Tag: 2016

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he will publish the results of the review of the local housing allowance rate for supported housing.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable.

    That is why we are continuing to work with the sector and other partners to develop a sustainable and workable future for supported housing and will announce next steps in due course.

    In the meantime we have put in place a one year exemption for supported housing from the Local Housing Allowance cap.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he or officials of his Department have had any recent discussions with their Iranian counterparts on the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The British Government opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. The Iranian Government has repeatedly denied that a mass execution took place, though we are aware that between July 1988 and January 1989 executions did take place. However, even with the recording and media reporting on the incident, we have no confirmation of the numbers involved. Although we have no plans to pursue this specific matter we will continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty.

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what feasibility studies or other assessments of basic income schemes have been carried out by HM Treasury officials since 1990; and if he will place copies of any such studies or assessments in the Library.

    Damian Hinds

    The government keeps all tax and welfare policies under review. HM Treasury does not at present have any plans to produce or publish any research on or assessment of basic income schemes.

  • Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the potential effect on levels of employment in convenience stores of proposals to devolve Sunday trading restrictions; and what the evidential basis for that estimate was.

    Anna Soubry

    My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours. This will be published shortly.

  • Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates of Wakefield prison have been granted legal aid to pursue civil action in each of the last five years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is not held centrally. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not identify or record in its databases whether civil legal aid applicants are prisoners as this does not affect eligibility for legal aid funding.

    Information on how much in legal aid was granted to prison inmates within the prison law category of criminal legal aid in each of the last five years is published by the Ministry of Justice as part of the Legal aid statistics at the following link on the gov.uk website.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015

    “

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

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on producing an implementation plan for England for the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases; and when he expects such a plan to be in place.

    George Freeman

    There are no plans to consult on the implementation plan for England on the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases. NHS England published a Statement of Intent to implement the UK Strategy in February 2014. Implementation of the Strategy is also included in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View.

    The UK Rare Disease Forum is responsible for monitoring progress on implementation of the Strategy across the United Kingdom. It published its first progress report on 29 February 2016. This recognises that significant progress has been made against majority of the 51 recommendations in the report. Further reports will be published in 2018 and 2020.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Australian model for payment disputes could help small UK suppliers.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    In establishing the UK Small Business Commissioner through the Enterprise Act 2016, the Government has taken inspiration from the Australian Small Business Commissioner (now the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman) and Small Business Commissioners at state level in Australia. These bodies provide advice and access to alternative dispute resolution to small businesses involved in a variety of disputes, which may include some payment disputes.

    The UK Small Business Commissioner will focus on payment disputes between small and larger businesses and encourage a change in how businesses deal with each other – a long lasting cultural change to promote fair treatment for all. He or she will act as a disincentive to unfavourable payment practices, and build the confidence and capabilities of small businesses to help them to assert themselves in contractual disputes and negotiate more effectively. The Commissioner will provide general information and advice, direct small businesses to existing dispute resolution services (eg, mediation services and ombudsmen) and handle complaints from small businesses about payment issues

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff were employed by Ofsted in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14, (d) 2014-15 and (e) 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    These are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House libraries.

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Eritrea on the increase in political asylum seekers from that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK participates in the EU/Africa Khartoum Process; the main regional mechanism for tackling human trafficking and people smuggling in the Horn of Africa most notably from Eritrea.

    We are using our increased engagement with Eritrea to push for the tangible improvements in Eritrea’s human rights record, including: amending its national service system; fully implementing its own constitution; and cooperating with international human rights bodies.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what dates the inter-Ministerial group on tourism has met; and who is a member of that group.

    David Evennett

    The inter-ministerial group on tourism meets quarterly. The first meeting was held on 16th September 2015 and Ministers will meet again in February. Membership is composed of the following Departments, and attendance is subject to the agenda for the meeting:

    • DCMS
    • BIS
    • Home Office
    • DCLG
    • DfT
    • HMT

    DEFRA.