Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Wilson Doctrine has been consistently applied to the communications of the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion; and whether she has been subject to surveillance.

Mr John Hayes

The Government’s position on the Wilson Doctrine was set out by the Prime Minister in a written ministerial statement made on 4 November 2015.

As the Prime Minister made clear, the Wilson Doctrine has never been an absolute bar to the targeted interception of the communications of Members of Parliament or an exemption from the legal regime governing interception. The Doctrine recognised that there could be instances where interception might be necessary.

The Prime Minister announced that as matter of policy the PM will be consulted should there ever be a proposal to target any UK Parliamentarian’s communications under a warrant issued by a Secretary of State. This applies to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly and UK members of the European Parliament. It applies to all activity authorised by a warrant issued by a Secretary of State: any instance of targeted interception and, electronic surveillance and equipment interference, when undertaken by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. This is in addition to the rigorous safeguards already in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Code of Practice issued under it which set out a series of robust safeguards for any instance of interception.

It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny any specific activity by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 it is an offence for anyone to identify an individual interception warrant or an individual interception that takes place.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been (a) allowed to continue on full duties, (b) placed on restricted duties and (c) suspended with figures following a death in custody and during an investigation for gross misconduct in each year since 2010.

Mike Penning

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of police officers allowed to continue on full duties, placed on restricted duties or suspended following a death in police custody or during an investigation for gross misconduct. The issue of deaths and serious incidents in police custody has long been a priority issue for the Home Office and on 23 July 2015, the Home Secretary announced the launch of an independent review of this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the time taken to change regulations to allow mothers’ names to be recorded on marriage certificates; what timetable is in place for that change to be made; whether she has made an assessment of the feasibility of allowing that change to be phased in as marriage registers are replaced; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office is working with all interested parties to confirm the most efficient and effective way to enable mothers’ names to be recorded on marriage certificates.

Achieving this is likely to require additional funding and changes to legislation, IT systems and administrative processes.

The Government will confirm a timetable for the introduction of the changes in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the potential (a) total and (b) average cost per register of allowing mothers names to be recorded on marriage certificates.

James Brokenshire

The cost of replacing the registers is being assessed in conjunction with our work to determine the most efficient and effective way to enable mothers’ names to be recorded on marriage certificates.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral evidence to the Liaison Committee of 16 December 2014, HC887, if he will publish the evidential basis for his statement that 10 per cent of UK electricity coming from onshore wind is enough as part of a balanced energy supply; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Cameron

The UK needs 11-13GW of onshore wind to meet the UK’s renewable energy targets affordably (as set out in DECC’s December 2013 Renewable Energy Roadmap). 7.8GW of onshore wind capacity has already been built, 1.5GW was under construction, and 5.3GW of onshore wind already had planning consent in September 2014. There is therefore more than enough onshore wind already consented to meet the 2020 Renewable Energy Targets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what briefing his Department provided on (a) the promotion and sale of arms and military equipment and (b) human rights to HRH the Prince of Wales before his trip to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 February 2015 by my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Tobias Ellwood), Minister for the Middle East to Question UIN 224052.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what briefing his Department provided to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on (a) the promotion and sale of arms and military equipment and (b) human rights before his trip to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Tobias Ellwood) to Question 224052.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what briefing his Department provided on (a) the promotion and sale of arms and military equipment and (b) human rights to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales before his trip to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

At the request of the British Government, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales undertook official visits in February to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

His Royal Highness’s visit to the Middle East was to help support Britain’s relationships in the region with key partners. His programme was designed to assist with key government objectives and the visit supported UK diplomatic, commercial and cultural interests in an important region of the world. Other themes of the tour included inter-faith dialogue, youth opportunities, and environmental sustainability.

Details of all high-level briefings for Royal tours are always confidential.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reason a Renewable Obligation Certificate banding review for cuts to the large-scale PV Renewable Obligation band in 2015 and 2016 was ruled out as an option in the recent Renewables Obligation consultation.

Amber Rudd

The Government may carry out a banding review of RO support in England and Wales for any technology at any time if certain legislative conditions are met. As indicated in our consultation document and impact assessment, it is not clear that any of the conditions are met to trigger a banding review of solar support at this time. These are available on DECC’s web page:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-changes-to-financial-support-for-solar-pv.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the total amount of Levy Control Framework budget spent on the Renewables Obligation in 2013-14; and what his forecast is for Renewables Obligation spend in 2014-15.

Matthew Hancock

Total expenditure on the Renewables Obligation (RO) in 2013/14 is estimated to be approximately £2.6 billion. This is calculated by multiplying the provisional obligation for the year, 61.5 million ROCs, by the buy-out price for that year, £42.02. The final obligation, and therefore overall spend, will not be confirmed until October 2014.

Forecast expenditure on the RO in 2014/15 is approximately £3.1 billion. This is based on the provisional obligation for the year, 72.3 million ROCs, multiplied by this year’s buy-out price, £43.30.