Tag: FALSE

  • FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations have taken place between the Home Office and other relevant government agencies with reference to the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting communiqué in which Heads recalled the importance to the people of the Commonwealth for legitimate and temporary reasons in order to benefit from stronger economic

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Home Office regularly consults with other Government departments and agencies about all aspects of the UK immigration system including with regard to those visiting the UK from the Commonwealth.

    The UK continues to contribute to the Commonwealth Secretariat led group looking at the movement of Commonwealth citizens and how that can be improved taking due regard to the requirement in the Communiqué that the actions should “not conflict with national legislation and international obligations.”

  • FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 11 May (HL8117) what assessment they have made of paragraph 27 of the Third Report of the House of Commons International Development Committee The UK’s Development Work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories which states We are nevertheless concerned that DFID is not taking adequate measures to prevent its funds from being misused. Given the scale of the operation

    Baroness Verma

    We investigate thoroughly any claims that UK funds are misused. UK aid to the PA is subject to rigorous scrutiny, with safeguards in place to ensure its being used for proper development purposes.

    UK support to the PA funds named civil servants from a pre-approved EU list only. The EU PEGASE mechanism is used to earmark funds to payment of vetted PA civil servants and pensioners. The list of approved recipients is subject to a vetting process that includes screening against international and ad hoc sanctions lists. The screening covers over 20 different risk categories, including terrorism financing and is updated daily.

    The EU PEGASE mechanism is independently audited, as is UK direct financial assistance to the PA.

  • FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who first contacted (1) the Metropolitan Police Service, and (2) the Crown Prosecution Service, with the suggestion that it was unlawful for the supporters of Tottenham Hotspur to chant yids”

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The Crown Prosecution Service has no specific policy relating to the chanting of the word "yids" by Tottenham Hotspur supporters and incurred no legal advice costs on this specific issue. The case against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service prior to the adjourned date of the hearing, without parties having to attend court, and without the associated costs being incurred.

    The Crown Prosecution Service National Football lead has been consulted on a number of occasions regarding whether the use of the word "yid" could amount to a criminal act. The general advice given on each occasion was that each case depends on its specific facts. In relation to the case that was dropped against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters, the police contacted the Crown Prosecution Service prior to charge. Advice was given that there was a realistic prospect of conviction. It subsequently transpired that the further evidence was not available and the case was therefore discontinued. Prior to the discontinuance a meeting took place between senior police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service officials.

  • FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2014-05-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the nature of the urgent consideration” they are giving to improve the attainment outcomes of Gypsy

    Lord Nash

    The draft Child Poverty Strategy document references measures currently under consideration to improve the attendance of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) pupils. Attendance levels for many of these pupils are unacceptably low. In 2012/13, the overall absence rate for Gypsy / Roma pupils (15.3%) was around three times the national rate for all pupils (5.3%) and for Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils, was around four times the national rate (21.4%). Poor attendance at school is a real barrier to improving attainment for this group of pupils and there is an urgent need for improvement. GRT families, stakeholder groups, schools and local authorities – working in partnership – have an important role to play in fostering the highest expectations when it comes to attendance so that all GRT children can benefit from their full educational entitlement.

    The Government is investing £2.5 billion in the pupil premium this year to improve the attainment of pupils from low-income families and so improve their future life chances. Most GRT pupils are benefiting from the pupil premium on the basis of their economic circumstances. In 2013, three quarters of Traveller of Irish Heritage and 60% of Gypsy / Roma pupils attracted pupil premium funding. There are no plans to change the pupil premium funding criteria.

    The summer term meeting of the Department for Education’s reference group on GRT will provide an opportunity for further discussion on improving the attainment of GRT pupils.

  • FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the evidence cited in the article An Increase in the Sex Ratio of Births to India-born Mothers in England and Wales: Evidence for Sex-Selective Abortion” by Sylvie Dubuc and David Coleman published in Population and Development Review

    Earl Howe

    This article is a useful addition to the evidence base around sex selective abortions.

    On 23 May 2014 the Department published updated analysis of birth ratios for England and Wales 2008-2012. The analyses by country of birth and ethnicity did not offer evidence of sex selection taking place within England and Wales. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library. It is also available at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-male-to-female-birth-ratios-in-the-uk-2008-to-2012.

    The Department will repeat this analysis on an annual basis following publication of birth data and remain vigilant and receptive to reports of such practice.

  • FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    FALSE – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on Energy and Climate Change.

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    Baroness Verma

    We are on track to introduce enabling regulations to have the OLR mechanism in place ahead of the first CfD allocation in Autumn 2014. This will include a final version of the Backstop Power Purchase Agreement (BPPA) contract terms that generators will be entitled to. Generators will therefore have a high degree of clarity about the arrangements well in advance of the first auctions. We are shortly publishing a draft version of the BPPA contract terms this week to give generators further clarity on the terms they can expect.

    Whilst the OLR will be in place, generators will not be able to access a Backstop PPA contract immediately, with BPPA contracts being available from April 2016 at the very latest. In light of the time taken to commission projects and the likelihood that a PPA falls away and cannot be replaced, the period between the legislation being in place and the first BPPA contract being available is unlikely to have significant impacts in practice. This process has been tested with stakeholders, including the Offtaker of Last Resort Advisory Group, and we continue to work with Ofgem to bring forward the date when the first BPPA contracts can be awarded.