Tag: 2016

Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the UN responds effectively to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic.

James Duddridge

These are terrible allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic. The UN and Member States must investigate these claims urgently and thoroughly and hold the perpetrators to account. The UK supports the efforts by the UN Secretary-General to eliminate all instances of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers.

The Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, has made tackling sexual abuse and exploitation in peacekeeping missions one of her top priorities. The UK supported UN Security Council resolution 2272 which endorses the UN Secretary General’s decision to repatriate troops when there is credible evidence of sexual exploitation and abuse, and for troop contributing countries to keep the UN Secretary General informed of the progress of investigations.

The UK Government will provide £1 million to support the UN’s work to improve the suitability of deployed peacekeepers, design a reporting system that communities will trust, and ensure a stronger UN response to proven allegations. The UK will be hosting an international conference on UN peacekeeping in the autumn which will push for further progress on UN peacekeeping reform.

01/01/2023
Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2016-05-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the renegotiated tax treaty between the UK and Malawi will improve opportunities for the government of Malawi to raise domestic revenue.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. The Government of Malawi have stated that they hope to be in a position to sign the new treaty in the near future.

The current negotiations are a matter for the two governments. The UK’s starting point in negotiations is based closely on the OECD Model Double Taxation Convention, which is also the basis for most other countries’ tax treaties. Some developing countries prefer to follow the UN Model, the provisions of which differ in some areas to the OECD Model. The UK does adopt these provisions in its treaties where agreement is reached.

This is a matter for the Government of Malawi. However, they have stated that there is no evidence that the current 1955 agreement has motivated British investors to deprive the Government of Malawi of its revenues.

The terms of tax treaties are for the negotiators of both countries to agree. Only when both governments are content with the terms of the treaty will the treaty be signed. It would be inappropriate for draft treaties to be published in advance of signature to the treaty.

In the UK tax treaties are published and subject to parliamentary scrutiny before they become law and enter into force. A form of approval is usually followed in the corresponding country, thus giving a further level of assurance that the terms are acceptable to both Governments.

01/01/2023
Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Bahrain on the re-arrest of Nabeel Rajab in that country.

Mr Philip Hammond

We are concerned about the recent re-arrest of Nabeel Rajab. The UK encourages Bahrain to respect the rights of all its citizens. We call on the Bahraini Government to act proportionately in all such cases to protect the universal rights of freedom of expression. I raised his case with my Bahraini counterpart, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa on 14 June 2016. We will continue to monitor his case as it develops.

01/01/2023

Kevin Foster – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Foster on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a comparative assessment of the earning distribution of hospital and community health service doctors to the earning distribution of workers in professional occupations.

Mr Philip Dunne

The best available comparison, for 2015, is shown in the table below. The Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) Doctors figures relate to the earnings of doctors employed by the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service in England, and are based on NHS Earnings Estimates published by NHS Digital. General practitioners are not included. The All Professional Occupations figures represent the earnings of all employees nationally in Professional Occupations, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

Percentile	All Professional Occupations	HCHS Doctors
10	£15,331	£45,000
20	£22,168	£52,500
30	£26,557	£61,500
40	£30,465	£73,500
Median	£34,076	£87,500
60	£37,467	£99,500
70	£41,675	£110,500
80	£47,506	£124,000
90	£59,320	£144,500

Sources: All Professional Occupations earnings statistics published by the Office for National Statistics, from its 2015 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

HCHS Doctors earnings figures based on statistics published by NHS Digital, from NHS Electronic Staff Record data, in NHS Staff Earnings Estimates to December 2015. The NHS Electronic Staff Record is the HR and Payroll system used by almost all National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in England.

Both sets of figures are the estimated total earnings in 2015 of employees who worked for the full year, regardless of their working hours (i.e. this includes both full-time and part-time workers).

The All Professional Occupations group covers occupations whose main tasks require a high level of knowledge and experience in the natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, social sciences, humanities and related fields. The main tasks consist of the practical application of an extensive body of theoretical knowledge, increasing the stock of knowledge by means of research and communicating such knowledge by teaching methods and other means.

Most occupations in this major group will require a degree or equivalent qualification, with some occupations requiring postgraduate qualifications and/or a formal period of experience-related training.

01/01/2023

Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are in place to ensure that illegal migrants to the UK are returned to their country of origin; and whether people deemed by her Department to be illegal migrants are only able to appeal that decision from their country of origin.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office continues to take action at every opportunity to prevent immigration abuse, pursue immigration offenders and increase compliance with immigration law including arresting and returning illegal migrants to their country of origin. The Immigration Act 2014 simplified the appeals system so that an appeal right only arises where a claim raising fundamental rights is refused, namely asylum, humanitarian protection and human rights claims. The Home Office has the power to require an appeal to be brought only once an individual has left the UK where the claim is clearly unfounded and where a person liable to deportation makes a human rights claim and it would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights to require them to appeal from overseas.

The Immigration Bill seeks to extend the power to require an appeal to be brought from overseas to all human rights claims where an appeal from overseas would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights. Similar provisions are set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 which apply to EEA nationals and their family members.

01/01/2023
Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress NHS England has made on improving cancer survival rates.

Jane Ellison

Cancer survival rates are at a record high and continue to improve. However, we know that we have to strive to be better. The Independent Cancer Taskforce’s report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes (July 2015), recommends improvements across the cancer pathway, and set a clear ambition for further improvement of survival rates.

NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the Taskforce’s recommendations and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director to lead on implementation, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience. A new cross-system Cancer Transformation Board has been established to oversee the implementation of the strategy, and this met for the first time on Monday 25 January. There will also be a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, to oversee and scrutinise the work of the Transformation Board.

01/01/2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that the six item cognitive impairment test is properly used to diagnose dementia.

Jane Ellison

The diagnosis of dementia is a clinical decision and one which needs to be made by suitably trained clinicians. The six item cognitive impairment test is one of a number of tools used to help and support clinicians when assessing individuals who are considered to have the early signs of dementia. Different tests and diagnosis tools are used by clinicians, dependent on the circumstances which are presented to them.

01/01/2023
Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of political prisoners in the Maldives.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Maldives Police Service reports that in the past two years there have been 140 cases brought against those arrested at political rallies for disobeying police orders, obstructing police duties or committing or encouraging acts defined by the Maldivian authorities as terrorism. The opposition claims the total number facing politically motivated charges is much higher.

However, the number of individuals who have been sentenced to prison on charges we assess to be politically motivated is significantly lower. These individuals include former President Mohamed Nasheed, Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla and former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim amongst others.

01/01/2023
Lord Trefgarne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Trefgarne on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Leader of the House whether she is satisfied with the existing Standing Orders relating to the consideration of primary legislation in its later stages, and if not, whether she will refer that matter to the Procedure Committee.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will write directly to my Rt Hon. Friend.

01/01/2023
Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which people and organisations his Department consulted (a) before and (b) after the announcement of 25 November 2015 to end NHS bursaries for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional students.

Ben Gummer

As with all policy development to inform decision making the Government received and considered a range of representations from a number of stakeholders before and after the announcement in the Spending Review, 25 November 2015.

These representations involved discussions with officials in the Department and from its arm’s length bodies, The Council of Deans of Health and Universities UK, Trade Unions, leading organisations including Royal Colleges, professional bodies and representatives from Universities.

01/01/2023