Tag: 2016

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the recent change in the value of the pound on the purchasing power of British steel companies.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    My Department regularly reviews the impact of changing economic conditions on business including in specific sectors such as steel. We also talk regularly to companies to understand their view on market conditions including in formal meetings such as sector councils.

    Steel companies are impacted differently by exchange rates depending on the balance of raw materials they import from outside the UK and the location of their export markets.

  • 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 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Turcs and Caicos Islands on improving LGBT rights.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area. In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General where LGBT equality was extensively discussed. The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council. We expect all OT Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have signed revised claimant commitments as part of the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots.

    Priti Patel

    National roll-out of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial commenced in December 2015 and is likely to be completed in summer 2016. We are unable to provide the information requested at this early stage.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what happens to gifts that ministers receive in their official capacity; where they are kept; and how they are eventually disposed of.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Gifts may be accepted in line with the provisions of the Ministerial Code

    Retention and disposal arrangements are a matter for individual Departments. Departments may dispose of gifts after a suitable period of time has elapsed.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to ratify the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The UK has not ratified and will now, with the entry into force criteria so close to being met, accede to the Convention once it enters into force.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much compensation was paid from the public purse to Chagossians who were deported to the Seychelles.

    James Duddridge

    Due to ongoing legal action against the Government, I regret that I am unable to respond to the question at this stage. As soon as matters are concluded, I shall write to the Hon. Gentleman with an answer to his question.

  • Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they are providing to the government of Ethiopia in dealing with the displacement of people as a result of the recent flash flooding in southern Ethiopia.

    Baroness Verma

    Extensive spring rains have come at a time when Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years, which has already left 18 million people in urgent need of relief. Britain is scaling up its response to help the Government of Ethiopia provide lifesaving support to thousands of families in urgent need after severe flooding.

    Emergency humanitarian supplies – including 34,000 shelter kits, 60,000 blankets, 30,000 kitchen sets, clean water devices and other equipment – have begun arriving in Ethiopia to help 150,000 people in immediate need cope with the aftermath of intense flooding.

    The UK is already the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor in Ethiopia, and this new support, at around £3.5 million, brings our total funding to the current humanitarian response in Ethiopia to £145 million.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish his Department’s guidance on private secretary allowances.

    Ben Gummer

    There are currently 39 members of staff who are in receipt of a private secretary allowance. Staff at Band B2 or above who currently work in the Private Office of a Director General, Permanent Secretary or Minister are entitled to receive the Private Office allowance. There is no further guidance on the allowance. The authorisation process is robustly enforced within the department, with accountability resting with the Head of Private Office Group.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens held in Israel’s airport detention facilities have been provided with consular assistance by the UK embassy in Tel Aviv in the last 12 months.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​Since January 2016, 25 British nationals who have been detained at Ben-Gurion Airport have requested consular assistance from the UK Embassy.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have taken part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) in each of the last five years; how many people he estimates will take part in the NCS in the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    Whilst the most recent figures for 2015 have not yet been confirmed, the table below shows numbers of National Citizen Service participants since the programme began in 2011.

    Year

    Number of NCS Participants

    2011

    8,434

    2012

    26,003

    2013

    39,566

    2014

    57,789

    2015

    To be published in 2016

    We have ambitious targets for the next three years, on a trajectory to deliver 300,000 participants per year in 2019. We are committed to extending the benefits of NCS to as many young people and communities as possible, by providing a place for every young person who wants one.