Tag: 2016

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.92 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Cm 9161, what additional funding the Government intends to provide for investment in the Special Forces; and when that funding will be provided.

    Michael Fallon

    As the Prime Minister announced on 16 November 2015, there will be a £2 billion programme of new investment in the Special Forces over this Parliament.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, if any, discussions they have had regarding breast ironing; and with whom.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.

    The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.

    The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools became converter academies in each year between 2010 and 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    The numbers of currently open converter academies that opened in the years 2010 – 2015 can be found in the table below. This information is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-academies-and-academy-projects-in-development. The figures are correct as at 1 April 2016.

    Year of opening

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Number of currently open converter academies

    94

    1045

    818

    602

    492

    465

    “

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many heart valve replacements have been undertaken in the last five years for which figures are available; and whether those figures are comparable to France and Germany.

    Jane Ellison

    The number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a main or secondary procedure for a heart valve replacement in England from 2010/11 to 2014/15 is shown in the table below:

    Year

    FCEs

    2010-11

    10,543

    2011-12

    11,360

    2012-13

    11,434

    2013-14

    12,137

    2014-15

    12,833

    The Government does not hold comparable data for heart valve replacement in France and Germany.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-07-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many requests for taking a trivial commutation of an occupational pension have been (a) granted and (b) refused due to the pension value exceeding £30,000.

    Jane Ellison

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to her by my Hon. Friend the then Economic Secretary on the 13th June (Written Question 39027)

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many applicants his Department has received for trade negotiator positions; how many such applicants have been invited for interview; to how many such applicants job offers have been made; and how many such applicants have started work in his Department.

    Greg Hands

    The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team which has more than doubled in size since 23 June. Over the coming months we will be developing that team to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers.

  • David Rutley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Rutley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Rutley on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the situation in Syria.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    I have discussed Syria with Foreign Minister Lavrov at meetings of the International Syria Support Group, most recently on 18 December in New York. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed Syria with President Putin at the G20 Summit in Antalya, and in a telephone conversation on 9 December following Parliament’s vote to support military action against Daesh in Syria.

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral Answer of 12 January 2016, Official Report, column 697, on how many occasions the Government has used personnel who are present as a quick check when a report has been received of a potential breach of international humanitarian law in Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We have a very small number of staff working in Saudi headquarters in a liaison capacity only to provide insight into Saudi operations. These liaison officers are not involved in the targeting process – whether it be the selection, decision making or directing. They remain under UK command and control.

    The role of the liaison officers is to maintain an information flow with the Saudi authorities. When concerns are raised by non-governmental organisations, or in the media, liaison officers pass all available information back to the UK. This will help inform our assessment of compliance with international humanitarian law which is taken in Whitehall.

  • Edward Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Edward Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Leigh on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s consultation on out-of-school education settings, launched on 26 November 2015, whether proposals to register out-of-school settings will require Ofsted inspectors to travel to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to inspect tuition, training or instruction given outside of England by English-based institutions.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government wants children to be educated in a safe environment where they are not taught hateful and extremist views that undermine British values.

    The proposal to regulate out-of-school education settings, as set out in the recently published call for evidence, applies to settings located and operating in England only. It is not proposed that Ofsted inspect settings operating in the devolved administrations.

    Officials in the Department have been in contact with their counterparts in Wales and Scotland to discuss the proposal, but oversight of out-of-school education settings operating in those countries is a matter for the devolved administrations.

  • Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to meet with the representative bodies of employee share ownership schemes to discuss the recent decision to withdraw HM Revenue and Custom’s valuation check service.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Officials from HM Revenue and Customs have already met representative bodies of employee ownership schemes. HMRC will be working with those groups to develop further public guidance and discuss any other proposals their members might raise.