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Tag: 2016

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has he made of the ability of the Palestinian Authority to ensure that the human rights of all citizens are respected.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Palestinian Authority (PA) has made important progress on state-building, including the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Our Consul General in Jerusalem regularly engages with the PA and emphasises the importance of respecting human rights, particularly in regard to law and security. We encourage the PA to reflect their human rights obligations in domestic law and ensure they are fully adhered to. We are, however, concerned about the inability of the PA to access certain areas of the OPTs where Palestinians are subject to human rights violations, including through settler violence and the death penalty.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to commence its review of driving offences; when he plans that the public consultation on that review will take place; and what timetable he has set for the completion of that review.

    Andrew Selous

    Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones, which is why tough sentences are available to the courts. It is our intention to consult on sentencing proposals, including driving, before the end of this year.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, Melanie Johnson, on 11 May 2004 (HC Deb, col 315W), by Lord Darzi of Denham on 21 April 2008 (WA 235) and by Lord Prior of Brampton on 27 January (HL5039), whether it remains the case that lay summaries of research proposals submitted to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) are placed on its website with an invitation to the public to submit comments; if so, when the last licence applications and lay summaries were placed on its website; where and when the title of the licence application to use CRISPR-Cas9 and the lay summary submitted by the applicant were published on the HFEA website; and why the section of the HFEA website that describes human embryo research awaiting approval (http://www.hfea.gov.uk/167.html) has continued to state that there are currently no research projects awaiting approval”.”

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that lay summaries of research proposals submitted to the Authority are no longer placed on its website prior to consideration by a HFEA Licence Committee. Lay summaries are, however, available on the website in the inspection report for each research project, linked to a list of all licensed research projects.

    The noble Lord is correct that the HFEA website still mistakenly refers to past practice. We are advised that this will be rectified shortly.

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their side events will be at the Commission on the Status of Women meeting in March.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government will use the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment remain at the top of the global political agenda. We will negotiate with other UN Member States to agree a set of ambitious, action-oriented and forward-looking recommendations for governments around the world to accelerate progress on gender equality and ensure accountability.

    At the first session after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, we will press for a meaningful follow-up process that places gender equality at the heart of the new agenda while ensuring that the CSW remains the prime global forum on gender equality and the laboratory of ideas that it is today.

    Furthermore, we will enhance the UK’s reputation as a world leader in this area by promoting relevant national policies but also by exchanging ideas with other UN Member States. In line with the session’s themes this year, we will be focusing on women’s empowerment and on violence against women and girls in high level discussions, events and bilateral meetings.

    In addition, the Government will host and support a number of events to raise the profile of certain issues which still prevent us from achieving equality, such as inequality in the workplace, discrimination in all its forms and violence against women and girls.

    Lastly, but very importantly, we are working with civil society to ensure their participation remains an integral part of the CSW programme and their concerns are heard at the national and global levels.

    Sixty years after the first session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the UK Government will send a strong signal that gender equality must be at the heart of economic and social development of all countries. We will have a ministerial team of four, led by the Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, and including the Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development. Parliamentary Under Secretary for Women, Equalities and Family Justice Caroline Dinenage MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, Baroness Verma, in her capacity as Ministerial Champion for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Overseas, will also attend.

    The UK Government currently has two confirmed side events at this year’s Commission on the Status of Women. The first one will focus on getting more women and girls into science and technology and the second one will be on the gender pay gap.

    We will also be taking part in other events where major issues such as women’s economic empowerment and violence against women are discussed.

  • MiDavies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    MiDavies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure the adequacy of provision of screens for use as a special protection measure for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.

    Mike Penning

    There are many provisions already in place to help victims and witnesses give evidence in court.

    Children are automatically eligible to receive special measures – such as giving evidence from behind a screen or pre-recording their evidence or giving it via video link – and these are available to other vulnerable victims and witnesses at a court’s discretion.

    We continue to work with criminal justice partners (particularly the police and the CPS) to further increase awareness and ensure the consistent use of special measures for vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 April (HL7482), whether views have been expressed by non-executive members of any Service Boards to the Permanent Secretary about rebalancing funds between the fighting environments.

    Earl Howe

    Non-executive members of Service Boards are able to offer their views on defence matters to the Permanent Secretary. We do not comment on the detail of internal discussions.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32352, whether the memorandum of understanding between the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been agreed.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    I can confirm that the memorandum of understanding between the Department for Transport, the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been signed and is operational.

  • Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many additional employees he plans to hire from outside the Civil Service; what roles such employees will perform; over what timescale such employees will be employed; and what the cost to the public purse will be of such employment.

    Mr David Jones

    The department has already started drawing together expertise from a wide range of civil service departments where there is specific relevant knowledge. Plans for recruiting from outside of the Civil Service are being considered and detailed work is underway to establish the Department’s future budget requirements, including for external recruitment.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on the Healthier Together programme in Greater Manchester since that programme was introduced.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Costs associated with the Healthier Together Programme are a matter for the local National Health Service.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive was notified of any cases of non-compliance with explosives labelling regulations at the Atomic Weapons Establishment during 2015 on which action was subsequently taken to address this situation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    No notifications of non-compliance with explosives labelling regulations were received from AWE during 2015, and therefore no regulatory action was required.