Tag: 2016

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in (a) Haiti, (b) Jamaica, (c) Cuba and (d) the Bahamas as a result of hurricane Matthew.

    Rory Stewart

    In Haiti, the Department is working with the United Nations, international partners and the Government of Haiti to assess the level of humanitarian need. The Government of Haiti and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimate 2.1 million people in Haiti have been affected by Hurricane Matthew. We are now beginning to see the full scale of the devastation wrought by the worst storm to hit this region in almost a decade.

    In Jamaica, no significant humanitarian need has been identified. In respect of Cuba, the Department is working closely with the International Federation of the Red Cross to ascertain their understanding of needs and potential response plans. We are also working with the British Red Cross to deepen our understanding of the humanitarian situation in the Bahamas.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Burundian counterparts on its government (a) halting violence involving its security forces, (b) engaging in dialogue with opponents and (c) accepting the presence of 5,000 African Union peacekeepers within its borders; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    The UK is playing a lead role in building a single, consistent international response to the crisis in Burundi. In mid-December, I visited Burundi and urged the Burundian Government in the strongest terms to take steps to end the violence that has gripped the country. I stressed that only an inclusive dialogue would foster the conditions for the people of Burundi to be able to live their lives in safety and security. On 5 January I wrote to the Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation, Alain Nyamitwe, urging him to do everything in his power to ensure that his government attends, without preconditions, the next round of the Inter Burundi Dialogue in Arusha. At the African Union Summit this week I will urge the Burundian Government to accept the deployment of troops being offered by the African Union to protect civilians, re-establish security and create the conditions on the ground for reconciliation to take place. I also regularly raise the issue of Burundi with Foreign Ministers and Envoys in the region, to encourage a regional response to the crisis.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the numbers of medical and diagnostic staff working (1) Monday to Friday, and (2) Saturdays and Sundays.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department has not made an assessment of the number of medical and diagnostic staff working Monday to Friday; and Saturdays and Sundays. Information on numbers of staff by day of the week is held by individual trusts.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Nokes on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of Overseas Development Assistance funding the Government plans will be spent by (a) her Department and (b) other government departments in the current Parliament; and what measures are in place to monitor how that funding is spent.

    Justine Greening

    Between 2015/16 and 2019/20, DFID will spend 72% of UK ODA, other departments and funds 22%, and the remaining 6% will be non-departmental spend such as debt relief and gift aid. Departments are responsible for ensuring their ODA budget offers high value for money. DFID will provide advice and support where requested.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value of exports from the West Midlands to other EU countries was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Data on the value of exports of goods from the West Midlands to EU countries are available from the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ Regional Trade Statistics database.

    Data on the value of exports of services from the West Midlands to EU countries are not available.

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking (1) to reduce air pollution from shipping in and around UK ports, and the use of local electrical power by ships moored in those ports, and (2) to promote the use of clean fuel by ships as they approach UK ports, as is the practice in other countries including the US and China

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Through the National Policy Statement for Ports, the Government has encouraged ports and shipping companies to examine the opportunities available for shore-side electricity connection, particularly in areas identified as having poor air quality.

    The Government has implemented the international requirements which control emissions from ships. These require that ships in an emission control area (the North Sea, including the Channel) must either use fuel with a sulphur content which does not exceed 0.1% or use an equally effective alternative compliance method.

    Moreover, ships that are berthed for at least two hours are not allowed to use fuel with a sulphur content which exceeds 0.1%.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of how the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969 applies to EU citizens currently living in the UK.

    Mr David Jones

    Article 70 of the Vienna Convention applies to States only. It does not create rights for individuals. Nevertheless, we would expect to deal with the rights of UK citizens living in other EU member states and the rights of EU nationals already living in the UK as part of the UK’s exit negotiations.

    At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people. The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of EU nationals already living here, and the only circumstances in which that wouldn’t be possible is if British citizens’ rights in other EU member states were not protected in return.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to ensure that every government and organisation which her Department funds meets global transparency standards.

    Rory Stewart

    We require our centrally funded civil society and private sector suppliers to publish details of how they spend UK funding in line with international transparency standards. The department has also reviewed the extent to which multilateral partners are meeting or going beyond these standards, to promote transparency globally and in the countries where they work. DFID supported adoption of new international commitments relating to transparency and anti-corruption, including commitments in the “Grand Bargain” for humanitarian action, and under Cabinet Office leadership, the Open Government Partnership. DFID has increased, and continues to increase, country programming on tax and other areas supporting fiscal transparency.

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions officials from her Department have had with the City of London Police on the performance of Action Fraud in the last 12 months.

    Mr John Hayes

    The City of London Police (CoLP) is subject to ongoing scrutiny, in terms of both performance and financial management of the Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau capabilities; this is an explicit condition of the funding arrangements. CoLP is also subject to a Ministerially approved improvement plan, which is overseen by officials, who meet CoLP on a regular basis to monitor progress and to ensure delivery.

    We have seen significant improvement in performance; official figures show reports of fraud have trebled since Action Fraud was rolled out nationally, addressing the concern that fraud was an underreported crime type. The number of crime packages disseminated to local forces to consider investigation has also increased significantly, raising from around 40,000 in 13/14 to 75,000 in 14/15.

  • Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have  considered tackling in-built obsolescence in relation to internet search engines, equivalent to legislation in France under decree 1482, and if not, why not.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Decree 1482 concerns obsolescence in appliances rather than computer software. The Government is not specifically considering obsolescence in computer software but has protected consumers in a different way. Since October 2015 consumers have had new rights under the Consumer Rights Act in relation to digital content including software. Software must be of satisfactory quality which includes remaining functional for the period a consumer can reasonably expect.

    Decree 1482 does not cover internet search engines and the concept of in-built obsolescence in relation to internet search engines is unclear so the Government has no plans to address this issue.