Tag: 2016

  • David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure that the closure of coal-powered stations does not lead to electricity shortages.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We knew some old coal powered stations would likely be closing and we have already taken steps to ensure security of supply for the coming winters. National Grid has procured 3.6GW of reserve capacity for this coming winter. Looking further ahead, the Capacity Market is designed to drive new investment to help keep the lights on, as well as getting the best out of our existing power stations and we have recently consulted on proposals to introduce the Capacity Market a year early, from 2017/18. A response to the consultation will be published shortly

  • Bob Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bob Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Stewart on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will support the provision of specialist treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for seriously injured Peshmerga from the Kurdistan region in Iraq.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We would consider whether to support any individual case for such treatment on its merits. The limited treatment provided in the UK to foreign nationals in the past has only been offered in very exceptional circumstances.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of refugees the UK will accept in each of the next five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The migration crisis has seen a significant increase in the number of people claiming asylum across Europe, including in the UK. In the year ending June 2016, the Home Office granted protection to 11,700 people at initial decision, excluding appeals decisions. Whilst we cannot predict the number of future asylum claims made spontaneously, our approach will continue to be to intervene at every point in the migrant journey to address push factors, tackle organised crime, and provide humanitarian aid to the regions most affected.

    At the same time, we are committed to resettling vulnerable refugees who cannot effectively be supported in their region of origin via one of our four schemes. Under the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement scheme, the UK will resettle 20,000 individuals by the end of this Parliament. We have already resettled 2,646 since the scheme was expanded in October 2015. In addition, we will resettle up to 3,000 individuals by the end of this Parliament under the new Vulnerable Children Resettlement Scheme from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with several hundred arriving in the first year. Children will be resettled with their family or carers where appropriate. Under the Gateway resettlement scheme, we aim to resettle around 750 refugees per year who are in protracted situations where there is little prospect of being able to return home. The Mandate resettlement scheme is open to refugees who have a close family member in the UK who is willing to sponsor them. No overall quota is set for the Mandate scheme.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals for secondary legislation to revise the list of medical conditions covered by the industrial injuries disablement benefit.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Any suggestion to add diseases to the prescribed list is first considered by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The Secretary of State then considers this advice, taking into account potential impacts and any other relevant considerations.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 January 2016 to Question 15523, when he last reviewed alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK keeps adherence to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) under constant review. The Ministry of Defence monitors alleged IHL violations, using available information, which in turn informs our overall assessment of IHL compliance in Yemen. We consider a range of information from government sources, foreign governments, the media and international non-governmental organisations. The UK government has regularly raised with the Saudi Government the need to comply with IHL in Yemen and we continue to engage with them on this. I raised the issue of compliance with IHL during my October visit to Saudi Arabia. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with IHL. It is important that open and transparent investigations are conducted into all incidents where it is alleged that IHL has been breached. We welcome the public announcement by Saudi Arabia to establish a fact finding committee into the alleged airstrike on MSF mobile clinic in Taiz on 2 December.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many domestic violence refuge places there were in (a) London and (b) each London borough on (i) 1 January 2010 and (ii) 1 January 2016.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Data on the number of domestic violence refuge places is not held centrally. It is for local areas to assess their needs for domestic abuse services and to make decisions on the provision of safe accommodation, including refuges and support for victims of domestic abuse.

  • Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Neill on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Disclosure and Barring Service Statistics, published on 28 January 2016, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Metropolitan Police disclosure unit against the Disclosure and Barring Service service standards.

    Karen Bradley

    The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to help MPS meet its Service Level Agreement targets. The performance of police disclosure units is an operational issue for individual police forces and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

    The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has established a Gold Group, on which DBS is represented, to oversee the recovery plan in place to reduce the time taken for applicants awaiting a response to Disclosure and Barring checks. I have made clear to the MPS that its current delays must be addressed as a matter of priority and I continue to maintain close oversight of the progress being made.

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to assess the basing and maintenance options for (a) the Type 26 frigate and (b) the new general purpose frigate.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As part of its normal forward planning, the Royal Navy routinely reviews its requirements for future waterfront infrastructure, including berths, docks and related facilities, to inform decisions regarding infrastructure investment, base porting and maintenance.

    The next review is planned to be conducted later this year and will take account of decisions in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, particularly the announcement of a class of eight Type 26 Global Combat Ships and the proposed new class of General Purpose Frigate.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to encourage US-based IT companies to make customer use data available to UK intelligence services to help tackle international terrorism.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government works with IT companies around the world to ensure that we have the information required to tackle threats to the UK.

    UK law grants warrants issued in pursuit of such data extra-territorial jurisdiction. The Government is also in the process of negotiating a bilateral agreement with the US which will aid the ability of US companies to respond to UK warrants.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on GP services of increasing medical indemnity costs for GPs.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department and NHS England committed in the recently published General Practice Forward View to review the current arrangements for indemnity cover for general practitioners. To take this review forward, a General Practice Indemnity Steering Group has been established by the Department with NHS England to look at the rising cost of indemnity, and to bring forward proposals for discussion by the end of July 2016.