Tag: Carol Monaghan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Immigration Rules on facilitating family reunification.

Richard Harrington

The Immigration Rules support the principle of family unity and allow the spouse or partner and children of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to reunite with them here, if they were part of the family unit before their sponsor fled their country. Under this policy we have reunited around 22,000 refugees with their immediate family over the past five years and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-11-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make representations to Concentrix on introducing a liaison unit for hon. Members to raise constituents’ tax credit cases.

Mr David Gauke

Concentrix are not introducing a liaison unit for hon. Members as HM Revenue and Customs has three areas allocated to deal with representations from hon. Members relating to their constituents’ concerns: a dedicated MP hotline for tax credits, an MP complaints team that deals with tax credit complaints, and a Ministerial correspondence team.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and UK Space Agency cross-boundary research proposals submitted through the Joint Electronic Submission System received funding in each of the last three years.

Joseph Johnson

In the last financial year one cross-boundary research proposal was considered for co-funding by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the UK Space Agency. This proposal was discussed at the relevant EPSRC funding panel and was awarded funding. In the two years prior, no proposals were received which were considered for co-funding in this respect.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-11-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claims have been stopped as a result of checks by Concentrix since they took on the contract; and how many such claims were restored upon appeal.

Mr David Gauke

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of research proposals submitted through the Joint Electronic Submission System which have been judged to cross the boundary between the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the UK Space Agency have gone through to peer review.

Joseph Johnson

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) runs a remit query service which enables researchers to discuss proposals in advance with the UK Space Agency (UKSA) should they consider their research idea to fall between discipline boundaries. This enables research council staff, and those from UKSA, to agree on which agency or council is best placed to carry out peer review to assess the merits of the proposal. Where a proposal is cross-disciplinary, UKSA and EPSRC work together to agree a leading council/agency to carry out peer review functions, with reviewers selected from both organisations. There has been one project in the last three years which was submitted to EPSRC through Je-S and was assessed by programme managers as cross boundary. The proposal went through the peer review process and was funded.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-11-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) undertakes monitoring or verification of the decisions of Concentrix in terminating tax credit payments to claimants; what mechanisms are in place to allow Concentrix to report back to HMRC on actions taken in individual cases; and whether those mechanisms have been used.

Mr David Gauke

I can confirm that HM Revenue and Customs closely monitors and verifies the decisions of Concentrix.

Full details can be found in the Contract, which is available to view here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what mechanism exists to ensure that research proposals which have been judged to cross the boundary between the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the UK Space Agency proceed to peer review.

Joseph Johnson

Staff in the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the other research councils and the UK Space Agency (UKSA) discuss research proposals on a case-by-case basis where there is cross-disciplinarity between organisational boundaries. The EPSRC operates a remit query service to assist applicants in establishing the best council for their submission. Where a proposal is received by EPSRC without using this remit service, EPSRC identify and discuss the proposal with the most relevant organisation to ensure that, where applicable, co-funding can be secured and that appropriate reviewers can be requested to cover the breadth of research disciplines covered in the proposal. Following supportive peer review the proposal would then, in the case of EPSRC, be tabled at an appropriate funding panel for authorisation or rejection in open competition with other proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-12-08.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to ring-fence the capital and resource elements of the science budget settlement announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Greg Hands

Total science resource spending of £4.7 billion will be protected in real terms for the rest of the Parliament.

Government has also made a long term science capital commitment of £6.9 billion between 2015-2021 to support the UK’s world-class research base.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether there is a mechanism equivalent to the Cross-Council Funding Agreement to ensure fair peer review and transparency for research proposals crossing the border between the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the UK Space Agency.

Joseph Johnson

The UK Space Agency and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) follow the Cross-Council Funding Agreement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used by the RAF in Syria since 2 December 2015.

Michael Fallon

Between 2 December 2015 and 18 January 2016 there have been five Brimstone missiles used against Daesh targets by the RAF in Syria. There have also been 32 Paveway IV and 6 Hellfire missiles used for the same period in Syria.