Tag: 2016

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for implementing HPV vaccinations at sexual health clinics for men who have sex with men.

    Jane Ellison

    The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert body that advises the Government on all immunisation matters, advised that a targeted human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme should be undertaken for men who have sex with men (MSM) up to 45 years of age who attend genitourinary medicine and HIV clinics. They noted that this should be subject to procurement of the vaccine and delivery of the programme at a cost-effective price. JCVI acknowledged that finding a way to implement its advice would be challenging and made clear that work was needed by the Department and others to consider commissioning and delivery routes for this programme.

    The Department announced on 26 May 2016 that an HPV vaccination pilot for MSM would start in June.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what instructions they have given to all ministers of the Crown and senior civil servants to work to facilitate an early and effective withdrawal from the EU.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    A new Department for Exiting the European Union has been established by the Prime Minister. The Department will lead the UK’s negotiations to leave the European Union and establish the future relationship between the EU and the UK, working closely with the UK’s devolved administrations, Parliament, and a wide range of other interested parties on this approach. Officials and ministers will work closely with other departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Trade and others, to ensure the British public and business interests get the best possible deal when the UK leave the EU.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to address the issue of non-British citizens tricking British citizens into marriage to obtain a UK visa or citizenship.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We take abuse of the spouse immigration route very seriously. In July 2012 the minimum probationary period before a non-European Economic Area (non-EEA) national spouse of a British citizen can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK was increased from two years to five years. This is a better test of the genuineness of the relationship before it can be relied upon as a basis for seeking to settle permanently in the UK.

    In March 2015, a new scheme to tackle sham marriages was introduced under the Immigration Act 2014. All proposed marriages where one or both parties could gain an immigration advantage from it are now referred by registration officials to the Home Office. This gives us a much stronger platform to identify, disrupt and deter sham marriages.

    If the marriage breaks down permanently before or once the non-EEA national spouse has obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain, the British citizen spouse can provide the Home Office with any relevant information and we may cancel or revoke their former spouse’s leave if it can be established that this was obtained by deception.

  • Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marion Fellows on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department has made available to women born in the 1950s who are affected by recent changes in the age at which they become eligible for the state pension.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Working age benefits are available for those who have not yet reached State Pension age. A concession of £1.1bn was made, and 81% of those affected will see a delay of one year or less; and for the rest, the delay will be no more than 18 months. There are no plans for further transitional arrangements.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 23 February (HL6044), why the answer did not answer parts 2, 3 and 4 of the question; and whether they will now do so.

    Lord Dunlop

    My written answer dated 23 February 2016 (HL6044) made reference to the Joint Communiqué of the meeting of 26 February 2007, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The Joint Communiqué provides the answers to parts 2 and 3 of the Noble Lord’s original question (details of attendees and topics discussed).

    In relation to part 4 of the original question, as previously advised no formal actions were listed following this meeting. The focus at the time was the drive towards devolution and the Conference urged all political leaders to act with courage and determination in order to attain this.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths of children aged under 18 resulting directly from epilepsy have been recorded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length time taken to reunite stranded minors with their families in the UK once they have been identified in Calais has been in each of the last three years.

    James Brokenshire

    There is no official estimate of the number of children in Calais, this is primarily a matter for the French authorities. It is only possible to assess whether an individual has links to the UK that could enable a transfer on family unity grounds once they make an application for asylum in France.

    Once an asylum claim is lodged in France the Dublin Regulation procedure requesting the UK to take charge of a child on family unity grounds takes place very quickly, often in a matter of weeks, subject to consideration of the evidence in each individual case. An average time is not available for each of the last three years.

    Since February 2016 the UK has accepted 30 family reunification applications from minors in France of which 23 have already been transferred to the UK.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional funding his Department plans to make available for implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Cancer Taskforce.

    Jane Ellison

    By 2020-21, the Government will increase funding for the National Health Service by £10 billion a year in real terms compared with 2014-15, to support the implementation of the NHS’s own plan – the NHS Five Year Forward View – to transform services across the country. The Government is backing the NHS plan and enabling it to go further – by investing £2 billion more than the £8 billion the NHS asked for – delivering government objectives including improved access to cancer treatments.

    As part of the response to the independent Cancer Taskforce’s recommendations, in September 2015, we announced funding of up to £300 million a year by 2020 to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the new target that patients will be given a definitive cancer diagnosis, or the all clear, within 28 days of being referred by a general practitioner.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to safeguard the status of non-UK EEA students in the UK as a result of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    Existing rules on EU and other EEA students remain in force. This means that existing EU and other EEA nationals and their family members eligible to receive student support (including loans) will continue to receive that support until they finish their courses. This applies to those who are either currently studying or who will begin courses in academic year 2016/17.

    Further information is provided in a statement made by the Student Loans Company: http://www.slc.co.uk/media/latest-news/eu-nationals-and-student-finance-in-england.aspx

    “

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department offers to victims of labour exploitation; and what steps her Department is taking against individuals and businesses involved in such exploitation.

    Sarah Newton

    The Home Office sponsors the National Referral Mechanism to provide support to victims of modern slavery offences, whilst support for workers who have experienced exploitative treatment from employers and employment agencies is available from other enforcement authorities across Government, including the HMRC national minimum wage team, the BEIS Employment Agency Standards’ Inspectorate and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. All potential adult victims of Modern Slavery, including those who suffer labour exploitation, are able to access a tailored and specialised package of care and support through the £40m government-funded Salvation Army victim care contract.

    The Modern Slavery Act 2015 consolidated and strengthened modern slavery offences and introduced a world-leading provision which requires all commercial organisations operating in the UK with a turnover above £36m to set out what steps they are taking to prevent modern slavery in their business and supply chains. This transparency will drive improvements in tackling modern slavery throughout the business community.

    The Immigration Act 2016 established the Director of Labour Market Enforcement to provide closer integration between the authorities responsible for enforcing labour market protections and a stronger intelligence capability, reformed the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with new powers to investigate labour market offences wherever they occur in the economy, and stronger sanctions for non-compliant businesses. The Immigration Act 2016 also includes new powers to tackle employers of migrants working illegally on the UK.