Tag: 2016

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what 10 Downing Street’s wellness strategy is.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Cabinet Office takes the well-being of its employees seriously and provides a range of support, including the recent launch of the Cabinet Office Listening Service, resourced by staff who have been trained in active listening and emotional support. The service can provide upfront support to Cabinet Office staff dealing directly or indirectly with specific issues in their personal or working life or to help them to cope with mental health issues of any kind including depression, anxiety or stress. Listeners can also signpost individuals onto other relevant services such as the external Employee Assistant Programme which offers counselling, impartial advice and access to online health and wellness related resources.

    The department has established an employee led WorkWell community to further develop and implement a strategy for wellness. Progress to date includes establishing resilience training for senior leaders and their teams, signing up to the Time to Change pledge on mental health, providing access to coaching and training in skills to improve wellbeing such as mindfulness. WorkWell are also seeking to increase awareness of opportunities to improve physical wellbeing at work including provision of on-site health checks.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department received from the European Social Fund (a) between 2007 and 2014 and (b) from 2014 to the last month for which data is available.

    James Wharton

    None.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 15 April 2016 on assessments for personal independence payments.

    Justin Tomlinson

    I replied to the hon. Member on 21 April 2016.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much UK aid has been given to Pakistan over the last five years; and how much of that has been used to promote human rights, the rule of law and the protection of minorities.

    Baroness Verma

    Since financial year 2011-12, the UK has provided more than £1.2 billion of official development assistance to Pakistan. A commitment by Pakistan to respect human rights is one of the four principles set out in the Partnership Principles Assessment which provides the basis for regular bilateral assistance talks between the UK and Pakistan.

    The UK Government raises human rights issues and the rights of minorities on a regular basis at the highest levels in Pakistan and we ensure our development assistance targets poor women and men, regardless of race, religion, social background, or nationality. Through DFID’s Peacebuilding Support Programme (PSP) we are supporting the provincial Government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to improve security and access to justice for 250,000 citizens and the new Rule of Law programme will strengthen security and justice institutions across the country. The Aawaz voice and accountability programme works in 45 districts with over 3 million poor people including minority communities to promote their rights and DFID’s education programme has enabled 4.6 million more girls to attend primary and secondary school, to stay longer and learn more.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has to develop a trade deal with Jamaica.

    Greg Hands

    Until we have left the EU, the UK will remain a member of the EU with all of the rights and obligations that membership entails.

    In due course, Britain will be leaving the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate, in time, our own trade agreements, including with developing countries, and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade. The Prime Minister has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully with a broad range of stakeholders, including both governments and business over the coming weeks and months as we prepare for the negotiation with the EU and other international partners.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Attorney General and (c) the Secretary of State for Defence on the implications for Government policies of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled unmanned Aerial Vehicles issued on 5 October 2016.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The Foreign Secretary has had no direct discussions with the Prime Minister, or Defence Secretary on this US-led initiative. It is longstanding government policy not to comment on consultations with the Attorney General. Both the Foreign Secretary, and the Rt Hon Earl Howe (as Defence Minister with responsibility for this area) agreed that the Joint Declaration by 45 nations on the export and subsequent use of armed or strike-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles was consistent with, a reiteration of, existing UK Government policy.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the progress made in recent talks between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We are pleased that the governments of India and Pakistan agreed on 9th December 2015 to resume formal dialogue on a range of issues. We hope that a meeting between their Foreign Secretaries to work out the procedure for this dialogue can be arranged as planned and will be successful.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers submitted Delay/Repay claims to Southern Railway in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15.

    Claire Perry

    The Department does not hold the information requested. However, we will continue to push operators to ensure passengers are aware of compensation arrangements and claim where entitled to do so under the Delay/Repay scheme as set out on the Southern’s website: https://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/customer-services/delay-repay/delay-repay-form.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with London Underground (LU) on the effect on passenger safety of reducing staffing on LU.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Transport for London (TfL) where many issues are discussed, including TfL’s plans to change the way Underground stations are operated and staffed, and to improve the service they provide to customers. I am assured that the changes introduced by TfL will not have a detrimental impact on passenger safety.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 1.89 of the Budget 2016, whether nursery schools are included in the plans to convert all schools to academies; how she expects the changes announced in the Budget 2016 to affect nursery schools; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The expectation that all schools should become academies by 2020, set out in the 2016 Budget, did not include the early years. The government has already announced an ambitious plan to transform early years provision so that working families can receive 30 hours free childcare.

    The consultation on the National Funding Formula for schools sets out the government’s plans for replacing the arbitrary and unfair system for allocating primary and secondary school funding with a fairer system. Later this year, we will consult on proposals for a fairer funding system for all of the early years.