Tag: 2016

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve journey times on the Tees Valley Line.

    Andrew Jones

    As part of the new franchise award, the Northern franchisee will be required before October 2017 to undertake a feasibility study, identifying options for journey time improvements across the whole network, including services in the North East. This will include possible changes to existing infrastructure, improvements to rolling stock capability and reliability and the implementing of changes to service patterns.

    Any resulting changes would be in addition to the local benefits secured as part of the franchise including the withdrawal of pacer trains and the refurbishment of all the existing carriages retained in the franchise long term.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UK has signed and ratified (1) Articles 1(c) and 2 of the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions, and Practices Similar to Slavery; (2) Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages; (3) Articles 3 and 23 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; (4) Article 10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (5) Articles 2 and 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and (6) the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if so, when.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK has ratified all of these treaties and it is not possible to ratify single articles of these treaties. The UK ratified the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions, and Practices Similar to Slavery in 1957; acceded to the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages in 1970; ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1976; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1976; ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1986; and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning group local transformation plans are available online.

    Alistair Burt

    123 local transformation plans (LTPs) have been produced covering 209 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). All LTPs were required to be published locally by 31 December 2015 and the CCGs have been asked to provide details of where they are published, as part of the continued assurance process. At least 74 of the 123 LTPs are available online and by mid-February a link will be available to all 123.

  • Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the potential sale value of the site of Kneller Hall, Whitton.

    Mark Lancaster

    Although the Ministry of Defence has received an initial valuation for Kneller Hall, it is commercially sensitive and to release it would prejudice commercial interests.

  • Paul Scully – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Scully – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Scully on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of rocket fire into Israel from Gaza.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate General in Jerusalem give us regular updates on the current situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. These updates include reports on rockets being fired from the Gaza Strip into the sea; any rocket fire from Gaza into Israel; and any retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Gaza. However they do not keep a record of the numbers, but according to UN figures, in January 2016 a total of three rockets were fired into Israel by Gazan militant groups.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken by the Crown Prosecution Service following the publication of the Panama Papers.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    The Government has announced plans to create a cross-agency taskforce to investigate all evidence of illegality that has emerged from the so called “Panama Papers” revelations. The Government will take whatever action is necessary after the work of the taskforce has been completed.

    The Crown Prosecution Service will advise on any criminal investigations commenced by HMRC, the police or the National Crime Agency and will bring criminal proceedings if cases pass the evidential and public interest stages of the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Egyptian government on the death penalty imposed on Ibrahim Mohammed Helal and other journalists in that country.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We regularly raise our concerns over press freedoms with the Egyptian authorities both in London and in Cairo. The Prime Minister, the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) raised the detention of journalists with President Sisi during his visit to the UK in November 2015. I raised press freedoms and freedom of expression with the Egyptian Ambassador in April, and these concerns are expanded upon in the Human Rights Priority Country report on Egypt which was published on 21 April. It is a long term policy of the UK Government to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and we have raised this with the Egyptian Government. There are further stages in the legal process and we will continue to monitor the case.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2016 to Question 41943, how many people have (a) claimed and (b) received payment under the vaccine damages payment scheme in respect of a vaccine used for whooping cough.

    Justin Tomlinson

    I refer the honourable gentleman to my response to his question dated 31 May 2016. Information regarding claims and awards in respect of a particular disease or vaccine is unavailable.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the widening of the M4 motorway between junctions 3 and 12 will commence, when it is likely to be completed, and what measures they will put in place to avoid delays to traffic during the construction period.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Highways England’s latest Delivery Plan states that the start of works for the M4 Junction 3-12 scheme is the fourth quarter of 2016/2017 and it will open to traffic in 2021/22.

    Measures to avoid delays to traffic during the construction period include:

    • Maintaining three lanes of traffic in each direction during peak periods
    • Using average speed camera equipment to smooth flows and improve safety and journey time reliability
    • Installing a CCTV system to identify vehicles in need of recovery and other incidents, with free recovery of broken down vehicles to remove obstructions and keep traffic flowing
    • Minimising traffic management during Bank Holiday periods and working with major events to coordinate traffic management
    • Timing overnight lane closures and full carriageway closures at less sensitive times.
  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of food labelling on reducing the (a) calorie intake and (b) weight of people.

    Jane Ellison

    Feedback from consumers consistently indicates that clear food labelling helps people to make healthier choices. For example, the United Kingdom voluntary front of pack nutrition labelling scheme, recommended by UK Health Ministers in June 2013, incorporates percentage Reference Intakes information, together with the levels of energy kcal/kJ and four colour-coded nutrients: fat, saturates, sugars and salt. This helps consumers judge how much energy and nutrients a portion of the labelled food will contribute to their overall diet, and also enable them to compare products.

    The scheme is based on extensive consumer research and is the result of a full written public consultation, followed by collaboration with the food industry and groups representing consumers and public health interests to develop it.