Tag: Diana Johnson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the bedoon community in Kuwait; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK continues to follow with concern the situation of the Bidoon in Kuwait. We recognise that their ambiguous status has a significant impact on this marginalised community. We encourage the Kuwaiti Government to meet its commitments to regularise the status of Bidoon, and to swiftly naturalise those who have a legitimate claim to citizenship.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of when the UK will lose EU funding previously allocated to the UK for carbon capture and storage programmes.

Jesse Norman

Two UK carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects have been allocated funding by the European Commission (Don Valley and White Rose); the status of this funding is subject to further discussions with the European Commission. The UK is also participating in a European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) on CCS under the Horizon 2020 programme. On 13 August 2016, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) confirmed that the Government will underwrite certain EU funding, including approved Horizon 2020 research and development and innovation projects, regardless of the UK’s relationship with the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the devolution of the policy and administration of agricultural subsidies to the devolved administrations once the UK exits the Common Agricultural Policy.

George Eustice

Across the UK, agriculture will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under the Common Agricultural Policy until at least the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020, even if the UK leaves the EU before this point.

The UK Government will be working closely with the devolved administrations as we work on future agriculture policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Yazidi refugees have been supported into the UK from (a) Syria and (b) Iraq through the (i) Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, (ii) Gateway Protection Programme and (iii) Mandate Refugee Scheme.

Mr Robert Goodwill

We continue to work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify appropriate cases that they deem in need of resettlement for the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, the Gateway Protection Programme and the Mandate Refugee Scheme.

Statistics on arrivals under each of these schemes are published in the regular quarterly Immigration Statistics in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. The next set of statistics will be in the quarterly release on 1 December 2016 and will cover the period July – September 2016. We do not publish a breakdown of these statistics by religion or ethnicity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women waited longer than two weeks for an abortion (a) in NHS hospitals and agencies and (b) with private providers in each year since 2009-10.

Nicola Blackwood

Comprehensive and comparable data is not collected centrally on waiting times for abortions performed in both the National Health Service and independent sector. Information on the average time between the two medical practitioners’ signatures is also not collected centrally.

Because of the way information is stored the number of places where abortions took place in England and Wales is only available from 2013 to 2015 and is shown in the table below. All independent sector places perform abortions under contract from the NHS (previously known as NHS agency).

Table: The number of clinics at which abortions took place, by clinic type, England and Wales 2013 to 2015

Year	Total number of clinics	NHS Hospital	Independent Sector		Private Hospital
2013	348	234		97		16
2014	354	223		117		14
2015	385	220		151		14

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, whether her Department plans ultimately to remove the reasonable grounds stage in the NRM.

Sarah Newton

We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2016 to Question 42399, what the equivalent data is for the most recent period for which such data exists, broken down by whether the application was made by (a) the police, (b) the National Crime Agency or (c) immigration officers.

Sarah Newton

Up to end March 2016: Sixteen Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders (STPOs) have been made on sentencing in the Crown Court under section 14 of the Modern Slavery Act, as decided by the Court. Data on the number of STPOs applied for on sentencing is not collated centrally.

No STPOs have been applied for or made on application under section 15 of the Modern Slavery Act in the Magistrates’ Court.

Nine Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders (STROs) have been applied for on application to the Magistrates’ Court, of which seven were applied for by the police and two by Immigration Enforcement.

The two STROs applied for by Immigration Enforcement have been made. Of the seven STROs applied for by the police, one has been made. Of the remaining six, two were refused, one was withdrawn and three cases were adjourned.

This data was run in July 2016 specifically to answer Question 42399 and is not verified to the same standard as Official Statistics.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether any civil servants that transferred to his Department from other Government departments or public bodies received severance pay or other similar payments.

Mark Garnier

There are no civil servants that will receive severance pay or any other payments as part of their transfer to the Department for International Trade.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Prime Minister’s contribution of 12 October 2016, HC Deb, column 297, which countries have actively approached the UK about potential trade deals.

Greg Hands

We are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to us to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU. As the Prime Minister has recently said, countries including Canada, China, India, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea have already told us they would welcome talks on future free trade agreements, and we have already agreed to start scoping discussions on trade agreements with Australia. More recently, my Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade announced the establishment of a UK-New Zealand trade policy dialogue that will cover market access and trade policy issues of mutual interest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much (a) her Department and (b) each of its public bodies allocated to (i) the Greater London Authority, (ii) the Mayor of London and (iii) London boroughs to support cultural projects in the last fiscal year.

Matt Hancock

a) The Government has been clear that the right balance of funding between London and the regions continues to require attention, and, as such, there has been a shift in spending on National Portfolio funding away from London over the last five years. £25.28 was spent per head in 2015/16 compared with £29.09 in 2011/12. ACE have also confirmed that the amount of funding for NPOs outside London will increase in the 2018-2022 portfolio.

In addition, in May last year, Arts Council England (ACE) announced they will increase the percentage of Lottery funding distributed outside London from 70% to 75% by the end of 2018; and invest over £35 million in the Ambition for Excellence fund – over £31 million of which will be spent outside London.

b) This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.