Tag: 2016

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to his oral contribution of 10 March 2016, Official Report, column 444, whether he expects primary and secondary legislation to be subject to the family test and the results published.

    Chris Grayling

    A Family Test was introduced by the Government in 2014 – it aims to bring a family perspective into policy making. It will ensure that impacts on family relationships and functioning, both positive and negative, are recognised in the process of policy development and help inform the policy decisions, and any subsequent legislation, made by Ministers.

    The Test is not a ‘tick box’ or ‘pass v fail’ exercise, it is about thinking carefully how new policy can support or potentially undermine family relationships. Policy is always about trade-offs but the Family Test ensures family considerations are explicitly considered and recognised when making those trade-offs.

    While the guidance encourages publication, there is no requirement to do so.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-05-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues on ensuring that correspondence issued by Jobcentre Plus complies with the provisions of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 on information relating to notification of the time and place of an interview.

    Priti Patel

    Guidance makes clear that when requiring participation in an interview the relevant notification is issued to the claimant, which contains details of the date, time and place of the appointment.

  • Lord Chidgey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Chidgey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they plan to take in the design of an international migration policy, based on respect for human rights, when they no longer chair the Khartoum Process.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is continuing its Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process, and remains committed in its support for human rights. Our focus remains on the implementation of the actions agreed at last year’s EU-Africa Valletta Summit on migration.

    We are working with EU and international partners to ensure that EU funding underlying the Khartoum Process is properly monitored and overseen, including compliance with the EU Treaties which includes respect for human rights.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on tackling human trafficking.

    Alok Sharma

    ​Modern slavery is a crime which crosses borders and requires a co-ordinated international response. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), has regular discussions with his European counterparts on human trafficking. The UK plays a leading role in the EU Threat group on Trafficking in Human Beings (EMPACT), which brings together law enforcement experts from most EU Member States and is supported by Europol, Eurojust, the European Commission, Interpol, Frontex and CEPOL (EU Police College).The UK has also led work to secure a UN Sustainable Development Goal to end slavery and irregular migration – including trafficking – was a priority theme at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly this year. The UK led a resolution on Contemporary Forms of Slavery at the recent Human Rights Council, working with EU partners to provide a focus for practical measures and concerted international action. In these and other ways, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to support the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), in her efforts to co-ordinate global action on these issues.

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve access to food hygiene score information in England.

    Jane Ellison

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has responsibility for the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme. The FSA is currently collecting evidence on the impact of the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings at food outlets in Wales. The Government will consider this evidence carefully once it is available. In the meantime, the FSA will continue working with its local authority partners to encourage businesses to voluntarily display their ratings and to promote the scheme to consumers.

    Ratings are published on the FSA website (and via phone apps), and there is open access to the data.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to promote a global goal on adaptation to climate change.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Adaptation is a core component of the Paris Agreement, adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December last year. The Agreement includes a new long-term goal to strengthen adaptation and resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. This goal is aligned with the new Global Goals for sustainable development, particularly Goal 13 on climate action. Alongside this, the Paris Agreement includes commitments for each country to take action to adapt according to national circumstances, to share their adaptation planning and to cooperate to help those developing countries who need help to adapt to climate change.

    The UK has been and remains committed to leading calls to increase support for adaptation, and we aim to use 50 per cent of our International Climate Fund (ICF) to support adaptation in developing countries. The UK has already taken significant action to support vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change and cope with climate-related events. For example, we have increased our support for climate risk insurance initiatives, such as the Africa Risk Capacity Initiative and the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative. We are also funding actions that help build communities’ resilience, including through support for climate services and early warning systems which have an important role to play in helping poor and vulnerable communities be better prepared and more resilient to climate-related risks.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that access to Everolimus for children with tuberous sclerosis complex-related kidney tumours is included in the NHS England draft commissioning policy on that drug.

    George Freeman

    The commissioning of most health services for children is the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups. NHS England has the role of commissioning the specialised services which patients with tuberous sclerosis access. In addition clinical policies are developed for new treatments that potentially change the impact of the disease.

    NHS England has approved, as an in year service development, the routine commissioning of Everolimus for angiomyolipomas associated with tuberous sclerosis. The policy statement will be published in the next few days which will define the clinical criteria for which access is supported.

    A full clinical policy for the use of Everolimus for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma is currently out for public consultation. This policy proposition will be considered for investment in the annual prioritisation round in June 2016.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales about aligning her powers with those of the Children’s Commissioner for England.

    Alun Cairns

    Wales Office Ministers have not had any recent discussions with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales about aligning her powers with those of the Children’s Commissioner for England.

    The Children’s Commissioner for Wales fulfils an important role in our efforts to protect children and I would of course be happy to meet with her if she feels her role and remit could be strengthened in any way.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking, in Calais and throughout Europe, to enhance the processes for identifying children with rights to family reunion in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The UK and France are running regular joint communication campaigns in northern France which inform unaccompanied children and others of their right to claim asylum in France and of the family reunion process. The frequency of these campaigns has been increased in line with the Joint Declaration signed in August 2015. Since February 2016 more than 20 children have been transferred to the UK from France and there are many other cases in train.

    75 UK personnel will be deployed to Greece to support implementation of the EU-Turkey Migration Agreement. Supporting the operation of the Greek asylum system is a fundamental part of our approach to identifying individuals in need of protection at the earliest opportunity, including those who may be eli-gible for family reunification under the Dublin Regulation. We are also providing bilateral support to the Dublin Unit in Italy.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current level of violence against Hindus in Pakistan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain concerned by ongoing reports of the persecution of the Hindu community in Pakistan. These include incidents of abduction, forced conversion and the forced marriage of Hindu women to Muslim men. We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of religious minorities, including Hindus, with the Government of Pakistan. The former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), pressed Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all its citizens, including minority religious communities, during his visit to Islamabad in March. We continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including on freedom of religion or belief, and to uphold the rule of law.