Tag: 2016

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Syrian opposition to encourage their participation in the Geneva peace talks; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are in regular contact with the Syrian opposition. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Riad Hijab, Chair of the Syrian Higher Negotiations Commission (HNC) on 29 January, expressing his support for the HNC and highlighting the importance of their participation in negotiations. Our Special Envoy for Syria and his team are currently in Geneva alongside other international partners, supporting the opposition and engaging with the UN.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what political representations UK officials have made to the Afghan government with respect to the Afghan Minerals Law and amendments currently being considered by the Afghan government; and whether UK officials have provided technical assistance in the preparation of those amendments.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The British Embassy regularly consults the National Unity Government on improving the Minerals Law to encourage responsible investment into the extractives sector. The UK proposed revisions to the Minerals Law in a review commissioned by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and provided support for the incorporation of recommendations by transparency organisations and donor partners into amendments.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of UK relations with Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    As I saw for myself, and as demonstrated my Rt Hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Islamabad and Lahore last month, the UK and Pakistan are joined by strong bonds of friendship and partnership. Our bilateral relationship is underpinned by extensive trade, investment and cultural cooperation. The UK will continue to stand beside the Government of Pakistan as it builds a more secure, prosperous and democratic future for all its citizens.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2016 to Question 27490, if he will make it his policy to collect information on the time taken from application to making a payment for (a) jobseekers allowance and (b) employment and support allowance.

    Priti Patel

    Data is already held on the time taken from a claim being received to a decision being made, which the Department views as the more meaningful statistic due to the different rules on payment dates for different benefits.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to her Department was of the van-based advertising campaign advising illegal immigrants to go home, launched in Autumn 2013; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The cost for this campaign (Operation Vaken) has previously been published. I refer the hon member to Parliamentary Question 215728 which I answered on 3 December 2014.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelly Tolhurst on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects the follow-up report to Children in Military Custody, a report written by a delegation of British lawyers on the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law, published in June 2012, to be published.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The question of when a follow-up report will be published is a matter for the delegation of lawyers that will write it. Meanwhile, the UK Government continues to push for the full implementation of changes recommended in the 2012 report and will work with the Israeli authorities to identify ways to improve these practices.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to end reassessments for personal independence payments claimants with lifelong or degenerative conditions in line with his Department’s policy on employment and support allowance.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The length of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award is based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from 9 months to an on-going award with a light touch review at the ten year point. PIP already recognises that for the most severely disabled claimants, the award review process could seem unnecessarily intrusive. Existing PIP claimants with the most severe, lifetime disabilities, whose functional ability has remained the same, are more likely to have their evidence reviewed by a DWP Decision Maker and will not need to have another face-to-face assessment with a healthcare professional.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment Network Rail has made of the costs and benefits of replacing level crossings with bridges on its England network.

    Claire Perry

    This is an operational matter for Network Rail who have a policy of actively pursuing closure of level crossings at every opportunity.

    The company has already closed nearly 1,000 level crossings since 2009 but, since the circumstances at each level crossing are unique, there are no firm rules about closure. Risk assessments are instead undertaken at every site which informs the identification and implementation of further risk controls.

    The United Kingdom already has the best level crossing safety record in Europe but we are supporting Network Rail through a ring-fenced fund to ensure that risks can be reduced even further.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to accept the invitation from the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings to meet it to discuss how to ensure a fair corporate tax regime in the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    On behalf of the Chancellor and as Minister responsible for tax policy, I met with delegates of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings when they visited London on 18 June 2015, to explain the UK position that tax policy is a matter for national governments, and to provide information on the international and domestic action taken by this Government to counter tax evasion and avoidance.

    The Chancellor will consider any formal requests to meet the Committee in due course.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Office is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.

    Mr David Cameron

    At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

    The civil service is working full-time to support the Government’s position. A document setting out the principal alternatives to our membership of the EU will be published shortly.