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Tag: 2016

  • Lord Eames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Eames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Eames on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the removal of toxic waste left after conflict, in particular in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    Earl Howe

    The Ministry of Defence has a legal obligation to comply with UK and EU legislation on environmental protection. A policy statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) in August 2014, ‘Health, Safety and Environmental Protection in Defence’ (HS&EP), states that "overseas we apply our UK arrangements where reasonably practicable and, in addition, respond to host nations’ relevant HS&EP expectations." This policy statement can be accessed at the gov.uk website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-states-policy-statement-on-safety-health-environmental-protection-and-sustainable-development

    UK forces overseas operate under NATO regulations and therefore must also comply with ‘STANAG 7141 – Joint NATO Doctrine for Environmental Protection During NATO-led Military Activities’, which sets out the environmental planning guidelines for military activities.

    Following withdrawal from both the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, clean up of hazardous materials was carried out as far as practicable in accordance with relevant legislation.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the end of year budget surplus or deficit was for each further education college in the Liverpool City Region in each financial year since 2010-11.

    Robert Halfon

    Colleges own this information. They are required to publish the information on their own website and the Skills Funding Agency publish a collated picture on GOV.UK. All the information requested for this question is already in the public domain: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-financial-management-college-accounts

    “

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Cayman Islands on improving LGBT rights.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area. In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General, where LGBT equality was extensively discussed. The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council. And earlier this month, Baroness Anelay addressed LGB&T issues when she spoke to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly. We expect all OT Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birkenhead to him dated 19 January 2016 on the state pension.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested in the Rt. Hon Member’s letter was sent to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on Friday 29 January 2016.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of pupils sat GCSE and A Level Music in 2014–15.

    Lord Nash

    In 2014/15, 7 per cent of students[1] were entered for GCSE[2] Music as published in the latest “Revised GCSE and equivalents results in England” statistical first release (SFR)[3]. In 2009/10, the percentage of students who were entered for GCSE Music was 7 per cent.

    The percentage of students[4] who were entered for A level[5] Music was 2.5 per cent which can be calculated from data published on entries in A Level Music in the latest “A level and other Level 3 results” SFR[6].

    [1] Pupils at the end of key stage 4.

    [2] GCSE only.

    [3] Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2014 to 2015.

    [4] Based on total number of entries in A level music divided by the number of students entered for at least one A level or applied single/double award A level – so could be an overestimate if a student has entered A level music more than once.

    [5] A level only.

    [6] A level and other level 3 results: 2014 to 2015 (revised).

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the risk to the UK (a) posed by ballast water and (b) that diseases such as cholera may be transferred around the world through ballast water given rises in sea water temperature.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The UK has developed a number of voluntary procedures adopted by the maritime community to tackle the issue of invasive species and pathogens. Vessels on deep sea, international voyages are encouraged to undertake mid-ocean ballast water exchange. Within the North Sea and English Channel, ballast water exchange areas have been identified and vessels visiting UK ports are encouraged to use those areas where it has been assessed safe to do so.

    The Government continues to be a strong supporter of the Ballast Water Management Convention that aims to minimise the threat posed by harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of plans by the Israeli government to use its security services to disrupt and gather information on supporters of a boycott of Israel; and if he will make an assessment of the potential effects of such plans on UK citizens.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of media reporting on this issue. No assessment has been made.

  • Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their representatives at the IMF and other international financial institutions will make clear that international financial assistance should not be made available to the government of Zimbabwe unless and until it enacts and implements the provisions of the constitution of Zimbabwe in full.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK continues to emphasise that any future financial assistance to Zimbabwe from the international financial institutions will need to be based on evidence of comprehensive reforms.

    We welcome the inclusion of the commitment to align legislation with the Constitution in the package of reforms being discussed with the IMF and the Government of Zimbabwe’s letter of intent to the International Monetary Fund Board.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of electoral registration arrangements for UK nationals abroad in (a) general and (b) Germany in advance of the EU referendum.

    Chris Skidmore

    Online registration has made the application process for overseas electors easier than ever before. Between the start of the EU referendum campaign on 18 April and the extended registration deadline on 9 June over 151,000 overseas electors submitted an application to register to vote.

    The Cabinet Office does not hold data on overseas elector applications by country.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people with dual Palestinian and British citizenship have been (a) refused entry to, (b) detained by and (c) deported by Israel in the last 12 months.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Palestinians are not allowed to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport. Dual British/Palestinian nationals enter on their Palestinian documents through Allenby Bridge. We are not aware of any Dual nationals who have been refused entry.