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Tag: 2016

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other EU member states about whether, in the event of the UK leaving the EU, British citizens settled in EU member states would have an automatic right to remain in the countries where they have settled.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    No such discussions have been held. As I said in my previous response of 25 April (HL7678), the Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU. Should the UK choose to stay in the EU, British citizens will be able to work, live and retire abroad as they do now. UK citizens get a range of rights from our membership of the EU. If the UK were to leave the EU, all of these rights would have to be covered in a successor arrangement. If we left the EU without agreeing what would happen to these rights, it would at the least bring them into serious question, creating difficulty for UK citizens who relied on them.

  • Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2016 to Question 37876, what (a) number and (b) proportion of penalty charge notices issued between January and December 2015 related only to medical exemption certificates.

    Alistair Burt

    Between January and December 2015, a total of 34,142 penalty charge notices were issued to patients declaring they held a valid medical exemption certificate, which the National Health Service Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) was unable to verify. This equated to 7.92% of all penalty charge notices issued.

    During the same period, a total of 9,170 of these were subsequently retracted when the patient proved their right to exemption. This equated to 26.86% of all penalty charge notices issued for medical exemption certificates.

    Often the reason the penalty charge notice is retracted is because the patient has not informed the NHSBSA of a change of address or surname. This means the record of the medical exemption does not match the patient information on the prescription form. If a patient provides details of a valid medical exemption certificate, the penalty charge notice is retracted and the medical exemption record is updated to ensure further notices are not issued in error.

    Following the introduction of prescription charge exemption checking, it became apparent some people receiving penalty charge notices had a qualifying medical condition, but had not applied for a medical exemption certificate. In response, a new process was introduced in early spring 2015. This means that if someone submits a valid application for a medical or maternity exemption certificate within 60 days from date of the penalty charge notice, the outstanding penalty charge is cancelled but the prescription charge is still recovered.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his Department has made of the UK’s right to halt the Article 50 process before the end of the two-year period allocated to EU exit negotiations.

    Mr David Davis

    The referendum result delivered a clear mandate for an EU exit and it is the duty of the Government to make sure we do just that. The Prime Minister has been clear that there must be no attempts to remain inside the EU and no attempts to rejoin it through the back door. Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.

  • Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Government plans to monitor the phased in landing obligation requirements (a) generally and (b) for North Sea cod in 2017 to ensure that no illegal discarding or high grading is occurring; and what the level of (a) observer coverage and (b) electronic monitoring coverage is planned for 2017.

    George Eustice

    Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Landing Obligation (LO) rests with Defra, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the UK’s Devolved Administrations. After an advisory period, and for the vessels for which it is responsible, the MMO is ensuring that fishing vessels are fully compliant with LO requirements while working at sea through inspections, including those made by Royal Navy offshore patrol vessels.

    Fishing vessels are selected for inspection at sea using a risk-based and intelligence-led approach. Any illegal discarding or high grading discovered is dealt with in-line with the MMO’s compliance strategy. Coastal inspectors have received guidance and instruction on the LO, covering both pelagic and demersal fisheries. This guidance is updated in-line with regulatory changes every year, and coastal inspectors are monitoring both fish markets and landings.

    We are currently working with industry to continue a scheme that will fully document certain catches using electronic monitoring equipment in 2017, and going forward, as the LO is phased in.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the humanitarian effect of the Israeli government’s policy on demolition orders.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We believe these demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. This is why Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials regularly raise the matter with the Israeli Government, emphasising our concerns.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will take a position on sovereignty of the Spratly Islands.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We take no position on the sovereignty of the Spratly Islands or other disputed features in the South China Sea. However, we are clear that the disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.

    Jane Ellison

    The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Library and on-line at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

    “

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on allowing for integration of the lifetime ISA and existing standard ISAs.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government has announced it will be introducing a new Lifetime ISA, providing savers with the flexibility to save towards a first home and retirement at the same time.

    Savers will be able to transfer savings from other ISAs as one way of funding their Lifetime ISA. These contributions will count towards the £4,000 Lifetime ISA limit and will receive a bonus. In line with existing rules, transfers from previous years’ ISA contributions will not count towards that year’s £20,000 overall ISA limit.

    During the 2017-18 tax year only, those with a Help to Buy: ISA will be able to transfer in the savings they have built up before 6 April 2017 to the Lifetime ISA, and still save an additional £4,000 into a Lifetime ISA in that year. This means the whole amount will benefit from the 25% government bonus. Individuals will not be able to use a government bonus from both a Help to Buy: ISA and a Lifetime ISA to buy their first home.

  • Seema Kennedy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Seema Kennedy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Kennedy on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to address skills shortages in the workforce.

    Joseph Johnson

    This Government is committed to giving young people the skills they need to succeed in life.

    We are supporting 3 million more apprenticeships in this Parliament, and we are ensuring that employers play a leading role in the design of our new Degree Apprenticeships. Following our Higher Education Green Paper, we will be launching a technical consultation on the Teaching Excellence Framework, which will ensure our universities continue to focus on helping their students into employment.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the punctuality record of Govia Thameslink Railway in the last six months.

    Claire Perry

    The Department regularly assesses each train operator’s performance, and officials have regular meetings with Govia Thameslink Railway’s senior management where operational performance is reviewed, including punctuality as measured through the Public Performance Measure, and we continue to press the franchisee to see what can be done to improve the service offered to their customers.