undergraduate students are presented in table 3b on page 21 and payments to part-time undergraduates and postgraduates in tables 5a and 5b on page 31.

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission an update to the research study of Recruitment, Deployment and Management of Supply Teachers in England commissioned by her Department in 2006; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education has no plans to commission an update to this research.

  • Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what records his Department holds on representations made by the Government to (a) the US Administration and (b) the Libyan government in 2008 about inclusion of compensation claims by victims of IRA/Libyan sponsored violence in the UK in the scope of the Libyan Claims Settlement Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    When it became clear in May 2008 that the US and Libya were proceeding on a bilateral agreement to settle outstanding claims, the UK Government made representations to the US and Libyan authorities to include UK victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism on the list of recipients. Unfortunately this proved not to be possible. The Libyans made clear that they had answered questions about their support for the IRA in 1995 and considered the matter closed.

    We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, and we remain determined to make progress. Once stability returns, and our embassy re-opens, we will again encourage the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress, including those seeking compensation.

  • 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 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of allegations that the Saudi-led coalition is impeding and preventing commercial vessels from docking at the port of Hodeidah in Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Intense fighting and insecurity on the ground in Yemen has resulted in restrictions being placed on commercial and humanitarian shipping. This is exacerbating the difficulty of distributing food and fuel to those who need it, making the humanitarian situation even worse.

    The most important action to address the humanitarian situation, beyond a ceasefire, is to open up access for commercial and humanitarian goods. All parties to the conflict have a responsibility to ensure that any restrictions do not impede humanitarian access, and to facilitate immediate access to life-saving supplies, both into and within Yemen. The UK supports the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, which is now being established to address commercial shipping needs and we urge that this is implemented as soon as possible.