Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with Didier Seeuws on the UK’s exit of the EU since his appointment to the EU special task force.

Mr David Jones

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 September 2016 to the Question 44967.

The Prime Minister has been clear we will not give a running commentary on Brexit negotiations. We will ensure that we engage closely with all relevant interlocutors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many times his Department has used the services of (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms since his Department was established; and what (i) work was undertaken and (ii) the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

Greg Hands

The information will take time to collate. I will place this in the libraries of the House as soon as the information is available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Institute for Gender Equality after the UK leaves the EU.

Caroline Dinenage

The negotiations we are about to undertake will include our relationship with a wide range of EU organisations and institutions, the European Institute for Gender Equality being one of them. How we take these various relationships forward will be a matter for discussion with the EU institutions and our European partners.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 has been completed; and if she will make the outcome of that review available to hon. Members.

Sir Oliver Heald

The Ministry of Justice is finalising the one year post implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and a decision will be made about publication in due course.

It is considering the further reviews.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the statement by Ned Price, US National Security Council Spokesman, of 8 October 2016, on reviewing the US support provided to the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK Government carrying out such a review of UK support.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​The UK Government is deeply concerned by the conflict in Yemen, including recent events in Sana’a. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what overseas visits he has made since his appointment.

Margot James

Ministerial visits are published quarterly on the Gov.UK website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, to which destinations (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have taken flights as part of their official duties since his Department was established.

Mr David Jones

The Government publishes information about flights and other expenses incurred on Ministerial and senior official overseas trips on a quarterly basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2015 to Question 5430, for what reasons those Overseas Territories with financial centres did not set out timetables for implementing central registries or similarly effective systems by November 2015.

James Duddridge

The Government is in discussion with the governments of the Overseas Territories on their plans to improve company transparency. The Territories have agreed to hold beneficial ownership information in central registers, or similarly effective systems, which need to meet the three criteria the UK set out in a letter to Territory leaders in March 2015. These are laid out in the answer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), gave on 16 October 2015 (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department’s policy is on its officials engaging in secondary employment.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Staff are permitted to take up secondary employment providing it does not affect or impinge upon their work for the FCO. They are required to obtain prior written approval before accepting secondary employment and may also be required to sign an agreement to opt out of working time limits in their second job if it would mean they exceed the maximum number of weekly average hours under the Working Time Regulations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterparts on the siege of Cizre by Turkish government forces.

Mr David Lidington

Security operations, including military curfews, are continuing in Cizre and other towns in south-east Turkey against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its youth wing, the YPS (Civil Protection Units, formerly the YDG-H). There has been intense fighting in recent days. One policeman and one soldier were killed on 9 February. Our condolences are with the families of the soldiers and police who have been killed, and with civilians caught up in the violence. We continue to call for the PKK to end its terrorist attacks and for the peace process to be resumed. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights and avoid civilian casualties. We stand ready to help in any way we can.