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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they participated in the election observer presences at the recent elections in Turkey; and whether OSCE or Council of Europe observer delegations were also present at those elections.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government deployed 2 Long Term Observers to join 18 other Long Term Observers in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Limited Election Observation Mission for the early parliamentary elections in Turkey on 1 November 2015.

    Delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE also observed the elections in Turkey on 1 November.

  • Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the reasons for closing the Routes into Languages project, what research informed that decision, and what assessment they have made of the consequences of closing that project.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    Routes into Languages is a Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) funded project. The project’s steering group will consider the future of the programme as part of HEFCE’s budget process, taking account of the grant letter to be provided by the Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Secretary of State.

  • David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with the Prime Minister of India during his forthcoming visit the welfare of elephants being trained to work in the tourism industry in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We are aware of reports that elephants in use in the tourist industry in India have been captured as calves and then beaten and mistreated. This practice is illegal in India. UK officials have had discussions on this issue with Save The Asian Elephant (STAE).

    The UK is committed to conserving Asian elephants and recognises the growing threats to their populations, including from the cross-border, illegal trade in live animals to feed the demand by the tourist and entertainment industries. The UK has been working internationally through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in discussion with elephant range states, including India, to increase protection for Asian elephants. We secured agreement in 2014 for elephant range states to put in place measures to prevent illegal trade in live elephants.

    We are very much looking forward to Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit, which gives us an opportunity to discuss a range of issues. We will continue to work together with the Indian authorities, as well as STAE and other non-governmental organisation, on protecting elephants.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials within the Department for Transport they expect to be working on the HS2 project in 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The High Speed Rail headcount for permanent staff for years 2016/17 – 2018/19 will be determined by future business planning rounds and set within the Spending Review 2015 overall resource funding envelope for the Department for Transport as announced by the Chancellor on 25 November 2015.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2015 to Question 11792, which grants made under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1964 are awarded on a non-competed basis; and if he will ensure that all future section 64 grants are awarded on a competed basis.

    Alistair Burt

    Providing the requested information would involve analysis of each grant awarded and would therefore be at disproportionate cost. There is a range of different circumstances where it would not be appropriate or value for money to run a competed scheme.

  • Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that since July Turkey has hit PKK targets in northern Iraq more frequently than ISIS targets; (2) that Turkish police have arrested more members of the Kurdish political opposition than suspected ISIS members within Turkey; and (3) that Turkey is shelling Kobane, despite it being under the control of Kurdish forces who are cooperating with the coalition against ISIS.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill Turkish police and security forces. The PKK must cease its violence and the peace process needs to be resumed. We support Turkey’s right to defend itself against all forms of terrorism.

    We welcome Turkey’s invaluable contribution to the international campaign against Daesh, particularly its agreement for the use of its airspace and airbases, as a member of the Global Coalition committed to defeating it. Turkey has been carrying out strikes against Daesh since July 2015, and have detained over 2,500 Daesh suspects since 2013, of whom one third are foreigners. Turkey recognises the role that Syrian Kurds have to play in the fight against Daesh, and accepts that Syrian Kurds receive Coalition support.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans the Government has to move away from the funding per qualification model for adult learners as set out in the HM Treasury report, Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    Over time the further education funding system has become complicated, with a lengthy set of rules about who and what can be funded. We plan to significantly simplify this funding system and at the same time increase local influence over the skills system so funding can be used to best meet local economic need. A key part of this simplification is to decouple funding and qualifications, freeing up providers and in time local commissioners to deliver the learning required to meet the skill needs of local economies and to maximise the benefit to local communities. We will include more detail on this in the Skills Funding Letter for 2016-17.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for setting the speed limit at 20 miles per hour on all minor roads in villages, towns and cities.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Setting local speed limits is a matter for the local highway authority, as they are best placed to determine the speed limits for their areas, based on local knowledge and the views of the community. The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued guidance to help them in Speed Limit Circular 01/2013 – Setting Local Speed Limits.

    In June 2014 the DfT commissioned a comprehensive three-year research project into the effects of 20mph limits. This will cover many aspects including effects on speed, collisions, casualties and modal shift. The research will also consider best practice, road users’ perceptions and effects on the quality of the environment.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect on Syrian refugees of fluctuations in the value of food vouchers provided by the World Food Programme.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK is at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region and has pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. By the end of June 2015, our support in Syria and the region had delivered almost 20 million food rations, over 2.5 million medical consultations and relief items for 4.6 million people.

    Recent UN food security assessments have shown that fluctuations in assistance by the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as other agencies, has had an impact on refugee’s ability to provide for their basic needs. The UK is closely monitoring the situation across the region, alongside other key donors, to understand how this reduction in support will further impact the lives of Syrian refugees.

    UN appeals for Syria and the region remain severely underfunded. We continue to lobby other partners to step up to the plate and match our commitment.

  • Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make regulations under section 89(3) of the Localism Act 2011.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Communities across England have used Community Rights to list land and buildings that are important to them as assets of community value; over 2,600 to date. The Government currently has no plans to make regulations under section 89(3).