Tag: 2016

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Angola on freedom of human rights activists and organisations in Angola.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK Government continue to have concerns over the freedom of human rights activists and organisations in Angola. We followed the case of the 15+2 closely. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) raised his concerns over the handling of the case and length of sentencing with the Minister of Justice and Human Rights during his visit to Luanda on 8 June. During the course of the trial, UK staff in Luanda discussed the promotion and development of human rights with the Angolan Minister of Justice and Human Rights; the Public Prosecutor; the Secretary of State for Human Rights; the Minister of Foreign Affairs; and the Minister for Presidential Affairs.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the UK’s position on fisheries in its negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

    George Eustice

    To date we have had no discussions with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the UK’s position on fisheries in relation to negotiations on leaving the EU. However, I spoke to Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Fisheries Minister, shortly after the referendum and explained that we would be holding discussions with all devolved administrations later in the year.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on who took the decision to request the use of a helicopter to winch passengers off the bus in Dailley, Ayrshire, during the floods of December 2015.

    Rory Stewart

    These decisions would have been taken by the Scottish Government, as flooding is a devolved matter.

  • Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Maynard on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason his Department decided not to renew funding of the extension of the Number 14 bus service to Peel Park.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The commitment at the time of the relocation of staff to Peel Park was to provide a bus service for three years. The cost of the current contract to provide the bus service is £216,955.50 per year and the actual usage of the service is low.

    Blackpool Transport have made it clear any new contract will be at an increased amount and a decision was made that it was not possible to justify public expenditure and subsidy on this scale.

    We are exploring alternatives which would offer better value for money, but no decision has yet been made.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Prime Minister, on 7 March in Brussels, described those fleeing across the Aegean Sea as illegally crossing, in the light of the fact that Turkey is not a party to the UN Convention on Refugees, which Greece and other EU member states are.

    Lord Bates

    Migrants travelling across the Aegean Sea may be referred to as illegally crossing if they have no permission (such as a visa) to enter Greece or another Member State. The same would apply if someone applied for asylum in the UK: if they have entered the UK illegally, then they would be treated as an illegal entrant, irrespective of whether they make a claim for asylum or not.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Higher Stamp Duty Land Tax rates announced in Budget 2016 will be levied on properties acquired by social landlords under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

    Mr David Gauke

    The higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for additional properties was introduced to try to make it fairer for people trying to get their foot on the property ladder. Under SDLT legislation, there are exemptions to the tax, including the higher rates, for certain acquisitions by registered social landlords.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether airlines are obliged to comply with the requirements of the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulations No. 1169/2011.

    George Eustice

    The Food Information for Consumers (FIC) Regulation (1169/2011) applies across the European Economic Area, including catering services that are provided by airlines when the departure takes place in a Member State. The requirements apply to packaged and unpackaged food served on airlines. In both cases information required by the regulations must be provided to the consumer, namely allergen information. Other food labelling rules may apply if departing from a non-EEA state.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when guidance on Part 1 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 was sent to (a) Chief Police Officers in England and Wales, (b) the National Crime Agency, (c) HM Inspectorate of Constabularies and the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

    Sarah Newton

    Guidance on Part 1 was sent to Chief Officers of Police, the NCA, HMIC and other partners on 9 July 2015 as part of a broader Home Office circular on the Modern Slavery Act. The circular was not copied to the Independent Chief Inspector of Border and Immigration but is easily accessible on GOV.UK. All Border Force officers undergo mandatory training on identifying victims of modern slavery and have access to relevant guidance.

  • John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will register the UK’s support for closing domestic ivory markets irrespective of the EU support of this position.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    At the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that took place from 24 September to 5 October, proposals on the closure of domestic ivory markets where they contribute to poaching or illegal trade were agreed by all Parties by consensus. The UK supported this outcome, negotiating on the basis of a common EU and Member State position.

    The agreement at CITES should form a strong basis for a global position on this important issue, which the UK will continue to support. It will not be revisited in the CITES context before the next Conference of Parties, which will take place in 2019. The UK will continue to comply with our EU treaty obligations, including our duty of sincere cooperation, until we formally leave the EU.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what government funding is available to pay farmers to allow parts of their land to flood to avoid flooding elsewhere.

    Rory Stewart

    If land is flooded as part of a deliberate and managed scheme to avoid flooding elsewhere the authority responsible would need to buy a right to flood or make a similar binding agreement with the landowner. The prices paid for that agreement would be subject to negotiation between the authority and the landowner and take into consideration such matters as any loss of value caused by flooding and debris in fields