Tag: 2016

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the prospects for peace in predominately Kurdish areas of Turkey of the imprisonment and enforced suspension of moderate politicians in that region.

    Mr David Lidington

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. The Turkish Government has responded by striking PKK targets in Turkey and Northern Iraq. They have also launched large-scale security operations involving curfews in some towns and cities in order to clear them of suspected terrorists.

    We are aware of reports of civilian casualties in the region, and a worsening humanitarian situation in certain areas in south east Turkey. The Turkish Government have said that 48 civilians lost their lives in clashes between 23 July and 23 December 2015. They also said that 93,000 people have fled their homes. We also understand that there have been investigations launched against elected officials and politicians. Any such investigations should be undertaken transparently and fully respect the rule of law.

    We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights need to be fully protected. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can.

    We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process. I raised these issues with my Turkish counterpart the last time we met in August 2015.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Sea King HC4, (b) Wildcat, (c) Gazelle, (d) Apache, (e) Chinook HC2/3, (f) Puma HC2 and (g) Merlin Mk 3/3A helicopters are (i) in the Forward Available Fleet, (ii) in the Sustainment Fleet and (iii) classed as Short-Term Unserviceable.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Forward Fleet comprises aircraft which are serviceable and those which are short-term unserviceable.

    The Sustainment Fleet numbers represent those aircraft in our Depth Fleet, which comprises aircraft which are undergoing planned depth maintenance or upgrade programmes.

    Short-term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection work that can arise on a day-to-day basis. Figures shown are the average for December 2015, the most recent data available.

    Query

    Sea King HC4

    Wildcat BRH Mk1

    Wildcat HMA Mk2

    Gazelle

    Apache

    Chinook HC2/3 Note 1

    Puma HC2

    Merlin Mk 3/3A

    Forward Available Fleet

    7

    19

    14

    19

    32

    0

    13

    17

    Sustainment Fleet

    0

    8

    3

    7

    18

    0

    10

    8

    Short-Term Unserviceable

    2

    12

    7

    12

    13

    0

    4

    10

    Note 1:

    All Chinook HC2/2a aircraft have undergone modification with new cockpit avionics and are now HC4 variants. In December 2015 there were 26 HC4 aircraft in the forward fleet and 12 in sustainment.

    The (eight) Chinook HC3 were all removed from the forward fleet last year and are undergoing modification with new cockpit avionics and a new digital automatic flight control system. Once modified, these aircraft become Chinook HC5 variants.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on implementation of the recommendations of the Bonfield report on public procurement of food; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The Government is committed to providing food produced to British standards or their equivalent in all its canteens, restaurants and cafeterias by the end of this Parliament. Defra is working closely with other Departments and businesses to implement Dr Peter Bonfield’s Plan for Public Procurement of Food, including a balanced scorecard. The Ministry of Justice recently launched a tender for supplying food to prisons, worth £500m, which requires bids to use the balanced scorecard. Their current supplier has agreed that the 30 million portions of UHT milk served in prisons each year will be sourced from UK producers. All new Central Government food and catering contracts will use the balanced scorecard approach.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 1 April (HL7086), why the Office for National Statistics Pink Book cannot be used to establish the UK’s gross and net contributions to the EU; what Government sources provide a more accurate picture, and why.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Data published in the Office for National Statistics Pink Book represent only those transactions that are administered by official bodies, in accordance with the European System of Accounts 2010 for the purposes of producing statistics on the UK’s balance of payments. These do not include all receipts from the EU. Table 3B, page 16, of European Union Finances 2015 (CM 9167) provides complete outturn figures, including receipts administered by public sector bodies and those received directly by beneficiaries. The difference between these, and other figures, are explained further in Annex B of the Treasury analysis of the long-run economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the proportion of farmers who have received (a) a payment and (b) full payment from the Rural Payments Agency under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015.

    George Eustice

    The Rural Payments Agency estimates that as of 22 May 2016, 86375 (99%) claimants have received a payment on their 2015 BPS claim. Of these 79,633 have received a claim payment; 6561 bridging payments; and 181 a manual hardship payment. There are a number of claims where processing has been completed successfully but they have not resulted in a payment for reasons such as the claim being under minimum claim size, or the Agency awaiting information on probate cases.

    The Rural Payments Agency will continue to make full payments throughout the remainder of the payment window up to the end of June 2016.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the construction of High Speed 2 from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The negotiation for Britain’s future relationship with the European Union will begin under the new Prime Minister, and we now have to look at all the detailed arrangements. In the meantime, the Department will continue to work to deliver the Government agenda, including HS2.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the most recent estimate of the population of Northern Ireland.

    Baroness Mobarik

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the report on the Mutuals in Health Pathfinder Programme.

    Ben Gummer

    In accordance with the Terms of Reference agreed at the start of the programme when he was Minister, the expert panel submitted the findings and recommendations of the Mutuals in Health Pathfinder Programme to the Government through an internal report.

    This is currently being considered by the Government.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from civil society organisations on the admissions criteria of faith schools; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    It is the role of the Schools Adjudicator, not the Secretary of State, to consider concerns about school admission arrangements. Where a person or body has concerns that a school’s admission arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code, they may refer an objection to the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator must consider whether the arrangements comply with the Code and the law relating to admissions.

    It has been possible for groups such as civil society organisations to refer objections since 2012. Since then, the Adjudicator has received objections from a range of groups or organisations about the admission arrangements of faith schools.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many organisations have withdrawn from the Responsibility Deal since May 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Two organisations have withdrawn from the Responsibility Deal since May 2015.

    Information about the Deal and the partners that have signed up to it can be found at:

    https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/

    “