Tag: 2016

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Liberia.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Liberia has made significant progress since the end of its civil war in 2003. However, Liberia’s second Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015, highlighted continuing concerns over gender-based violence and victims’ access to justice; the length of pre-trial detention; investigative capacity of the police and judiciary; and the death penalty. The government of Liberia accepted 147 of the 186 recommendations made. The UK Government regularly presses for concrete action in these areas through our Ambassador in Monrovia and in multilateral fora.

    The UK is concerned about inflammatory statements by the Liberian opposition in the run-up to the country’s elections in 2017. In March, our Ambassador urged the Government of Liberia to show restraint by ensuring that their responses to such statements are proportionate.

  • Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the cost of the planned closure of several area electoral offices in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Chief Electoral Officer is considering reform options for the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland, with the support of the Northern Ireland Office. He has already set out his plans to relocate staff from two Area Electoral Offices (Newtownards and Ballymena) when office leases end in October 2016. No other decisions on the future of Area Electoral Offices will be taken until later in the year when the CEO has been able to consider responses to public consultation on wider reform proposals.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has issued to NHS Property Services on charging clinical commissioning groups for void space in any NHS Property Services’ properties.

    George Freeman

    Since NHS Property Services (NHS PS) was set up in April 2013, the full cost of running the Company’s properties and the services it provides has been recovered from the tenants, or in the case of any space that is unoccupied, the relevant commissioner for the property, either the local clinical commissioning group (CCG ) or NHS England.

    Alongside the introduction of more rational charging arrangements in April 2016, NHS PS are implementing a new approach to charges levied for vacant space, moving the risk of vacant space from sitting solely with commissioners to being shared between commissioners and NHS PS. This is to align the incentives for resolving issues of vacant space with those best able to take action.

    Under this policy, agreed with the Department and NHS England, charges to commissioners for “realisable” vacant space will come in the form of a fixed “vacating” fee, and will be paid when the tenant leaves. Following the payment of the vacating charge, all costs will revert to NHS PS. This will incentivise the Company to dispose of the property or sublet a lease as quickly as possible in order to minimise any costs not covered by the fixed fee.

    To facilitate this policy it is essential that CCGs have a clear, shared understanding of vacant and realisable space between themselves and local NHS PS representatives.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions took place between (a) his Department and the British Council and (b) the UK High Commission in Dhaka and the British Council in Bangladesh before the decision was taken to close that Council’s centres in that country; and what timetable is in place for reopening those centres.

    Alok Sharma

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK High Commission in Dhaka have maintained close contact with the British Council before and since the closure, following the 1 July terrorist attack at Holey Bakery. The Council has completed its security review and is taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of its staff and buildings before reopening.

  • 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 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures his Department uses to assess the effectiveness of security at (a) airports and (b) ports of other countries offering connections to the UK.

    Mr John Hayes

    A) Airports

    Under international treaties administered by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), all contracting states are responsible for the implementation of aviation security regimes in their own airports, to be applied according to a number of standards and recommended practices set out by ICAO.

    However, implementation of these aviation security standards around the world does vary and can be less effective when compared to those in the UK. The Department for Transport therefore works closely with a wide range of overseas governments to first assess their implementation and then assist them where necessary, to build their capacity and strengthen their aviation security, governance and procedures. We also work closely with airlines to implement additional security measures, where judged appropriate.

    B) Ports

    Under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code it is the responsibility of the host state to implement effective security measures at their ports in accordance with the ISPS Code and based on that state’s assessment of the maritime security risks. The UK takes maritime security extremely seriously, and the Department has recently established an International Maritime Security Engagement programme to assess security standards at key foreign ports and to provide training in UK best practice to help raise standards.

  • 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 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applicants there were to the Advanced Biofuel Demonstration Competition; how many such applicants were successful; and what funding under what structure each successful applicant received.

    Andrew Jones

    There were 17 expressions of interest applications in phase 1 of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition, of which six projects were shortlisted and invited to submit a phase 2 application.

    Three winning projects were offered the following grants alongside significant private sector investment. Grant instalments will be paid subject to various conditions and the achievement of specified milestones:

    • Advanced Plasma Power Ltd (Go Green Fuels) [Swindon]: £11 million to upscale the production of advanced biofuels from household waste
    • Celtic Renewables Ltd [Edinburgh]: £11 million to expand the production of advanced biofuels from scotch whisky residues
    • Nova Pangaea Technologies Ltd [Teeside]: £3 million to develop the process of producing advanced biofuels from forestry biomass (plant matter).

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24122, what damage to cultural property in Yemen he remains most concerned about.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We remain concerned about any damage to cultural property in Yemen and are aware of reports of alleged damage by actors in the conflict. Yemen and many members of the Saudi-led coalition are parties to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict and to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. We have raised our concerns regarding protection of cultural property with both the government of Yemen and the Saudi Arabian government.

  • 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 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether Barnardo’s advocates are permitted to speak to children confidentially without G4S staff in attendance at Medway Secure Training Centre.

    Andrew Selous

    Yes. All young people have the opportunity to speak with a Barnardos advocate without a member of the Secure Training Centre staff being present. Both advocates and monitors can also speak to children confidentially without Secure Training Centre staff being present.

    Young people can also contact an advocate directly by calling their helpline number, which is free and available to all children to call in privacy from their rooms.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what scientific testing Spirit Healthcare’s Empower type 2 diabetes education programme underwent for the outcomes it produces.

    Jane Ellison

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

    David Mundell

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Members for North Ayrshire and Arran, Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Ochil and South Perthshire, Motherwell and Wishaw, Angus and East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.