Tag: 2016

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the methodology used by his Department to calculate the distribution of the Transitional Grant announced in the local government finance settlement 2016-17.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Secretary of State has published an explanatory note setting out the method of calculation of the Transition Grant. It is available to view at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510870/Explanatory_note_on_the_allocation_of_the_Transition_Grant.pdf

  • Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Cox on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the Beja people in Eastern Sudan, in particular to prevent kidnapping and people trafficking.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is supporting the people of Eastern Sudan, including the Beja people, in a number of ways. The Department for International Development (DfID) spends £30million in Eastern Sudan to help improve vulnerable communities’ food security and nutrition, provide sustainable water supplies and improve sanitation. DfID also provides core funding to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees which supports host and refugee communities across Sudan to improve livelihoods and reduce the risk of human trafficking. The UK is also taking a lead role in the Khartoum Process, which prioritises tackling smuggling and trafficking across the Horn of Africa, including Sudan.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-06-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Turkey about the reported use of tear gas and rubber bullets at a LGBT pride march in Istanbul.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not discussed these specific cases with the Government of Turkey. We regularly underline the importance of all fundamental freedoms as part of our broader dialogue with the Turkish government, including the freedom of assembly and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex persons. We did not fly the rainbow flag over our Embassy in Ankara over the weekend commencing 24 June. British Missions overseas fly the Diplomatic, Union or Consular flag throughout the year, the flags of the constituent countries of the UK on their respective national days and in certain countries the European flag. Missions do not fly any other flags.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of terminating and re-tendering the Carillion Amey housing contract.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence has put in place a strategy to provide an alternative solution should CarillionAmey fail to sustain performance. The Department continues to assess CarillionAmey’s performance to determine whether the implementation of this strategy is necessary.

    I will be meeting senior CarillionAmey staff in September to hold them to account for their performance.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on the UK’s obligations as agreed in the August 2015 joint ministerial declarations, Managing migratory flows in Calais, of the French government’s decision to close the Calais camp for refugees and migrants.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Although the decision to clear the camp in Calais is a matter for the French Government, the UK and France remain committed to working together to protect our shared border in Calais and address the humanitarian challenges in the camps.

    Both governments are clear that those in northern France in need of protection should claim asylum in France and those not in need should return to their home country.

    Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of children in the camps. The UK Government has made clear its commitment to transfer unaccompanied refugee children under the 2016 Immigration Act, where it is in their best interests, and to ensure those with close family in the UK are brought here using the Dublin Regulation.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the briefing by the National Audit Office, entitled Delivering major projects in government, published on 6 January 2016, what steps his Department is taking to (a) correct inconsistent reporting of costs referred to in that briefing and (b) ensure more accurate reporting of costs on major projects.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department has issued clear guidance on how projects should report financial data. This includes whether costs are reported as real or nominal and further information on how costs are calculated. The Department is working with the Infrastructure Project Authority (IPA) to ensure consistent portfolio reporting across Government.

  • Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish proposals to introduce a victims’ law.

    Mike Penning

    In the Queen’s Speech we made a commitment to bring forward measures to increase the rights of victims of crime. Further detail on our plans will be published in due course.

  • Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage the putting in place of a system of verification for violations during the Cessation of Hostilities in Syria; and when he expects such a system to be in place.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Cessation of Hostilities is an important step towards ending the terrible violence in Syria and bringing about a lasting political settlement.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met with the HNC Representative, Riyad Hijab in Paris on Friday 4th March to assess the current situation. Since the Cessation of Hostilities came into effect, we have seen a significant reduction in violence, which is of course a huge step forwards. But we need to see this sustained, and to see a reduction in the number of reported violations. To this end we are working with the UN and other members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), to urgently consolidate a robust verification mechanism to monitor alleged violations of the Cessation of Hostilities. The UK had a number of staff in Geneva last week working on this.

    This mechanism is already starting to work through assessments of violations and we will continue to refine the operation as we continue.

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

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what further investment he plans to provide for the hardened aircraft shelters used by the Quick Reaction Alert at the former RAF base at Leuchars.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence is planning to undertake £100,000 of safety compliance related work over the next 12 months, on top of the regular levels of service and maintenance for the hardened aircraft shelters.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend the deadline for claims for basic farm payments for 2016 until 31 May or later.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.