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Tag: 2016

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32506, how many stages there are in the asylum claims process prior to screening and substantive interviews; and at what stage of that process family ties to refugees already granted asylum in the UK are considered.

    James Brokenshire

    Screening is the first stage in the asylum process after a claim has been lodged. Each claim is considered on its individual merits, usually following a substantive interview. Consideration of a claimant’s personal circumstances such as family ties to the UK will be made following the interview.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to Question 30727, what knowledge UK military personnel based in the command and control centre for Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen had on the alleged use of cluster munitions in that conflict.

    Michael Fallon

    The UK is aware that Saudi Arabia has used cluster munitions in the current conflict in Yemen, as the Saudis have themselves publicly confirmed.

    Based on all the information available to us we assess that no UK-supplied cluster weapons have been used, nor have UK-supplied aircraft been involved in the use of cluster weapons, in the current conflict in Yemen.

  • Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Meale on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons his Department included in the tender document to administer the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme 1974 a requirement that all posthumous claims to that scheme be accompanied by a grant of probate.

    Jesse Norman

    There was no separate tender document for the administration of the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme. The Department’s tender did not therefore have any bearings on the requirements under the Scheme.

    Before payments can be made under the CWPS, claims handlers must ensure that the person making the claim is entitled to do so. Provision of probate is sometimes necessary in posthumous claims to ensure that the correct person receives the compensation and also to ensure that the positions of both the estate and the taxpayer are adequately and proportionately protected against fraud.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any increase in Welsh Government funding will come through the existing Barnett formula following the UK vote to leave the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The UK Government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects in Wales, including agri-environment schemes, signed before we leave the EU. It will be for the Welsh Government to make an assessment of which projects should be pursued in areas of its competence, and this guarantee will apply to any such projects. The agricultural sector in Wales will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar 1 of CAP until the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020.

    As a result of these steps taken by the UK Government, individuals and organisations in receipt of EU funds now have a greater degree of certainty about funding over the coming years. The UK Government will work with the Welsh Government to consider future funding arrangements for once the UK has left the EU.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the Prison Service Gold Command opened in each month since May 2010; and what the nature was of each incident that caused it to be opened.

    Andrew Selous

    The safety of staff and prisoners is a priority. Gold Command is opened in order to deal with incidents as quickly and safely as possible. Not all incidents turn out to be serious, but all incidents are regarded as potentially serious at the point of Gold being opened up.

    Prisons are dealing with an increasingly violent population, and the effects of novel psychoactive substances. We take a zero tolerance approach to drugs in prisons, and have recently introduced tough new laws which will see those who smuggle packages over prison walls, including drugs, face up to two years in prison. There are already a range of robust measures in place to detect drugs, including the use of sniffer dogs, searches of cells, and mandatory drugs tests.

    Table 1: Gold Command Openings by Month and Incident Type May 2010 – December 2015

