The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the changes to personal injury law and procedure announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Autumn Statement with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.
Dominic Raab
The Government will be consulting on the detail of the proposals in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his visit to the Mersey Gateway on 23 April 2015, what progress has been made on ensuring support will be provided to small businesses in Runcorn and Widnes when that bridge opens in 2017 related to the cost of tolls crossing the Mersey Gateway.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Residents of Halton will already be able to use the bridges for free following previous Government decisions to fund an extension to the original, limited, resident’s discount scheme proposed by Halton Borough Council. Heavy goods vehicles and coaches will pay the same wherever they are geographically based which will ensure a level playing field for businesses across the North West.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department’s risk register assesses risks to (a) the provision of health services and (b) changes in the level of the cost of providing health services which result from immigration from (i) other EEA member states and (ii) countries from outside the EEA; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
The Department’s risk management process is used to assess risk across the full range of the Department’s business including the provision of health services and the costs of providing those services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Europe of 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 136WH, when his Department last made representations to Saudi Arabia to encourage abolition of the death penalty in that country; and at what level those representations were made.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. We regularly raise human rights issues, including in relation to the death penalty with the Saudi Arabian authorities. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) visited Saudi Arabia on 29 May as part of a regional tour of Gulf Cooperation Council countries and raised our human rights concerns, including the death penalty.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the government of Israel on that government’s resettlement programme and the demolition of Susiya and Umm al-Hiran.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The village of Susiya is located in the Occupied Palestinian Territories whilst the village of Umm al-Hiran is located within Israel.
Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has repeatedly raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities, including our specific concerns about Susiya, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction. On 18 August, officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, along with an official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv, visited Susiya again to highlight our serious concern and demonstrate our continuing support for the village. We most recently raised Susiya with Defence Minister Lieberman on 24 August.
The UK has been encouraging the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to find a satisfactory solution to Umm al-Hiran, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens in a way which avoids forcible relocations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2016 to Question 46746, if he will make an assessment of the extent to which patient treatment is falling short of NICE best practice guidelines for financial reasons.
Nicola Blackwood
There are no plans for such an assessment to be made.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines are often broad in scope and make a large number of recommendations spanning the whole pathway of care diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Because of their complexity and different local priorities they are not mandatory although, as best practice, we expect National Health Service organisations to take them fully into account, drawing upon clinical judgement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Benyon on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to support the development of small-scale on-site renewable solutions in the agri-food sector, based on residues from food factories and farm slurries and crop residues.
George Eustice
Small scale on-site renewables are supported through the Feed-in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive schemes. Defra and Department of Energy and Climate Change officials are currently working together on a review of the support for renewable energy schemes through both Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive. This includes the support for anaerobic digestion of residues, wastes and slurries. Consultations on the schemes will be published in the coming months.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which were the top 10 countries of origin of asylum seekers accommodated in (a) Wales and (b) the UK in each of the last six years.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office publishes regional data on asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 Support (dispersed accommodation and subsistence only) by nationality in Table as_17q (Asylum data tables Volume 4) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. The top ten nationalities of asylum seekers supported in Wales and the UK as a whole, in each of the last six years, are given in the attached tables.
A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics July – September 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the OECD on changing the definition of Official Development Assistance.
Justine Greening
The UK has been at the forefront of work to reform the ODA system which was originally established over 40 years ago.
As a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the UK engaged fully at official and ministerial level in the process to bring about an agreement for a definition change.
The changes were agreed at a High Level Meeting (18-19 February 2016) of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which concluded a 4-year process to update the rules on ODA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Ministry of Defence live ammunition ranges have safety wardens present on site.
Mr Julian Brazier
The following Ministry of Defence ranges have permanent dedicated wardens on site:
|
Otterburn Training Area |
Northumberland. |
|
Warcop Training Area |
Cumbria. |
|
Barry Buddon Training Centre |
Angus, Fort George, Inverness, Hythe, Kent, Lydd, Kent. |
|
Castlemartin Training Area |
Pembrokeshire, Swynnerton, North Staffordshire, Lulworth, Dorset, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, Tain, Ross-Shire, Pembrey Sands, Carmarthenshire. |
|
Kirkcudbright Training Centre |
Kirkcudbrightshire. |
The remainder of UK ranges are overseen by personnel who are responsible collectively for ensuring the ranges in a region are safe and fit for purpose. Irrespective of the presence of permanent wardens, each unit using a range is overseen by a qualified and experienced Range Conducting Officer, who ensures the safe operation for that exercise once the range has been handed over.