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Tag: Chris Heaton-Harris

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Statement on the Northern Ireland Executive Formation

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Statement on the Northern Ireland Executive Formation

    The statement made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the House of Commons on 9 February 2023.

    Today, the Government is introducing the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill, to extend the period within which the Northern Ireland parties can form an Executive to 18 January 2024.

    Over a year has passed since the then First Minister of Northern Ireland resigned. Twelve months and one Assembly election later, it is disappointing that people in Northern Ireland still do not have the strong devolved institutions that they deserve.

    The restoration of the Executive, in line with the Belfast (Good Friday) agreement, remains my top priority. I will continue to do all I can to help the Northern Ireland parties work together to make that happen. It was on that basis that we legislated in the autumn to extend the Executive formation period through the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022. Since that period ended on 20 January 2023, I have once again been under a statutory duty to hold an Assembly election within 12 weeks (that is on or before 13 April 2023).

    Having spoken to political representatives, businesses and communities in Northern Ireland, I have concluded that another election at this time is not the best course of action to facilitate the restoration of the Executive.

    On that basis, this Bill will provide for a single retrospective extension of the Executive formation period of one year from 19 January 2023. That would mean that, if the parties are unable to form an Executive before 19 January 2024, I would again fall under a duty to hold an Assembly election within 12 weeks. The legislation will also enable the Government to bring this new period to an early end and move to elections sooner, if necessary.

    Yesterday, in a meeting with vice-president of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels, I reiterated that the UK Government are working hard to resolve the problems caused by the Northern Ireland protocol, and the desire to see an agreed solution with the EU. I was clear that this extension does not influence protocol discussions.

    I remain focused on restoring devolved institutions as soon as possible and this Bill creates the best opportunity to do that. I will continue to do all I can to support the people of Northern Ireland in the meantime. I will also host Northern Ireland party leaders at a roundtable in Belfast today to urge them to restore the Executive as soon as possible.

    I very much hope that the parties will recognise the importance of getting back to work, so that a functioning Executive can take the actions needed, to address the challenges facing public services in Northern Ireland.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons are for the time taken to inform families involved in Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy procedures that funding for those procedures will cease.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has commissioned Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedures as part of its Commissioning through Evaluation (CtE) programme.

    CtE schemes run in areas where the current evidence base on clinical and cost effectiveness of a particular treatment is insufficient to support routine funding, and where further research is unlikely to be forthcoming. In these circumstances, NHS England identifies funding for a CtE scheme to gather and support a review of the national clinical commissioning policy position. Each CtE scheme is funded on a time-limited basis, in just a small number of selected participating centres across England, with strict patient selection criteria.

    The CtE programme is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which supports NHS England to identify the total number of patients that need to be treated under the scheme to answer the evaluation questions agreed. Schemes stop once the total planned number of patients has been treated and the data analysis can be concluded. In the case of the SDR scheme it is likely that the last patients will be treated by spring 2016.

    The information provided directly by NHS England to stakeholders and participating centres in the SDR scheme has been consistently clear about the time limited nature of CtE and that the funding did not present a change to the current commissioning position of the treatment not being routinely funded by the NHS.

    NHS England will continue to work closely with participating centres to ensure that messages are as clear as possible to families who may have wished to consider this treatment option.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many individuals recorded in (a) HM Revenue and Customs’ and (b) the Department of Work and Pension’s computer systems who were nationals of another EEA member country at time of registration for a National Insurance (NI) number and are recorded as having arrived in the last four years using the earlier of his or her arrival date or NI number registration date have either (i) paid NI contributions over the previous year, (ii) paid PAYE income tax over the previous year and (iii) claimed benefits or tax credits over the previous year.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals

    “

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons funding for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy is due to cease in March 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has commissioned Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedures as part of its Commissioning through Evaluation (CtE) programme.

    CtE schemes run in areas where the current evidence base on clinical and cost effectiveness of a particular treatment is insufficient to support routine funding, and where further research is unlikely to be forthcoming. In these circumstances, NHS England identifies funding for a CtE scheme to gather and support a review of the national clinical commissioning policy position. Each CtE scheme is funded on a time-limited basis, in just a small number of selected participating centres across England, with strict patient selection criteria.

    The CtE programme is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which supports NHS England to identify the total number of patients that need to be treated under the scheme to answer the evaluation questions agreed. Schemes stop once the total planned number of patients has been treated and the data analysis can be concluded. In the case of the SDR scheme it is likely that the last patients will be treated by spring 2016.

    The information provided directly by NHS England to stakeholders and participating centres in the SDR scheme has been consistently clear about the time limited nature of CtE and that the funding did not present a change to the current commissioning position of the treatment not being routinely funded by the NHS.

    NHS England will continue to work closely with participating centres to ensure that messages are as clear as possible to families who may have wished to consider this treatment option.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the statistical information on active National Insurance numbers issued to EEA citizens requested by Jonathan Portes under the Freedom of Information Act on 2 December 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals

    “

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Typhoon aircraft are unable to fly because parts of them have been removed for use in other aircraft.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    It is routine practice to move parts between aircraft within the RAF Typhoon fleet to ensure optimum aircraft availability. Four Typhoon aircraft held in the sustainment fleet are currently being used as donor aircraft and consequently are unable to fly.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the commitments contained in the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016 not to create obstacles to, but facilitate such deepening of the Eurozone and to sincere cooperation with the Eurozone, create any additional legal obligations to those already contained in Article 4 (3) of the Treaty on European Union.

    Mr David Gauke

    No new legal obligations on the UK have been created in this regard. The Eurozone is a key trading partner for the UK and a stable, successful Eurozone economy is of vital importance to the UK’s own economic security. While the UK Government supports the Eurozone taking the steps it needs to succeed, the Prime Minister has secured a legally-binding agreement which recognises that the UK should not be forced to participate nor have its interests undermined.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps he has taken to promote peace in Somalia.

    James Duddridge

    Earlier this month, my Rt Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary chaired a UN Security Council meeting to rally international support on Somalia. This included adoption of the UK drafted resolution to strengthen the UN’s logistical support to AMISOM and the need for progress on an electoral process in 2016.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether all payments of universal credit to newly-arrived EU nationals will be covered by the scheme set out in Section D of the Decision of the Heads of State or Government meeting within the European Council on 18 and 19 February 2016.

    Priti Patel

    As Universal Credit will replace our existing system of non-contributory in-work benefits, it will of course be covered by the scope of our new settlement in a reformed European Union.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-12-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total number is of national insurance numbers registered to EEA nationals and linked to (a) an active claim for benefits, (b) an active claim for tax credits and (c) active payments under PAYE; and how many in each such category are for EEA nationals who received national insurance numbers in the last four years.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Department for Work and Pensions has published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations, including nationality at point of NINo registration, of those of working age who were in receipt of a Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-insurance-number-allocations-to-adult-overseas-nationals-entering-the-uk

    HM Revenue and Customs are planning to publish further information early in 2016 once it has been properly collated.

    “