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    May-10

    2

    2

    Jun-10

    1

    1

    Jul-10

    3

    1

    2

    Aug-10

    1

    1

    Sep-10

    2

    2

    Oct-10

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-10

    8

    2

    5

    1

    Dec-10

    3

    1

    2

    Jan-11

    4

    4

    Feb-11

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Mar-11

    1

    1

    Apr-11

    4

    2

    1

    1

    May-11

    2

    2

    Jun-11

    0

    Jul-11

    0

    Aug-11

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    Sep-11

    1

    1

    Oct-11

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-11

    7

    4

    1

    1

    1

    Dec-11

    2

    2

    Jan-12

    5

    5

    Feb-12

    3

    2

    1

    Mar-12

    5

    2

    1

    1

    1

    Apr-12

    2

    2

    May-12

    6

    5

    1

    Jun-12

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Jul-12

    6

    4

    2

    Aug-12

    3

    2

    1

    Sep-12

    3

    1

    2

    Oct-12

    2

    2

    Nov-12

    6

    4

    2

    Dec-12

    2

    2

    Jan-13

    2

    1

    1

    Feb-13

    1

    1

    Mar-13

    7

    4

    1

    1

    1

    Apr-13

    6

    4

    1

    1

    May-13

    6

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Jun-13

    13

    9

    3

    1

    Jul-13

    4

    4

    Aug-13

    4

    3

    1

    Sep-13

    12

    7

    1

    4

    Oct-13

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-13

    6

    3

    2

    1

    Dec-13

    6

    5

    1

    Jan-14

    10

    8

    2

    Feb-14

    4

    3

    1

    Mar-14

    5

    3

    2

    Apr-14

    6

    5

    1

    May-14

    0

    Jun-14

    8

    7

    1

    Jul-14

    12

    7

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Aug-14

    5

    3

    2

    Sep-14

    5

    3

    1

    1

    Oct-14

    5

    4

    1

    Nov-14

    10

    6

    4

    Dec-14

    8

    4

    3

    1

    Jan-15

    5

    4

    1

    Feb-15

    2

    2

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    Mar-15

    13

    9

    2

    2

    Apr-15

    5

    3

    1

    1

    May-15

    6

    4

    2

    Jun-15

    9

    5

    2

    1

    1

    Jul-15

    14

    7

    2

    5

    Aug-15

    3

    1

    2

    Sep-15

    9

    6

    2

    1

    Oct-15

    6

    3

    2

    1

    Nov-15

    5

    2

    3

    Dec-15

    5

    2

    1

    2

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure (a) pregnant women and (b) other people intending to visit South America and the Caribbean are aware of the risks posed by Zika virus.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) have been carefully monitoring the Zika virus outbreak in the Americas since it was first reported in Brazil during May 2015. When the Brazilian Ministry of Health announced a potential link between maternal Zika virus infection and microcephaly in December 2015, PHE and NaTHNaC published updated advice for travellers to South and Central America and the Caribbean, including specific advice for pregnant women. This advice continues to be updated regularly as more information becomes available.

    PHE has been and continues to liaise with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Association of British Neurologists and the Association of British Travel Agents who have published updates on their respective websites. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also updated its country travel advice pages with information about Zika virus.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much (a) the Government and (b) each government department spent on (i) arrangements and (ii) hospitality for the Chinese state visit in October 2015.

    James Duddridge

    The full cost of inward State Visits is borne by a number of different Government Departments. We do not yet have the costs borne by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the 2015 State Visit by the President of China. These will be published on the gov.uk website once available.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of migrants expected to attempt to enter the EU from Syria and other conflict zones during the period May to September 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have not made an independent estimate. The Government uses the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration data and analysis on migrant and refugee flows. The objective of the EU-Turkey deal is to stop irregular migration from Turkey and focus support on the majority of migrants and refugees who remain in the region near their homes. This is where we target a significant amount of UK support. We have pledged more than £2.3 billion in response to the Syrian conflict.

  • 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 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the UK Ship Register’s obligations are in relation to seafarers’ (a) employment and (b) collective bargaining agreements; and whether he plans to make changes to those obligations as a result of the recommendations of the (i) Maritime Growth Study and (ii) UK Ship Register Advisory Panel.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Seafarers’ employment conditions and collective bargaining agreements are a matter for agreement between management and workers/employers and seafarers.

    The UK Ship Register’s obligation is to enforce UK regulations ((Maritime Labour Convention) (Minimum Requirements for Seafarers etc) 2014). These regulations implement the international requirements relating to living and working conditions on board (the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006).

    No changes to that obligation were recommended by the Maritime Growth Study or UK Ship Register Advisory Panel.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many officials of her Department are (a) involved in organising and (b) expected to attend the National Schools Commissioner Roadshow during June and July 2016.

    Nick Gibb

    The cost of the nine National Schools Commissioner Roadshows during June and July 2016 will be met from within Schools Commissioner’s Group (SCG) allocated programme budget. The programme budget is to cover the costs related to events and other communications activities. For the 2016/17 financial year, this budget is £425k.

    It is expected that approximately 1,500 system leaders will attend the nine National Schools Commissioner Roadshows taking place in June and July 2016.

    There was no specific allocation made for travel and subsistence costs for officials related to the National Schools Commissioner Roadshows during June and July 2016. These costs will be met from within SCG allocated administrative budget.

    An official in each of the RSC offices has been involved in organising the nine National Schools Commissioners roadshows, supported by a lead in SCG. We expect approximately five officials to attend each roadshow, plus the National Schools Commissioner and the relevant Regional School Commissioner (RSC).

    There has been no budget allocated to advertising the National Schools Commissioner Roadshows.