Tag: 2016

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the humanitarian consequences in the acute winter season, especially for children, of the destruction by the Israeli Civil Administration of Bedouin homes and communities in Area C near East Jerusalem, including that of Abu Nwar on 6 January; and what discussions they have had with the Israelis about whether such actions accentuate counter-productive security consequences.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    An official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised our concerns on this issue with the Israeli Office for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories on 13 January. Officials from our Consulate General in Jerusalem and the Department for International Development visited Abu Nwar on 19 January alongside EU colleagues. The UK is deeply concerned by Israeli proposals to relocate the Bedouin population from the E1 area, which the UN have said could constitute forcible transfer. These plans could have a devastating impact on the communities concerned and will likely open the way for further settlement expansion – endangering the viability of a two-state solution. Our position is clear: demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. We also make clear to Israel that forcible transfer would be a breach of international humanitarian law and would have serious ramifications on Israel’s international standing.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department plans to take in response to the recommendations in the report by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, entitled Thematic Review of the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Units, published in February 2016, (a) that a new protocol should be developed with each police force capturing early investigative advice and file quality and (b) in respect of training for lawyers and paralegal staff.

    Robert Buckland

    The way in which the Criminal Justice System investigates and prosecutes rape allegations is changing and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is taking a leading role. In September 2015 the CPS and Police set up a joint National Rape Steering Group, supported by a joint Delivery Board, to drive forward a co-ordinated programme of work. This programme includes the development of an optimum model for working (in rape and serious sexual offence cases) between the CPS and the Police which will address early investigative advice and file quality.

    It is a CPS priority that its staff have the tools and skills necessary to prosecute effectively. A detailed CPS/Police Joint National Rape Action Plan was published in June 2014 which identified a programme of training activity to deliver improvements in investigation and prosecution outcomes. This extensive programme, consisting of a range of face to face specialist training measures, is currently underway.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish the guidance provided to government Ministers by the Cabinet Secretary on the entitlement of such Ministers to make use of (a) special advisors, (b) departmental officials and (c) legal advisors to provide advice on the implications of (i) remaining in and (ii) leaving the EU.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to the letter of 23 February from the Cabinet Secretary, a copy of which can be found on the gov.uk website.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of transitional funding grants on adult social care provision in areas that (a) receive additional funding and (b) have not been allocated a transitional funding grant.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The 2015 Spending Review considered a wide range of factors that could impact on the costs local authorities face in delivering local services. It recognised the important priority and growing costs of adult social care and offered a package of measures worth up to £3.5 billion a year by 2019-20 to address these pressures. This includes a dedicated social care precept of up to 2% a year and £1.5 billion additional funding by 2019/20 through the improved Better Care Fund.

    The 2016/17 Local Government Finance Settlement included a new approach to allocating funding that ensures councils delivering the same set of services receive the same percentage change in settlement core funding for those services. The Transition Grant supports those local authorities that did not benefit from the new approach, helping them transition to a world where local resources instead of central government grant fund local services. An explanatory note on the method of allocation of the Transition Grant has been published and copies have been made available in the Library of both Houses.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36280, for what reasons work capability assessments have been cancelled.

    Priti Patel

    Work Capability Assessments can be cancelled for a wide variety of reasons linked to the need for matching the customer’s own requirements with the availability of all those parts necessary for an assessment to take place. Over half of all cancellations are customer instigated cancellations.

    Where the cancellations are instigated by DWP we will rearrange the appointment at a convenient time for the customer.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeal tribunal decisions in relation to re-assessments of entitlement of disability living allowance for children found in favour of the claimant in the last three years for which figures are available.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of offenders who have been taken to court for breaching their post sentence supervision were (i) fined, (ii) given a Supervision Default Order, (iii) committed to prison and (iv) had no action taken against them since the introduction of such supervision.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014, which introduced post sentence supervision for those serving short custodial sentences, applies to offences committed on or after 1 February 2015. Statistics on the number of offenders starting post sentence supervision and the number of offenders committed to custody for breach of post sentence supervision conditions is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/541247/probation-q1-2016.xlsx.

    “

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government has undertaken an environmental impact assessment of its policy to privatise the Green Investment Bank.

    Anna Soubry

    As set out in the answer to question 22471 on 18 January, the Government is moving UK Green Investment Bank plc (GIB) into private ownership so it can continue operating in the same way it does now only funded with private capital rather than relying on taxpayers’ support. The detailed background and supporting case for this move was set out in the policy statement we published on 18 November. Decisions on the proposed sale are being taken in accordance with best practice to ensure all available options are properly examined in a detailed business case and that a robust valuation process is followed. The process does not involve preparation of an environmental impact assessment as we do not envisage any direct environmental or regulatory impacts of a majority sale of GIB, or changes to pre-existing policy goals for GIB.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Prime Minister will increase the Government’s commitment beyond 20,000 on the number of Syrian refugees it plans to offer asylum to.

    Richard Harrington

    The UK has already committed to resettling 20,000 refugees from the region during this parliament through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme, and we have no plans to increase this at the present time.

    Resettlement is only one strand of our efforts in the region, and is complemented by the UK’s significant humanitarian aid programme, and our diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. We believe this approach is the best way to ensure that the UK’s help has the greatest impact for the majority of refugees who remain in the region and their host countries.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27211, whether the remit of permission granted to use the Sigonella air station extends to UK (a) Reaper launch and recovery operations and (b) combat missions.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We have had a long-standing presence at Naval Air Station Sigonella, and have made frequent use of it. However, it is not normal practice to comment on the details of arrangements with host nations.