Tag: 2016

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33790, if he will raise with the UK’s European partners allowing Yazidi women in Iraq temporary residence in European countries to access medical and psychological support after rape and torture by Daesh.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain extremely concerned by the barbarity and inhumanity which Daesh has shown towards all Iraq’s communities, and welcome European partners’ support to the humanitarian response

    We understand the depth of feeling at the suffering which Yezidi women have experienced, and calls for them to be granted temporary residence. Our priority is providing assistance to Yezidi women, and other vulnerable Iraqis, within Iraq. We can help more people through providing aid in Iraq compared to bringing people to the UK.

    Through the Department for International Development we have committed £79.5 million to the humanitarian effort to help those who have fled Daesh’s brutality in Iraq. This support is reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the country, including the most vulnerable groups, which includes Yezidis. UK aid has provided medicine, emergency kits, psychological support, clean water and improved sanitation, shelter and cash assistance. The UK is the largest donor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund. This is providing life-saving maternal and child health-care, child protection services, and specialised support for escapees of Daesh terror.

    All UK-funded aid is distributed on the basis of need, regardless of race, religion and ethnicity.

  • Lord Evans of Weardale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Evans of Weardale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Evans of Weardale on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the murder of Jo Cox MP, whether they plan to introduce national co-ordinating arrangements to provide a consistent level of security assistance to MPs or members of the House of Lords who have received direct or implicit threats as a result of their parliamentary duties; and if not, why not.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Following threats to MPs following the Parliamentary debates on Syria late last year, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the police, the Home Office and the House of Commons Security Department worked together to review the security measures available for MPs. Revised security advice and guidance, and a process to access funding for standardised security measures was sent to all MPs in January. In addition enhanced security arrangements are developed on the basis of specific intelligence.

    These measures have been reviewed in light of the tragic murder of Jo Cox. Where Members of either House are subject to abusive behaviour or receive threats, these should always be reported to the police.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many child sexual exploitation issues prosecutions have been brought in relation to private hire vehicles in each year since 2000.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport does not hold data on the number of child sexual exploitation prosecutions related to private hire vehicles. Such information should be sought from the Police.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will review the National Adaption Plan in order to reflect the risk to public health from toxins in flood water.

    Rory Stewart

    Due to dilution and the lack of high-risk enteric infectious diseases endemic in the UK, the relative risks from contaminated floodwater are low, especially if public health advice is followed. Public Health England carries out active surveillance for outbreaks of infectious diseases, and other illnesses.

    The first National Adaptation Programme report identifies the actions needed to prepare for the impacts of climate change, including the threats of extreme weather and flooding, and addresses the risks identified in the first UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in January 2012. Work is under way on preparing the second CCRA which will underpin the second National Adaptation Programme report due around 2018.

  • Lord Tyler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Tyler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tyler on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Education will publish records of external meetings held by special advisers to its ministers.

    Lord Nash

    The Government publishes an unprecedented amount of data; departments publish details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries’ meetings with external organisations, and Special Advisers’ meetings with senior media figures. The information requested is not held centrally and there are no plans to extend current arrangements.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of disability living allowance claimants have received an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment to date.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Information on whether claimants of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment have received an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment is not centrally recorded and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the annual cost is of running the driving theory test under his Department’s contract with Pearson Driving Assessments Ltd; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost of running that test under the contract with Learn Direct from September 2016.

    Andrew Jones

    The annual cost of running the Driving Theory Test under the contract with Pearson Professional Assessments Ltd (formerly Pearson Driving Assessments Ltd) in 2015/16 was £31.2 million. This cost was as a result of new contract arrangements, where net costs per test fell from September 2014 and again from September 2015. This resulted in a reduction in fees paid by car candidates from £31 to £25 in October 2014 and to £23 in October 2015.

    The estimated cost of running the Driving Theory Test from September 2016 with learndirect was dependent on the future volume of tests and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency estimates that the annual cost with learndirect would have been between £38 million and £42 million.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the human rights of Christian pastors in Sudan are protected, in the light of the arrests and continuing detention of Telahoon Nogosi Kassa Rata and Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Freedom of religion or belief in Sudan continues to be an area of deep concern. We have consistently called on the Government of Sudan to ensure all legislation is consistent with the Interim Constitution of 2005; within which religious freedom is enshrined. We regularly attend court cases in Sudan on freedom of religion or belief and through our project work we also seek to support lawyers who take on cases addressing important human rights issues.

    Our Ambassador in Khartoum raised the specific cases of Mr Talahon and Reverend Hassan with the Minister of Guidance and Religious Endowments and the Sudanese Director of Church Affairs in February. We also raised this issue with the Sudanese Director of Human Rights during the UK-Sudan bilateral talks in March, and again with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April. Furthermore, we continue to raise concerns about the scope of the National Security Act (2010) and the powers it gives the National Intelligence and Security Service. Most recently, we highlighted this issue in our statement at Sudan’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 4 May. We will remain active on these issues.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will lay a revised departmental minute detailing the most recent estimate of costs of Hinkley Point C before Parliament; and if he will lay such a minute at least 14 days in advance of signing any binding contract for that project.

    Jesse Norman

    A summary of the value for money analysis will be published alongside the contract and associated agreements when they have been entered into.