Tag: 2016

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will estimate the level of structural funding that the EU Commission will allocate to (a) Wales and (b) the Valleys in the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework.

    Alun Cairns

    I refer my hon Friend to the letter signed by the then Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable MP, on ‘European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund: UK allocations 2014-2020’.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/307492/bis-14-772-uk-allocations-eu-structural-funds-2014-2020-letter.pdf

    The post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework has not been proposed.

    “

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on the potential introduction of a ban on electrical socket safety covers or inserts.

    Margot James

    The Department has received representations from FatallyFlawed.org.uk putting forward their view that socket covers should be banned as they believe them to be unnecessary and dangerous due to the safety shutter system installed as standard in UK electrical sockets.

    Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, all products placed on the UK market must be safe and any products that do not comply can already be removed from sale by Trading Standards. There are no reports of injuries or death as a result of the use of socket covers.

  • Suella Fernandes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Suella Fernandes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Suella Fernandes on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve financial literacy among (a) young people and (b) people in receipt of benefits.

    Simon Kirby

    We are committed to improving financial literacy among young people and people in receipt of benefits. Financial education was put onto the national curriculum in England in 2014. Through Universal Support, the Department for Work and Pension is working with partners to help people claiming Universal Credit to manage their finances. The government is also bringing pensions and money guidance together in one place, creating a single public financial guidance body to enable consumers to access the help they need on financial matters more easily.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many asylum applications have been made in each of the last five years by applicants who entered the UK on a student visa; what were the nationalities of each applicant; how many of those applications were refused, and how many unsuccessful applicants were subsequently removed.

    Lord Bates

    Over the last five years there have been 15,470 cases of individuals who have entered on a student visa and subsequently also went on to claim asylum. Details by year and nationality are below.

    Unfortunately the way corresponding data is held on asylum outcome means that to obtain the numbers of cases that were granted, refused and removed could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

    Visa Nationality

    Asylum Year

    Grand Total

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    Afghanistan

    10

    26

    63

    73

    69

    241

    Albania

    2

    6

    3

    5

    16

    Algeria

    7

    4

    2

    4

    17

    Angola

    2

    2

    Armenia

    1

    1

    2

    Azerbaijan

    4

    1

    1

    6

    Bahrain

    6

    5

    1

    12

    Bangladesh

    12

    31

    167

    318

    264

    792

    Belarus

    1

    1

    2

    Benin

    1

    1

    Bolivia

    1

    1

    Botswana

    1

    2

    1

    2

    6

    Bulgaria

    1

    1

    Burkina Faso

    1

    1

    Burma (Myanmar)

