Tag: 2016

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure British citizens employed on international marine vessels are not arrested for entering the territorial waters of a country with incorrect paperwork for arms held on the ship to combat pirates.

    James Duddridge

    It is the responsibility of employers and employees to ensure that they hold the correct paperwork for any arms held. The Department for Transport’s advice to UK flagged vessels employing Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) on board their ships is that the PMSC has, amongst other things: access to legal advice, given the imprecise position of armed guards under various national jurisdictions and international law; and an understanding of port State and coastal State laws and requirements with respect to the possession, carriage, and movement of firearms, ammunition and other security related equipment (such as body armour).

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills trade controls in the private armed sector apply to UK companies operating in the UK, and to UK nationals working for non UK companies. The use of the Open Government Trade Control License Maritime Anti-Piracy ensures that companies operating in the sector do so in adherence to industry standards and international law.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) businesses and (b) local communities in Scotland of the decision to allow the closure of Post Office branches in Scotland and their replacement by franchises.

    George Freeman

    Post Office Limited runs and operates its directly managed Crown post offices. Changes to its network and proposals to franchise of some of its Crown branches are the operational responsibility of the Post Office. The Post Office’s proposals for franchising some of its Crown branches are part of its work to ensure its branch network is sustainable in the long term and ensure that Post Office services remain on our high streets across the country. The change from a Crown to a franchise branch has been undertaken successfully in many locations across the UK and helps sustain Post Office services in these locations, and each change is subject to local consultation.

    Over 97% of the UK’s post office network is run on a franchise or agency basis.

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Leader of the House, when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North, dated 8 August 2016, on the renewal and restoration of the Commons building; and what the reason is for no reply having yet been sent.

    Mr David Lidington

    I regret that the hon. Member’s letter of 8 August was never received. I have now received a copy of the letter and responded on 7 September.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of refugees from Syria who are Palestinian in origin.

    Lord Bates

    The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) estimates that 110,000 Palestinian refugees have fled Syria since the onset of the conflict; 42,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are estimated to be in Lebanon and 17,000 in Jordan, with the remainder in Egypt, Turkey and Europe.

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 9 September 2015 to Question 9059, which other key stakeholders have been consulted on co-locating with Wallasey Jobcentre Plus; and when he plans to publish the outcomes, responses and findings of those consultations.

    Priti Patel

    The proposed relocation of Department for Work and Pensions colleagues from Wallasey Dominick House to Birkenhead Brunswick House will provide an expected net financial saving of around £450,000 by 2018.

    Notification of the 4-week consultation period was sent to all key stakeholders of Wallasey Jobcentre Plus, including Angela Eagle MP, Eric Robinson (Chief Executive Wirral Council), People Plus (Work Programme Provider), Ingeus (Work Programme Provider), Citizens Advice Bureau, and Wirral Welfare Rights.

    The Department has no plans to publish the outcome of the consultation.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people are employed by his Department in (a) Salford and Eccles constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills HQ, as at 31 January 2016, employed (a) no people in Salford and Eccles constituency and (b) 38 people in Greater Manchester.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Frontline has any formal partners in the private sector which give participants priority for their entry schemes.

    Edward Timpson

    Frontline do not have any formal partners in the private sector which give participants priority for their entry scheme.

  • Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 30533, for what reasons a separate breakdown for revenue accrued from financial spread betting and other general betting duties is not available; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    Published information on General Betting Duty receipts is not split down into constituent types of bets (such as financial or other types of spread bets).

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage clinical commissioning groups to develop a commissioning policy for requests for cough assist machines for patients with muscle-wasting conditions.

    Ben Gummer

    The provision of cough assist machines is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Clinically led CCGs have independence and autonomy to make commissioning decisions for local populations, taking into account the available evidence and individual circumstances, as appropriate.

    The evidence base to demonstrate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the use of cough assist machines in muscle-wasting conditions is not well established. In order to improve the evidence base, the National Institute for Health Research, which is funded through the Department, is seeking to commission research on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of mechanical cough assist devices compared to other methods of sputum clearance. The deadline for outline proposals was 21 January 2016 with full proposals expected for consideration in July.

    NHS England has been working with Muscular Dystrophy UK through the Bridging the Gap project to address areas of concern raised by patients and their representatives, one of which is the provision of cough assist machines. The establishment of Bridging the Gap was supported with just under £600,000 awarded by the Department through its Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund. Through this work, a number of CCGs have now developed commissioning policies which set out the circumstances in which to consider these devices based on one developed by Walsall CCG, which has been shared nationally as an example of good practice by Muscular Dystrophy UK.

    On 26 April 2016, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, met with Muscular Dystrophy UK and a number of patient representatives specifically to hear their concerns about the provision of cough assist machines.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 May 2016 to Question 37689, if he will indicate where in that document details are provided on the (a) potential effect on the triple lock pension policy and (b) value of state pensions for people who retire before 6 April 2016 of a potential reduction in economic growth in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The document entitled HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU provides more detail on the impact that leaving the EU would have on GDP, CPI inflation and on average real wages, in Section 2, Part 3 of the document.

    In addition, the Treasury has published further analysis of the impact that leaving the EU would have on pensioner incomes in Effects on pensioners from leaving the EU. Details on the effect on the value of State Pension and the triple lock are included in the section entitled Effects on pensioner incomes on pages 2-3.