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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 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help secure a lasting peace settlement in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Our goal remains a negotiated political settlement which delivers stability for all Syrians and a government with which we can work to tackle terrorists. The UK Government is clear that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict. Through our membership of the United Nations Security Council and as part of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) we are supporting the UN Special Envoy for Syria in facilitating peace negotiations between the Syrian parties on a process for political transition in Syria. These UN-led negotiations remain the best opportunity to end the conflict through political transition away from Asad to an inclusive government. We are also working to create the conditions for this by pushing hard for full and sustained humanitarian access in Syria, and working through the ISSG Task Forces in Geneva to maintain the Cessation of Hostilities.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many negotiators his Department has recruited.

    Mr David Jones

    Britain has been at the forefront of the free trade-supporting countries in the EU for the last 40 years. The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and is growing fast. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of the forthcoming negotiation.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on whether there has been an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in respect of the case of Sergeant Blackman.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Department was notified by Sergeant Blackman’s legal team that an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission was submitted in late 2015. The Department will continue to co-operate fully with Sergeant Blackman’s lawyers and will respond expeditiously to any enquiries the Commission may raise with it. This has included the release of the classified documents referred to during the Westminster Hall debate on 16 September 2015.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the long-term financial sustainability of councils with low council tax bases.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    In reaching the funding decisions announced at the recent Spending Review, the Government had regard to a wide range of issues that might impact on local government over the spending period. The analysis took into account a range of financial and economic factors as well as changes in demand.

    When allocating funding through the local government finance settlement, the Government has taken into account the resources available to local authorities including the ability of authorities to raise funding locally through Council Tax.

    The Government has made it clear that redistribution of funding between local authorities will continue under the 100% business rates retention system, to be brought in by 2020. The redistribution system will take into account differing Council Tax bases. The Government will hold a Fair Funding Review to consider the appropriate funding needs of different types of areas.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24285, how many times (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs were deployed against targets in (i) Iraq and (ii) Syria since 24 January 2016.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The table below shows the number and type of missiles fired from RAF aircraft in Iraq and Syria between 24 January 2016 and 9 March 2016.

    Munitions

    Iraq

    Syria

    Brimstone

    14

    14

    Hellfire

    7

    8

    Paveway IV

    166

    21
  • Lord Cashman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Cashman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Cashman on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support better co-ordination of financial and political support amongst governments and multilateral organisations in the advancement of the human rights of LGBTI persons at the Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference in Uruguay from 13 to 15 July.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As I set out to the House on the 21 March, and in my answers of 5 April, and the noble Baroness Verma’s answer of 31 March, the British Government will send a delegation to the Global Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and/or Intersex (LGBTI) Human Rights Conference taking place in Montevideo in July.

    The Government is clear in its belief that human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people everywhere. We are opposed to all forms of discrimination and work to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBTI people in all circumstances. We support the key objectives of the conference: to provide an important opportunity to share information, best practice and lessons learned with partners and to discuss how to better coordinate international efforts to support the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTI people worldwide. We are committed to working with those countries that will be represented at the conference, and others, to better coordinate work to combat discrimination and violence against LGBTI people. This forms an important part of our wider international human rights work.

    Precise composition of the UK delegation to the conference remains to be confirmed. With the exception of the co-hosts, the Governments of the Netherlands and Uruguay, we judge it likely that countries will be represented at official level.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will set the emissions target recommended by the Independent Committee on Climate Change in the Fifth Carbon Budget.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This Government remains firmly committed to meeting our climate change target of an at least 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The fifth carbon budget, which covers the period 2028-2032, is an important step on the way to 2050.

    Discussions on this budget are continuing and we will make an announcement as soon as those discussions conclude.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to restrict the quantities of drugs which can be bought from online pharmacies.

    George Freeman

    There are no plans for additional controls on the quantities of drugs which can be bought from online pharmacies. In the United Kingdom, there are strict legal controls on the retail sale, supply and advertisement of medicinal products. These legal controls apply equally to medicines sold or supplied via the internet or e-mail transactions. Under medicines legislation, it is unlawful for medicinal products for human use to be marketed, manufactured, imported from a third country, distributed and sold or supplied in the UK except in accordance with the appropriate licences or exemptions. Prescription only and pharmacy medicines may only be legally sold or supplied by or under the supervision of a pharmacist on registered pharmacy premises. In addition, prescription only medicines may only be dispensed against a prescription written by a doctor, dentist or independent prescriber. There are also controls on quantities of certain pharmacy medicines that can be sold or supplied and that applies if the medicine is sold in a pharmacy or online.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to putting in place immediate arrangements for members of the armed forces to be trained in train driving, operating and management.

    Earl Howe

    Defence has no current plans in place to provide training in train driving, operating or management.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to (a) include understanding of the signs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in teacher training and (b) encourage earlier identification, assessment and positive intervention in relation to that disorder.

    Edward Timpson

    All initial teacher training (ITT) programmes must ensurethat trainees can meet the Teachers’ Standards[1] at the appropriate level.This requires trainees to have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEN). The standards also require teachers to be able to adapt their teaching to the needs of all pupils, and to have an understanding of the factors that can inhibit learning and how to overcome such barriers. No trainee can be recommended for qualified teacher status (QTS) until they have satisfied the standards in full.

    Schools are responsible for determining how best their staff can meet the needs of children with SEN and disabilities within their approaches to school improvement, professional development, and performance.

    Following Sir Andrew Carter’s review of the quality of ITT last year, the Government commissioned an independent working group to develop a framework of core ITT content. The group is made up of expert representatives from the sector, including SEN specialists. This will support those who deliver ITT, as well as applicants and trainees, to have a better understanding of the essential elements of good ITT core content, based on the existing Teachers’ Standards. We have also asked the behaviour expert Tom Bennett to develop core content for ITT on effective behaviour management. Both groups are expected to report to Ministers in spring 2016.

    The 0-25 years Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice, which came into force in September 2014, and was updated in May 2015, emphasises the importance of schools identifying the underlying causes of behaviour issues, whether or not these require special educational provision. The Code details principles which support a set of aims, including the early identification of children and young people’s needs and early intervention to support them. Schools can determine when to assess; this decision is based on knowledge of their pupils, working closely with other agencies, and working with pupils’ families.

    The importance of early assessment is also emphasised in other statutory guidance, including guidance on exclusion, with headteachers being expected to consider the use of multi-agency assessment for pupils who demonstrate persistent disruptive behaviour.

    [1] Published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards

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