Tag: 2016

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which of the recommendations made by the Ollerenshaw Review of Local Council Tax Support the Government plans to take forward; and when such recommendations will be implemented.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Sir Eric Ollerenshaw’s independent review recognised the successful implementation of local council tax support schemes by local government and made a number of recommendations which the government is now considering.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the process is by which unaccompanied child refugees are considered for transfer to the UK from refugee camps in Europe; and what the verification process is for confirming the identity and date of birth of an unaccompanied child refugee.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Under the Dublin Regulation, where an unaccompanied asylum seeking child has close family members in the UK, another Member State may make a transfer request for the UK to consider their asylum claim, which is then considered and if verified, accepted by the UK. In addition, we are working closely with the French, Greek and Italian authorities as well as UNHCR, Unicef and NGOs to identify unaccompanied refugee children who do not have family in the UK but who may qualify for transfer under the provisions of S67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

    All individuals being considered for transfer will be assessed for age. Where credible and clear documentary evidence of age is not available, criteria including physical appearance and demeanour are used as part of the interview process to assess age. Once in the UK there is also the option of requesting a further local authority age assessment, which must be case law compliant and approved by two social workers. Basic security checks are conducted on all individuals prior to arrival, with further verification carried out once in the UK.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Bahrain on (a) the treatment of opposition leaders in that country and (b) medical facilities available to Hassan Mushaima.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly discuss human rights and reform with the Government of Bahrain – including at the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting which was most recently held in November 2015. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to meet its human rights obligations, including the treatment of detainees in detention, and to honour all conventions to which it is a party. We are aware of the case of Hassan Mushaima and have raised it with the Government of Bahrain.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new employment support allowance claimants there were in (a) Burnley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West in each of the last six years.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested has been published and can be found at: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/flows/flows_on/tabtool.html.

    Guidance on how to extract the information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance.

    “

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Russian Federation about the new extradition treaty signed between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation on 2 February, and about the likely impact of the treaty’s provisions on the transfer and readmission of North Koreans who have fled their country and would be deemed to be illegally in another’s territory as a result of the treaty.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has not made specific representations to the Government of the Russian Federation regarding this treaty.

  • Margaret Beckett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Beckett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Beckett on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the letter from the National Security Adviser to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy of 10 March 2016, how many GCHQ staff have been (a) recruited to and (b) completed the CyberFirst scheme.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The CyberFirst scheme was launched in 2015 and met its initial target of awarding 21 bursaries, of which 19 have been taken up and committed to by UK students. Eight of the students are in the first year of their degree, ten are in their second year and one student is in the third year of a four year course. The first students will be able to join the department when they graduate in 2017. As announced by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, we will have 1000 students on the scheme by 2020. During summer 2016, five of the students will attend GCHQ Student Technical Internships, seven will attend the various GCHQ summer technical schools, one will start a 1 year industrial placement at GCHQ and six will attend internships in other government cyber operations.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a diesel scrappage scheme; and what analysis has been undertaken on different ways in which such a scheme could work.

    Andrew Jones

    In considering whether to introduce a national scrappage scheme for diesel cars, a high level cost estimate was carried out, looking at offering grants for scrappage of the dirtiest vehicles.

    It was found that even if only offering the scheme to pre euro 4 diesel cars, the costs would run into billions. A national scrappage scheme would not target the areas where there is the greatest need to improve air quality, and the impact on emissions at a national scale would be minimal.

    This option was therefore judged an ineffective use of resources. It would not have been proportionate to carry out more detailed analysis.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to improve the training and support caseworkers receive on asylum claims in the UK on grounds of religious persecution.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits, including claims based on religious persecution. We grant protection to those who genuinely need it in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

    Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of asylum claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of stakeholders, including religious groups. The current training and support available for asylum caseworkers includes a UNHCR endorsed Foundation Training Programme. This, and follow-on courses, covers all aspects of the asylum interview and decision making process, including the assessment of credibility and country information in religious based claims. Real-life case studies and role-play are used throughout the training programme to reinforce knowledge and understanding of the issues.

    We are currently carefully considering the APPG report and its recommendations and will provide a response in due course.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of possible expansion of Heathrow Airport on UK tourism.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government has accepted the case for airport expansion in the South East and the Airports’ Commission’s shortlisted options. The new Culture Secretary will be ensuring that tourism is one of the factors considered, when a final decision is taken on a preferred scheme.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people were held in (a) secure training centres, (b) secure children’s homes and (c) young offenders’ institutions in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The Youth Justice Board (YJB) and HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) publish an annual report on ‘Children in Custody’ that monitors the number of gypsy, traveller and Romany (GRT) children in youth offenders’ institutions (YOIs) and secure training centres (STCs). The reports are available on the HMIP website.

    The survey does not cover young people in Secure Children’s Homes (SCH). This is because Ofsted are responsible for inspecting SCHs, not HMIP.