    166

    98

    42

    14

    13

    333

    Burundi

    2

    1

    3

    Cameroon

    4

    3

    9

    33

    52

    101

    Central African Republic

    1

    1

    China

    16

    25

    95

    162

    160

    458

    Colombia

    2

    3

    3

    2

    1

    11

    Congo

    3

    2

    1

    6

    Democratic Republic of Congo

    5

    7

    5

    17

    Egypt

    1

    8

    12

    15

    15

    51

    Equatorial Guinea

    1

    1

    Eritrea

    6

    2

    3

    2

    3

    16

    Ethiopia

    9

    5

    6

    11

    8

    39

    Gambia

    11

    9

    38

    39

    32

    129

    Georgia

    2

    5

    7

    Ghana

    3

    3

    2

    8

    Guinea

    3

    1

    2

    5

    6

    17

    HONG KONG

    1

    1

    India

    10

    26

    244

    320

    294

    894

    Iran

    106

    244

    464

    307

    148

    1269

    Iraq

    6

    3

    15

    17

    54

    95

    Israel

    1

    1

    2

    Ivory Coast

    1

    2

    5

    1

    2

    11

    Jamaica

    1

    2

    2

    5

    Japan

    1

    1

    2

    Jordan

    2

    4

    4

    5

    3

    18

    Kenya

    6

    5

    10

    12

    12

    45

    Kuwait

    1

    1

    2

    Kyrgyzstan

    5

    3

    3

    2

    13

    Lebanon

    1

    2

    6

    5

    14

    Liberia

    1

    1

    2

    Libya

    7

    114

    73

    57

    86

    337

    Malawi

    2

    4

    10

    15

    9

    40

    Malaysia

    1

    2

    3

    6

    Maldives

    1

    1

    Mali

    1

    2

    1

    1

    1

    6

    Mauritius

    1

    2

    3

    4

    10

    MEXICO

    2

    2

    Mongolia

    1

    2

    3

    2

    8

    Morocco

    3

    6

    6

    3

    18

    Nepal

    4

    3

    33

    37

    25

    102

    Nigeria

    6

    12

    94

    142

    136

    390

    Oman

    1

    2

    3

    Pakistan

    52

    385

    1313

    1471

    1265

    4486

    Palestinian Authority

    18

    24

    30

    25

    30

    127

    Philippines

    1

    8

    12

    11

    32

    Russian Federation

    2

    1

    4

    3

    10

    Rwanda

    9

    7

    3

    5

    5

    29

    Saudi Arabia

    4

    3

    6

    13

    Senegal

    4

    7

    4

    3

    18

    Sierra Leone

    1

    4

    9

    2

    16

    SINGAPORE

    1

    1

    Somalia

    1

    1

    3

    5

    South Africa

    1

    1

    2

    4

    SOUTH KOREA

    1

    2

    3

    SOUTH SUDAN

    1

    1

    Sri Lanka

    230

    744

    1137

    1171

    715

    3997

    St Lucia

    1

    1

    St Vincent & the Grenadines

    1

    1

    Sudan

    6

    11

    23

    11

    9

    60

    Syria

    8

    24

    256

    251

    134

    673

    Tanzania

    10

    8

    15

    17

    11

    61

    Thailand

    1

    1

    Tunisia

    2

    1

    3

    Turkey

    6

    8

    10

    5

    3

    32

    Turkmenistan

    1

    1

    1

    3

    3

    9

    Uganda

    7

    11

    42

    33

    41

    134

    Ukraine

    9

    9

    Uzbekistan

    1

    4

    5

    Venezuela

    3

    3

    Vietnam

    1

    1

    5

    9

    17

    33

    Yemen

    2

    5

    3

    5

    15

    Yugoslavia

    1

    1

    Zambia

    1

    4

    3

    4

    12

    Zimbabwe

    14

    11

    26

    15

    15

    81

    Grand Total

    781

    1901

    4350

    4695

    3743

    15470

    Note: The figures quoted have been derived from internal management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

    “

  • Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hepburn on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of construction prosecutions has resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The percentage of construction (Standard Industrial Classification, section F) prosecutions completed in the relevant year and resulting in a conviction in each of the last five years, is as follows:

    Year

    Cases for which legal proceedings have been instituted

    Convictions

    Percentage resulting in conviction

    2010/11

    218

    201

    92%

    2011/12

    241

    220

    91%

    2012/13

    220

    209

    95%

    2013/14r

    225

    209

    93%

    2014/15p

    258

    243

    94%

    p – provisional

    r – revised
  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which universities have (a) introduced and (b) committed to introduce degree apprenticeships since September 2015; how many such degree apprenticeships each such university has introduced since September 2015; and in which industries those degree apprenticeships have been in.

    Nick Boles

    We will not have final numbers until after the academic year in question, however Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data for August to October 2015 (reported to date and rounded to the nearest 10) show that two universities – Sheffield Hallam University and University of Northumbria at Newcastle – have reported Level 6 apprenticeship standards starts. Sheffield Hallam University has 10 Level 6 apprenticeship standards starts in the management and leadership discipline, and University of Northumbria at Newcastle has 20 Level 6 apprenticeship standard starts in the digital industry.

    A further 19 universities have committed to the introduction of higher and degree apprenticeships since September 2015.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will discuss with the European Aviation Safety Agency agreeing a minimum numbers of hours for airline pilots between each flight for EU and non-EU carriers entering EU airspace.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Under the Convention on International Civil Aviation the responsibility for establishing minimum rest periods for airline pilots rests with the state in which an airline is based. The EU cannot therefore impose requirements for rest periods on non EU airlines. Minimum rest periods for the crew of EU airlines are already established by Commission Regulation 83/2014.

  • Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-04-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have used the figure of £50,000 in debates in the House on the pay to stay” high income thresholds (HL Deb 14 March

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The figure of £50,000 has been used to illustrate that there are over 40,000 social rented households with incomes well above average. Households with an income of over £50,000 are in the top 20 per cent of households across all tenures. Social housing should be prioritised to those genuinely in need. There will be households on lower incomes who are more in need of social housing for rent.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-06-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for follow-up health and welfare checks of newborn female babies whose mothers have been victims of female genital mutilation.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is illegal, extremely harmful and it is child abuse. Girls born to mothers who have had FGM are offered the same range of newborn and infant health checks as offered to all families.

    In addition to the routine newborn and infant health checks offered to all families as part of the Healthy Child Programme, professionals have safeguarding responsibilities meaning that if they have any concerns about FGM they should take appropriate safeguarding actions, including sharing this with key professionals within the child’s life as part of local safeguarding procedures. In addition, any concerns about potential risk of FGM must be recorded within the child’s Red Book.

    A multi-agency approach is essential to protect girls from harm and as such, midwives, health visitors, general practitioners and school nurses amongst others are all responsible for the health and welfare of all children they see, irrespective of whether the mother has had FGM or not.

    The document Female Genital Mutilation Risk and Safeguarding Guidance for professionals (Department of Health, May 2016) provides information for health professionals on the specific issues frequently encountered when dealing with FGM. A copy of this document is attached.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-09-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of large banking institutions charging negative interest rates on the small business sector.

    Simon Kirby

    The interest rates banks charge on their products is a commercial decision for them. The Government is aware that RBS and NatWest have written to businesses stating that a negative base rate may lead them to introduce negative interest rates, but they have not actually done so as yet. The base rate is set by the Bank of England’s independent Monetary Policy Committee, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer welcomed the decision of the Committee to use monetary policy to support the economy through this period of adjustment. As recent figures on jobs and growth have shown, we enter this period of adjustment from a position of economic strength.