Tag: 2016

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Russia-US peace process in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign Secretary discusses Syria regularly with US Secretary of State John Kerry. They last discussed the situation in Syria and the prospects for resuming a political process on 16 October. The UK and US are both working to achieve a full cessation of hostilities, secure country-wide humanitarian access, and implement a strong monitoring mechanism to create the conditions for a resumption of political talks.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure effective enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in the maritime sector.

    Nick Boles

    My Department has worked with Maritime bodies to increase awareness of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) enforcement options available, including the ACAS helpline and HMRC enforcement operations. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working with the sector to agree specific NMW guidance for seafarers. This guide will provide more information on the UK and International maritime law and raise awareness of enforcement measures in place to help anyone who needs them. The guide will advertise the ACAS helpline. I have also met with the hon Member for Gateshead (Ian Mearnes), Convenor of the RMT, to discuss the enforcement of the NMW and how we can raise awareness of enforcement action further.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under the provisions of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, a claimant receiving Employment and Support Allowance work-related activity component prior to April 2017 who is reassessed after April 2017 but still found to be entitled to the work-related activity component would have their benefit reduced to the level of Jobseeker’s Allowance.

    Lord Freud

    The changes as introduced to the House of Commons on 9th July 2015 would mean that existing claimants, whether in the work-related activity group or the support group, who undergo a work capability assessment after April 2017 and are placed in, or remain in, the work-related activity group, will continue to receive the work-related activity component.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he last met junior doctors or their representatives.

    Ben Gummer

    The Secretary of State meets frontline staff, both medical and non-medical, on a regular basis.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to clinical commissioning groups on the provision and availability of fertility treatments.

    Jane Ellison

    The level of provision of infertility treatment, as for all health services they commission, is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.

    NHS England expects that all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) fertility guidelines. CCGs have a legal duty to have regard to NICE guidelines.

    Following a meeting with Fertility Fairness in December 2015, officials from the Department and NHS England are considering options for addressing variation in the prices that CCGs are currently paying for in vitro fertilisation treatment.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with voluntary organisations to ensure the successful reception of unaccompanied child refugees on arrival in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Any unaccompanied child who arrives in the UK receives clothing packs. All unaccompanied children present in the UK, regardless of their immigration status, are afforded the same level of care and support as British children. Unaccompanied refugee children brought to the UK through provisions in the Immigration Act 2016 will be given the appropriate support and care required. We continue to consult with local authorities on the best way to implement this legislation.

    Last year the UK received 3,043 asylum applications from unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We have robust measures in place to receive and safeguard them. In addition we have committed to section 67 in the Immigration Act 2016 to receive unaccompanied children from Europe where it is in their best interests.

    We are consulting with relevant non-governmental organisations, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), local authorities and relevant Member States on the best way to implement the Immigration Act 2016 provisions for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK. We will ensure we have the right support for unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in the UK from Europe whilst ensuring we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in UK.

  • John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the English language tuition fund his Department has spent since January 2016.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    As the first step in rolling out the new £20 million programme we have committed just over £3 million to enable six providers who delivered the Department’s previous community-based English language programme to provide new tuition to over 10,000 people by March next year.

    We will shortly be issuing a new Prospectus, inviting applications to run the bulk of the new programme from 2017. The nature and targeting of that provision will be informed by Louise Casey’s Review of Integration and Opportunity.

    We will monitor the new Programme to assess its effectiveness in meeting its objectives.

  • John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to be able to advise airlines flying from the UK that it is safe to resume flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government has not yet concluded that it is right to lift the restrictions on direct UK flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh. The security of British nationals is the Government’s top priority. Our security experts take account of many factors in providing advice on whether it is safe to fly to certain destinations.

    UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt’s close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many units of housing he expects to be built in the London borough of Newham in each year to 2020.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not publish forecasts of house building. It is for local planning authorities to ensure that they plan for the full, objectively assessed housing needs in their area.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending trade defence instruments to add a further exemption to the lesser duty rules in cases of social and environmental dumping.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government supports the use of the lesser duty rule in trade defence cases, as it allows for protection against unfair trade while at the same time avoiding the imposition of disproportionate costs on the wider economy. We do not support changes that would lessen its effectiveness as a trade defence instrument.