The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of locating the Security Industry Authority outside London; and what alternative locations have been considered for that authority.
Brandon Lewis
The Security Industry Authority is already considering options for a move from Holborn as part of its planning around estates.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-10-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to evaluate the use of €46 million earmarked for the Khartoum Process; what benchmarks and agreed criteria have been developed to guide the Process; and what procedures have been put in place to monitor, audit, and review the efficacy of the Process.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Khartoum Process does not have a defined single fund, but draws from several different sources of EU funding; including the Better Migration Management Fund and the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.
The UK, as the current Chair of the Khartoum Process, works closely with the Secretariat to maintain a map of current and proposed projects, and ensure effective coordination and monitoring. The European Commission has responsibility for assessing implementation against the Valetta benchmarks and outcomes, and conducting the full audit and review of the EU funding programmes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the current waiting time is for a PCV driving examination at Watnall test centre; what steps his Department is taking to reduce that waiting time; and when he expects that waiting time to be reduced.
Andrew Jones
The current waiting time for a vocational, LGV or PCV test at Watnall test centre is 11 weeks.
The Driver and Vehicle and Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce waiting times. It is recruiting for driving examiners across the UK and has specifically targeted high-wait areas. Watnall was targeted in a recent recruitment campaign DVSA launched. Once new examiners are in place in Watnall, DVSA is confident waiting times will reduce. In the meantime, DVSA is continuing to monitor waiting times closely, deploying examiners from low-wait centres and offering weekend testing wherever possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2016-02-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the finding of the report by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year An Unholy Mess that a significant number of religiously selective schools are breaking the School Admissions Code by taking into account the past behaviour, attendance, attitude, or achievement, of children.
Lord Nash
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.
We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census.
Edward Timpson
No estimate has been made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census. The Department is exploring if there are other ways of capturing details of pupils’ disability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.59 of the Summer Budget 2015, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of restricting finance cost relief for landlords on the ability of private individuals who operate buy-to-let businesses with large private buy-to-let companies.
Harriett Baldwin
An individual’s property income is subject to a separate set of tax rules to those of a private company.
Once the changes are fully in place by 2020-21, all individuals will get finance cost relief at the basic rate of income tax, 20%. Incorporated businesses will continue to receive relief at the corporate tax rate which is currently 20% and due to fall to 17% in 2020.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure British citizens employed on international marine vessels are not arrested for entering the territorial waters of a country with incorrect paperwork for arms held on the ship to combat pirates.
James Duddridge
It is the responsibility of employers and employees to ensure that they hold the correct paperwork for any arms held. The Department for Transport’s advice to UK flagged vessels employing Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) on board their ships is that the PMSC has, amongst other things: access to legal advice, given the imprecise position of armed guards under various national jurisdictions and international law; and an understanding of port State and coastal State laws and requirements with respect to the possession, carriage, and movement of firearms, ammunition and other security related equipment (such as body armour).
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills trade controls in the private armed sector apply to UK companies operating in the UK, and to UK nationals working for non UK companies. The use of the Open Government Trade Control License Maritime Anti-Piracy ensures that companies operating in the sector do so in adherence to industry standards and international law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) businesses and (b) local communities in Scotland of the decision to allow the closure of Post Office branches in Scotland and their replacement by franchises.
George Freeman
Post Office Limited runs and operates its directly managed Crown post offices. Changes to its network and proposals to franchise of some of its Crown branches are the operational responsibility of the Post Office. The Post Office’s proposals for franchising some of its Crown branches are part of its work to ensure its branch network is sustainable in the long term and ensure that Post Office services remain on our high streets across the country. The change from a Crown to a franchise branch has been undertaken successfully in many locations across the UK and helps sustain Post Office services in these locations, and each change is subject to local consultation.
Over 97% of the UK’s post office network is run on a franchise or agency basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Leader of the House, when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North, dated 8 August 2016, on the renewal and restoration of the Commons building; and what the reason is for no reply having yet been sent.
Mr David Lidington
I regret that the hon. Member’s letter of 8 August was never received. I have now received a copy of the letter and responded on 7 September.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of refugees from Syria who are Palestinian in origin.
Lord Bates
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) estimates that 110,000 Palestinian refugees have fled Syria since the onset of the conflict; 42,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are estimated to be in Lebanon and 17,000 in Jordan, with the remainder in Egypt, Turkey and Europe.