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Tag: 2015

  • The Earl of Clancarty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The Earl of Clancarty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2015-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what legislation and on what grounds courts in the United Kingdom can make orders for the destruction of (1) original photographs, (2) paintings, and (3) artwork in other media.

    Lord Faulks

    There is a range of powers that enable the forfeiture of such items.

    Section 143 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 provides a general power of forfeiture allowing the courts, on conviction of an offence, to make an order depriving an offender of any rights in lawfully seized articles or articles in the possession or under the control of the offender at arrest or summons which were used, or intended to be used, for the purpose of committing, or facilitating the commission of, an offence or in relation to which the offender was convicted of an offence involving unlawful possession of property.

    Section 5 of, and the Schedule to, the Protection of Children Act 1978 allows the forfeiture of any indecent photograph, pseudo-photograph or prohibited image of a child and any property which it is not reasonably practicable to separate from that property following any lawful seizure. The police must give notice of any intended forfeiture of such property and where forfeiture is contested the court must determine the issue.

    Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 allows the courts power to order the forfeiture of obscene articles kept for publication which have been seized under a warrant issued under that section.

  • Baroness Henig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Henig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Henig on 2015-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement by Lord Bates on 26 March (HL Deb, cols 1528–9) that licensing for private investigators would be introduced early in the next Parliament, what is the timetable for the introduction of licensing for private investigators.

    Lord Bates

    The Government is committed to ensuring the integrity of the private security industry and this includes private investigators.

    In July, the Government committed to a review (formerly triennial review) of the Security Industry Authority. That review may make further recommendations for legislative change which the Government will then consider.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the destruction of olive trees belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank in order to create a Nature Reserve.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are well aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers and of the particular sensitivities around olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We repeatedly express our serious concerns to the Israeli government about the destruction of olive trees, whether by the Israeli authorities or by extremist settlers. We hold the Israeli authorities responsible for enforcing the rule of law and providing the appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of new residential addresses have been created on brownfield sites since 2010.

    Brandon Lewis

    Statistics for 2013/14 were published in August 2015 and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/land-use-change-statistics-2013-to-2014

    These statistics show that, in 2013/14, 60 per cent of new residential addresses, including conversions to residential use, were created on previously developed land.

    The figures in the 2013/14 publication are the first in a new series. The Department holds no historical figures for the proportion of residential addresses on previously developed land prior to this.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total additional cost was of the net 52-month deferment of the final stage of the Core Production Capability Project.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As stated in the National Audit Office (NAO) Major Projects Report (MPR) 2015, the Core Production Capability project was deferred for 52 months due to the decision to refuel HMS Vanguard and keep the option open to refuel HMS Victorious. As a result of this new requirement that was unforeseen, an additional £196 million was approved for this project of which £17.6 million represents the cost of deferment.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I am aware of concerns about human rights violations on both sides of the Line of Control. We have consistently maintained that any allegations of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the minutes of each Public Health England board meeting in 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Minutes of all Public Health England (PHE) Board meetings are published on PHE website’s Board pages and therefore publically available. The minutes for the Board meetings held during 2015 have been placed in the library, and can also be found on the Meetings 2015 page of the website below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-health-england-board-meetings

    “

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to arrange for a review of the operation of her powers under Section 40, Subsection 4A of the British Nationality Act 1981.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of people who have been deprived of citizenship under section 40 subsections (2), (3) and (4A) in each of the last 5 years is as follows:

    Year

    Section 40(2)

    Section 40(3)

    Section 40(4A)

    2010

    5

    0

    –

    2011

    6

    0

    –

    2012

    5

    1

    –

    2013

    8

    10

    –

    2014

    4

    15

    0

    This information has been provided from local management information and is not a national statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

    The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson QC, is currently undertaking the review of the operation of the power under Section 40(4A) of the British Nationality Act 1981, as required by section 40B of the Act.

  • Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including producers of aviation fuel in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport ran an Advanced Fuels Call for Evidence in 2013/14 to examine the potential of advanced fuels in aviation and other transport sectors that cannot be easily decarbonised without low-carbon fuels. A summary of the evidence received was published with the Department’s response to the consultation on the post-implementation review of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2014. Amendments to the RTFO earlier this year increased rewards for gaseous fuels, such as biomethane used in freight, to better reflect their energy content.

    The Department also commissioned an independent feasibility study to examine the economic benefits and potential of advanced biofuels in the UK, published in February 2014, the study informed the design of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Plant Competition for £25m of matched grant funding. Winning projects were announced on 7th September 2015.

    The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group.

    The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. The Task Force acknowledged that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation and I met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July to discuss that report.

    Following the report of the Transport Energy Task Force, we are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and support under that scheme for synthetic fuels from renewable electricity. We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on potential amendments to the RTFO scheme.

  • Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they had with council leaders about their proposals to fund the extension of right to buy to housing association tenants through the sale of council assets.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Ministers and senior officials have engaged widely with local authorities and other key stakeholders regarding the planned sale of high value vacant council housing, and this engagement is continuing.