The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-05-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 14 January 2016, HCWS70, on immigration detention, when she plans to publish the joint Department of Health, NHS and Home Office mental health plan.
James Brokenshire
The Government is still considering the arrangements for publishing the joint Department of Health, NHS England and Home Office mental health action plan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans to employ any national security experts in his Department.
Mr Robin Walker
The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are now under consideration but we will have the right resources in place, including national security experts if appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Blood on 2016-10-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current funding arrangements for the Association of Port Health Authorities.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Association of Port Health Authorities is currently self-funded by its Members. It is not anticipated that this will change following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with organisations representing self-employed people on the potential effect on such people of implementing quarterly tax returns from 2020.
Mr David Gauke
The Government has no plans to introduce quarterly tax returns for business. The Government is introducing simple, secure and personalised digital tax accounts, removing the need for annual tax returns. Updating HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) through software or apps will deliver a light-touch process, much less burdensome and time-consuming than it is today.
The Government will consult on the details of these proposals throughout 2016 and will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) in the usual way. This will include an estimate of the impacts on business. The Government routinely publish TIINs for tax policy changes when the policy detail for those changes is finalised or near-finalised.
HMRC has discussed these reforms with a range of professional bodies and advisory groups representing small businesses and the self-employed. HMRC has also engaged extensively with a range of professional bodies and other stakeholders representing the accountancy profession.
On 14 December 2015, HMRC set out details of its plans at its annual stakeholder conference, which was attended by a large number of different organisations representing small businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsty Blackman on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance HM Courts and Tribunals Service use on data protection breaches with regard to non-devolved tribunals in Scotland.
Mr Shailesh Vara
Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) follows Ministry of Justice and Cabinet Office guidelines for the delivery of data protection training and aims to meet these requirments each year. HMCTS staff are mandated to complete annual Information Assurance training, which includes actions to take in respect of a data protection breach/data incident.
Copies of the Data Protection Statement, use of personal data under the Data Protection Act, Information on protecting information, and managers toolkit will be deposited in the House library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2015 to Question 1205, how many UK nationals are currently employed by the European Commission; and what proportion of the total number of Commission employees they represent.
Mr Philip Hammond
The latest figures from October 2015 state that there are 1000 British citizens working in the European Commission as Permanent Officials and Temporary Agents, which represents 4.3% of the total. In addition there are 142 employed as Contract Agents.
UK representation was at its peak in the late 70s but since then, it has been falling steadily across all EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture but recognises this will require sustained efforts over the long-term. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, works to promote EU careers across the UK and support candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-18.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of individual voter registration.
John Penrose
The transition to IER is now complete and has been a great success. Over 14 million applications have been made to register since the introduction of IER, almost three quarters of them online. Ghost entries have been removed, which means the electoral registers are more accurate and less vulnerable to fraud than before. The Electoral Commission is expected to publish its assessment of the completeness and accuracy of the first full electoral registers under IER, published in December 2015, this summer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken through the UN to promote the human rights situation in (a) China and (b) Saudi Arabia.
Mr Hugo Swire
In respect of China, the UK made a national statement on 15 March under Item 4 of the UN Human Rights Council about the human rights situation there. We highlighted our concerns about the application of due process and transparency of justice, as well as the importance of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong. We also supported the EU’s Item 4 statement on China the same day. On 10 March, we signed up to a cross-regional Item 2 statement delivered at the Human Rights Council, alongside eleven other countries, on China’s deteriorating human rights record. In respect of Saudi Arabia, the British Government’s position on human rights is a matter of public record. We regularly make our views well known including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and we supported the EU’s Item 4 statement on Saudi Arabia on 15 March at the UN Human Rights Council, which noted a range of human rights concerns. We will continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities at the highest level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to publish a specific strategy for policy-influencing work relating to violence against women and girls and monitoring of that work.
Mr Nick Hurd
The UK’s international policy relating to violence against women and girls is set out in the UK’s Ending Violence against Women and Girls Strategy 2016 – 2020. In her position as Ministerial Champion for tackling VAWG Overseas my colleague Baroness Verma will have a key role to play in international influencing to deliver this policy agenda. We do not intend to publish a policy influencing strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans that the new Anti-Corruption Strategy announced by the Government earlier this year will still be completed by the end of 2016.
Ben Gummer
Departments are working to progress the anti-corruption agenda, including work that was set out at the London Anti-Corruption Summit on May 12. However, the new government will wish to consider its approach to specific anti corruption policies, and the governance structures that will oversee this work.