Tag: Andrew Murrison

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what metrics she uses in monitoring human rights abuse (a) by governments and (b) in countries in receipt of UK aid.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID works closely with the FCO to assess and monitor the civil and political rights context in the countries where it has programmes. DFID draws on the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, which takes international human rights obligations as its starting point, and assesses FCO country specific updates to that report. It takes into account the views of a range of sources including EU and other development partners, and civil society reports.

DFID provides aid to governments when it is satisfied that they share Britain’s commitments to reducing poverty and to respecting human rights. Before providing aid to a partner government, DFID assesses their commitment to four Partnership Principles. These include a commitment to poverty reduction; respecting human rights and other international obligations; improving public financial management, promoting good governance and transparency, and fighting corruption; and strengthening domestic accountability.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons English Heritage flies its own house flag over national monuments in its custody in preference to the Union Flag.

David Evennett

The English Heritage Trust flies its house flag at its historic sites as an important way for visitors to identify its properties. Where properties have more than one flagpole, they are encouraged to fly the Union flag. To mark certain important occasions, flag flying protocol may vary, including on the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen (21 April) and on Remembrance Day when the Union flag is flown from all sites with flagpoles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for his Department’s plans to separate retail and investment banking arms.

Harriett Baldwin

The banks are required to separate by 1 January 2019 and implementation remains firmly on track.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential of Westbury to become the north-south/east-west rail hub for the central south of England.

Claire Perry

The importance of Westbury as an interchange station for South West Trains and Great Western Rail services is not underestimated by the Department, and is already a mini hub and crew point for some of the inter-regional services (Bristol to Portsmouth and Weymouth). However, Bristol is the key hub for the region, and the Department has therefore made no such assessment regarding Westbury.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what criteria are used for decisions on the (a) removal and (b) denial of UK honours.

Matthew Hancock

The Forfeiture Committee which makes recommendations on the removal of honours can consider any case where there is evidence to suggest that the retention of an honour would bring the honours system into disrepute, for example, if an individual has been found guilty by the Courts of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment; or has been censured/struck off by the relevant Regulatory Authority or Professional Body for actions or failures to act which are directly relevant to the granting of the Honour.

Honours nominations are considered by one of the nine independent honours selection committees. There are many reasons why a nomination may not be successful when judged on merit against other nominations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect the rural services delivery grant.

Mr Marcus Jones

Parliament approved the local government finance settlement for 2016-17 on 10 February. Recognising the particular costs of providing services in sparse rural areas, Rural Services Delivery Grant will increase by more than fivefold in 2016-17, to £80.5 million.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the provision of free Wi-Fi connections on board all (a) Network Rail and (b) Transport for London carriages.

Claire Perry

Network Rail does not run train carriages, however, working with train companies operating franchises in England and Wales, we have committed that 90% of passenger journeys will benefit from free Wi-Fi by the end of 2018.

The decision on provision of free Wi-Fi within non-franchised operations, including Transport for London (TfL), is not a responsibility for the Department for Transport. Decisions relating to implementation of On-Train Wi-Fi within TfL carriages is devolved to the Mayor of London.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that landmarks in the stewardship of English Heritage fly the Union flag in place of the organisation’s house flag.

David Evennett

The English Heritage Trust flies its house flag at its historic sites to help visitors identify its properties. Where properties have more than one flagpole, they are encouraged to fly the Union flag. On certain important occasions, including on the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen (21 April) and Remembrance Day, the Union flag is flown from all sites with flagpoles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) rural and (b) urban public libraries have closed in (i) Wiltshire and (ii) England in each year since 2000.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Department does not commission information relating to the closure of rural and urban libraries. Data relating to public libraries is collected and published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. My Rt Hon Friend will note that the number of library service points in the Wilshire Library Authority has increased from 34 in 2000, to 36 in 2015. Meanwhile, in Labour-run Wales, the number of library service points in the same period dropped from 321 to 274.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have withdrawn more than the 25 per cent tax-free allowance from their pension fund as a lump sum since 2014.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs does not have information on all types of taxable pension payments taken since 2014. However, information on the taxable element of pension flexibility lump sums taken since April 2015 is collated and published quarterly. This also provides details of the number of people who have taken these payments. The publication can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/flexible-payments-from-pensions.

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