Tag: Fiona Bruce

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report, Four Nations: How evidence based are alcohol policies across the UK, published by the Alliance for Useful Evidence in November 2015, if the Government will provide a single, clear, easy-to-access, up-to-date source of information on the full range of alcohol policies and programmes in each area of the UK.

Mike Penning

We will build on the 2012 Alcohol Strategy to tackle alcohol as a driver of crime and support people to stay healthy, whilst working with partners at a local and national level to reduce the impact of alcohol misuse. Alcohol licensing and policy is devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland. We have no plans to provide the requested information on a UK wide basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many responses her Department has received (a) through its online response form and (b) by email to its Out-of-school education settings: registration and inspection consultation.

Nick Gibb

The Government wants children to be educated in a safe environment without exposure to hateful and extremist views that undermine British values. The call for evidence on out-of-school education settings was launched on 26 November 2015 and ran for six and a half weeks closing on 11 January 2016.

Around 3,000 people completed the published response form, either online or manually. The Department for Education received a significant number of further representations to the consultation by email and post. All responses and representations are being logged, analysed and verified.

In line with Cabinet Office guidance, we will be publishing a response to the consultation in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of Sunday trading devolution on the premium pay of shop workers in Scotland.

Anna Soubry

The levels of premium pay in Scotland will be a result of a range of factors and businesses will ultimately be constrained by the need to hire the quality and quantity of shop workers they need in local markets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the potential effects of proposed legislation in China on the management of foreign non-governmental organisations’ activities.

Mr Hugo Swire

I follow the human rights situation in China closely and the wider impact of legislative developments. We will be gathering reactions, in particular from UK organisations and British nationals working in the Non-Governmental Organisation sector, to assess the law’s potential impact ahead of it coming into force in January 2017. Along with EU partners we will be submitting detailed questions around the implementation of the law to the Chinese authorities.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was allocated to the married couples tax allowance in 2015-16; and how much was spent on that allowance in that year.

Mr David Gauke

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revised the forecast for Marriage Allowance at Budget 2016. Details were published in the OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook in March 2016.

The Government remains committed to recognising marriage through the tax system. Marriage Allowance could benefit eligible couples by up to £432 this year if couples also backdate their claim to 2015-16. HM Revenue and Customs is continuing to look at ways to increase take-up of Marriage Allowance, including through further advertising, to ensure all eligible couples are able to take advantage of the allowance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that drivers are aware of the need to take care when driving past or near horses and their riders.

Andrew Jones

The Department takes every opportunity to remind motorists of their responsibilities towards vulnerable road users – including horse riders – through publications such as the Highway Code and THINK! Road Safety campaigns. THINK! officials are currently working with the British Horse Society following their recently launched ‘Dead Slow’ campaign. Plans for the summer include publicity on TV, radio, online and social media advising motorists on how to pass horses safely.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what campaigns he plans to implement over the Christmas period in 2015 to draw public attention to the dangers of drinking and driving.

Andrew Jones

On 1^st December the Department for Transport’s THINK! campaign will launch a new Drink Drive campaign in England and Wales. The campaign will use paid-for advertising (including TV and radio) alongside social media and PR activities. We are also working with commercial partners including Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker and Budweiser who provide incentives to help drivers make the right choice not to drink and drive.

Targeted at men aged 17-34, the campaign aims to contribute to a reduction in the number of people killed and seriously injured as a result of drink driving by highlighting the potential danger of driving after drinking lower levels of alcohol. The campaign also aims to maintain the social unacceptability of drink driving amongst a wider ‘all adult’ audience who will see some of the advertising.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many victims of human trafficking have been identified and their identities subsequently forwarded to the police as a result of people calling the NSPCC human trafficking and slavery helpline between July 2014 and June 2015.

Karen Bradley

I refer my Hon. Friend to my response of 11 November 2015 [14823]. Between 31 July 2014 and 31 July 2015 849 contacts were made to the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline and of these 272 referrals were made to the police. The Home Office does not maintain a record of how many victims were identified as a result of these referrals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with the EU the issue of (a) the dismissal by the General Court of the EU of first listing challenges brought by individuals on the EU’s targeted human rights sanctions list and (b) imposing such sanctions on North Korea’s suspected human rights violations.

Mr Hugo Swire

We welcome the EU General Court’s dismissal of challenges brought by individuals listed for violating human rights in Iran. The human rights situation in Iran remains a matter of serious concern. We are also deeply concerned by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) appalling human rights record. We will continue to consider a broad range of policy options whenever we discuss the DPRK with other EU member states. The EU already has autonomous measures against the DPRK in place which complement and enforce UN sanctions, targeting the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Any new measures or sanctions regime introduced at the EU level must clearly improve the human rights situation. They must also satisfy our ability to defend the legality of the decision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Regulatory Policy Committee has made of the devolution of Sunday trading rules.

Anna Soubry

The Government’s estimates of the economic impact will be independently scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee and their assessment will be published in due course.