Tag: Emily Thornberry

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the UN Support Mission in Libya has made on resolving the competing claims for (a) chairmanship of the Libyan Investment Authority and (b) governorship of the Central Bank of Libya.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

These matters are questions of Libyan sovereignty and we fully support the new Government of National Accord in resolving them.

Resolution 2259 (2015), supported by the UK and adopted by the Security Council on 23 December 2015, highlighted the importance of these institutions continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans, and stressed the need for the Government of National Accord to exercise sole and effective oversight over the National Oil Company, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority as a matter of urgency, without prejudice to future constitutional arrangements pursuant to the Libyan Political Agreement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what procedures his Department had in place to monitor any changes in estimates of the cost of the Successor submarine programme during preparations for his Budget statement in March 2016.

Greg Hands

The Treasury maintains a regular and frequent dialogue with the Ministry of Defence over the costs of all significant elements of defence spending, including the Successor programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to encourage (a) China, (b) Egypt, (c) India, (d) Iran, (e) Israel, (f) North Korea, (g) Pakistan and (h) the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in the last 12 months.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

During the last 12 months we have continued to urge the eight remaining Annex II states who have not yet ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to do so. We have worked through the EU to promote the entry into force and universalisation of the Treaty. We made a statement and co-sponsored a resolution supporting the entry into force of the Treaty at the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly. The G7 Foreign Ministers’ declaration at their meeting in Hiroshima was clear that all states should sign and ratify the treaty without delay and without conditions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 19 April 2016 to Question 34085, whether any UK discussions with the Saudi Arabian authorities regarding the alleged use of cluster munitions in Yemen have led to confirmation that such munitions have been used by Saudi Arabian armed forces on any occasion.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are aware of reports of the alleged use of Cluster Munitions by the Coalition in Yemen . We have raised this issue with the Saudi Arabian authorities and, in line with our obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, continue to encourage Saudi Arabia, as a non-party to the Convention, to accede to it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Universal Credit (Work Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2015 (S.I., 2015, No. 1649) on work incentives for single parents in receipt of universal credit.

Priti Patel

Universal Credit (UC) has been designed to reduce poverty and ensure work pays. Once fully rolled out, up to 300,000 more people are likely to be in work as a result of the introduction of UC. The Government is also providing additional support for families by increasing childcare funding within UC from 70% to 85% of eligible costs, the introduction of Tax Free Childcare and the extension of free early years childcare for working parents from 15 hours to 30 hours.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to respond to its call for evidence on the cost of providing childcare published on 15 June 2015.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The call for evidence is part of the government review on the cost of providing childcare and is one of the sources of evidence that will inform its outcome. The review will inform decisions on funding for early years which will be made as part of the Spending Review on 25 November. The Department published the analysis of the responses to the call for evidence on GOV.UK on 8 October and the report is available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-bill-policy-statement

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Justice press release, Prison building revolution announced by Chancellor and Justice Secretary, published on 9 November 2015, what plans the Government has to ensure that redevelopment of prison sites in central London includes an element of social housing.

Brandon Lewis

Over this Parliament the Government is committed to releasing surplus public sector land with capacity for up to 150,000 homes by 2020. It is for local planning authorities, working with developers, to decide the appropriate level of market and affordable housing for each site having regard to the Local Plan and viability.

We strongly support the re-use of brownfield land that is suitable for new housing. The Housing and Planning Bill will require local authorities to have a statutory register of brownfield land suitable for housing, improving the availability and transparency of up-to-date information, as part of our ambition that 90% of suitable brownfield sites have planning permission for housing by 2020.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of participants in (a) the Mandatory Intervention Regime, (b) Community Work Placements and (c) Daily Work Search Review under the Help to Work scheme have been sanctioned since April 2014.

Priti Patel

Information on how many participants in Mandatory Intervention Regime and Daily Work Search Review, who have been sanctioned since April 2014, is not available

The number of Community Work Placements individuals with an adverse benefit sanction applied due to Failure to Participate in the Community Work Placement is 7,880 (between April 2014 and June 2015). This represents 15% of the total number of individuals referred to Community Work Placements in this time period.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to set targets for measuring progress towards the goal of halving the disability employment gap.

Justin Tomlinson

Progress against the disability employment gap commitment is a key factor in progress towards full employment. This is consistent with the Government’s manifesto commitment which said ‘as part of our objective to achieve full employment, we will aim to halve the disability employment gap’. The annual report on progress towards full employment will include an update on the Government’s progress towards halving the disability employment gap.

Disability is defined in the Equality Act 2010: “A person has a disability if (a) [they] have a physical or mental impairment, and (b) the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on [their] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

Employment in the UK is measured by the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Statistics on disabled employment are published quarterly by the Office for National Statistics, based on internationally agreed definitions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local housing allowance rates were set (a) at the 30th percentile, (b) within five per cent of the 30th percentile, (c) between five per cent and 10 per cent of the 30th percentile and (d) more than 10 per cent below the 30th percentile of market rents in the relevant broad market rental area in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15.

Justin Tomlinson

In 2011-12, LHA rates were uprated on a monthly basis. Of the 960 LHA rates in Great Britain, in April 2011, 949 LHA rates were set at the 30^th percentile and by March 2012, 943 LHA rates were set at the 30^th percentile. The remaining LHA rates were set at the level of the caps.

From 2012-13 LHA rates were set annually. For the years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, the following table gives the number of LHA rates set (a) at the 30^th percentile, (b) within five per cent of the 30^th percentile, (c) between five per cent and 10 per cent below the 30^th percentile and (d) more than 10 per cent below the 30^th percentile of market rents in the relevant Broad Rental Market Area.

So for example, if the 30^th percentile for a Broad Rental Market Area and property size is £200 per week (pw), the corresponding LHA rate would be included in (b) if it is greater than £190pw and less than £200pw, in (c) if it is between £180pw and £190pw, and in (d) if it is less than £180pw.

	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
(a) 30th percentile	943	695	475
(b) less than five per cent below the 30th percentile	6	228	416
(c) between five per cent and 10 per cent below the 30th percentile	2	26	42
(d) more than 10 per cent below the 30th percentile	9	11	27