Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to update guidance on the implementation of the Dublin III Regulations to ensure that unaccompanied children in Calais and Dunkirk can be united swiftly with their family in the UK.

Karen Bradley

The UK government supports the Dublin III principles and welcomes the swift processing of asylum claims made in Calais. For migrants to be processed under Dublin III they must first claim asylum in France. The UK government will consider any request made by the French asylum authorities under the Dublin Regulation to take responsibility for an asylum applicant in France because they have close family in the UK.

To ensure that the provisions of the Dublin Regulation are used efficiently and effectively in both countries, a joint contact group has been established in line with the commitment in the Joint Declaration. The UK has held regular discussions with French Interior Ministry colleagues, including visits to Calais and Dunkirk to examine the processes and the information made available to migrants.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many single destitute asylum seekers were granted accommodation and support under section 4 of the Immigration and Nationality Act in the last year because they were (a) unable to leave the UK due to medical reasons and (b) taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK; and how many such applications were made within 21 days of that person’s appeal rights being exhausted.

James Brokenshire

Our records indicate that a total of 105 destitute asylum seekers were granted accommodation and support under section 4 of the Immigration and Nationality Act in the last year (2015) due to pregnancy, medical reasons or because they were taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK.

A full breakdown of categories is given below:

(a) unable to leave the UK due to medical reasons – 42 (including 6 due to late pregnancy)

(b) taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK – 63

(c) how many of these applications were made within 21 days of that person’s appeal rights being exhausted:

– Medical – 1

– Steps to Leave – 5

This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she has signed the Investor Agreement with EDF to proceed with Hinkley Point C as set out in the departmental minute of 21 October 2015.

Andrea Leadsom

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State is minded to proceed with the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C, including the Investor Agreement, subject to EDF taking a final investment decision. EDF and the French Government have said that EDF are working towards a Final Investment Decision ‘in the near future, with the full support of the French Government’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations the Government has made to the European Commission on provisional implementation of the EU-Canada trade agreement.

Anna Soubry

The EU–Canada Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) will deliver jobs and growth for the UK, with independent analysis suggesting the deal could be worth up to £1.3 billion per year to the UK economy.

We expect CETA to be a “mixed” agreement, covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In this case, the EU Council could decide to provisionally apply the parts of CETA which fall within EU competence. The Government supports this approach as it will allow the UK to benefit from provisions such as reduced duties on imports and exports as soon as possible. This has been discussed with the European Commission on a number of occasions, most at the Trade Foreign Affairs Council that took place in Brussels this month. The Council will negotiate which provisions of CETA should be applied provisionally by the EU once the final text has been received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will release a copy of the modelling analysis referred to in the GTR Remedial Plan, published on 12 February 2016, on the combined impact of the infrastructure restrictions at London Bridge, the diversion of Thameslink services and the increased use of London Victoria as a terminus on the punctuality and reliability of the network.

Claire Perry

The results of Network Rail’s modelling analysis of the combined impacts of changes to rail operations at London Bridge were discussed with rail operators and the Department for Transport. The Department does not, however, hold a copy of this analysis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 40383, whether the Government has the power under current delay repay infrastructure to allow people to claim compensation for 15-minute delays before it makes other planned improvements to compensation arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

All franchised Train Operating Companies (TOCs) are required under their franchise agreement to have in place a Passenger’s Charter which will include arrangements for compensation for passengers. TOCs can, at their discretion, go beyond the commitments in their Passenger’s Charter including on compensation on an ex gratia basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the concluding observations and recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the UK’s sixth periodic report in relation to social security and unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds

In paragraph 73 of the UN recommendations, the UN requested that the UK submits its next period report under the Covenant (inclusive of a response to all the recommendations from this year’s examination) by 30 June 2021; it would therefore not be appropriate for me to pre-empt this report by anticipating what we might say in 2021. In any event, the Government regularly assesses the impacts of its policies and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the concluding observations and recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the UK’s sixth periodic report in relation to social housing supply and homelessness; and if he will make a statement.

Gavin Barwell

In paragraph 73 of the UN recommendations, the UN requested that the UK submits its next period report under the Covenant (inclusive of a response to all the recommendations from this year’s examination) by 30 June 2021; it would therefore not be appropriate for me to pre-empt this report by anticipating what we, or indeed a future UK government in 2021, might say.

This government remains committed to tackling homelessness. That is why we have increased central government funding for homelessness programmes to £139 million over the Spending Review period. We have also maintained and protected homelessness prevention funding for local authorities through the local government finance settlement totalling £315 million by 2019/20. In the Budget we announced further commitments to prevent homelessness including £100 million to provide at least 2,000 places for vulnerable people to enable independent living; £10 million to support initiatives to prevent and reduce rough sleeping; and an increase from £5 million to £10 million to launch a Social Impact Bond to support the most entrenched rough sleepers off the streets.

This will be supported by the government’s broader commitments to increase the overall supply of housing. We remain committed to building more affordable housing, including shared ownership. More than 277,000 affordable homes have been delivered since April 2010, and the housing budget has been doubled to more than £20 billion to support the largest housing programme by any government since the 1970s, which includes £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable homes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 46335, and with reference to the Secretary of State Investor Agreement and Contract for Difference for Hinkley Point C signed by the Government on 29 September 2016, why he did not seek parliamentary approval for the liabilities incurred.

Jesse Norman

The Department laid a minute on 21 October 2015 outlining the liabilities that would be incurred by entering in to the contracts for Hinkley Point C. The minute can be found at:

http://qna.files.parliament.uk/qna-attachments/425357%5Coriginal%5C20151021%20Minute%20to%20Parliament%20HPC%20contingent%20liabilities.docx

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to safeguard access to the Erasmus student exchange programme (a) until and (b) after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations.