Tag: Gareth Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have taken part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) in each of the last five years; how many people he estimates will take part in the NCS in the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Rob Wilson

Whilst the most recent figures for 2015 have not yet been confirmed, the table below shows numbers of National Citizen Service participants since the programme began in 2011.

We have ambitious targets for the next three years, on a trajectory to deliver 300,000 participants per year in 2019. We are committed to extending the benefits of NCS to as many young people and communities as possible, by providing a place for every young person who wants one.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 24390, if he will list those clinical commissioning groups which had (a) planned and (b) actual overspends in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15 and (c) have such overspends in 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

Owing to the length of the data requested, quarterly information on Clinical Commissioning Spend, including planned and actual overspends, can be found here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publications/financial-performance-reports/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations board to offer GCSE and A-level Gujarati examinations beyond September 2018; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

The exam boards are independent organisations, and the department continues to work closely with them to secure the future of all the existing language GCSEs and A levels, including Gujarati.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Government has contributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ appeal for the Burundi humanitarian response in 2016; what steps she is taking to encourage international partners to contribute to that fund; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd

The UK is very concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi, and the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. DFID has contributed £21.15 million in Tanzania and Rwanda towards the UNHCR regional refugee response plan since April 2015 to support shelter, food, healthcare and livelihoods assistance for Burundian refugees. The 2016 Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan was published in January and appeals for $313.8 million to support 330,000 refugees in Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. DFID is currently reviewing the 2016 allocation to this appeal and intends to release further funds in coming months. DFID is also supporting refugees in the DRC and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. DFID has deployed a humanitarian adviser to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.

DFID officials across the region are working closely with national and international counterparts – including UNHCR, the EU, World Bank, NGOs and other donors – to ensure that humanitarian needs in Burundi and the region are met. We are encouraging developmental donors in Burundi to re-programme funds quickly to maintain the basic functions of the state – such as health centres – and working with the international financial institutions (IFIs) to respond to the growing needs and develop programmes that support the resilience of existing systems.

The Humanitarian Response Plan for Burundi was published in March 2016 and appeals for $62.3 million to support 1.1 million people. DFID is currently reviewing a potential contribution to the appeal, and is undertaking contingency planning should the situation deteriorate.

DFID continues to monitor the situation closely with the FCO, and liaises regularly with interested and influential parties such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, in order to pressure the international community to act and focus attention on the crisis.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many carrier liability charges were issued to commercial transport firms, airlines, ferry companies and other operators for transporting illegal immigrants into the UK in total by (a) port and (b) firm in each of the last seven years.

James Brokenshire

Penalties are issued for inadequately documented arrivals and it would not be known at that stage whether the passenger was an illegal immigrant.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the programme managed by Capita to identify and remove overstayers; when the contract with Capita for that programme is due for renewal; whether she plans to make any amendments to the terms of that contract; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

Capita was appointed to progress cases in the Migration Refusal Pool (MRP), which consists of those people who have received a negative decision on their cases, but have not left the country. The purpose of these arrangements is to contact manage cases and encourage voluntary departure and compliance. Capita does not remove anyone from the UK.

Capita’s work on the Migration Refusal Pool has enabled a substantial reduction in the size of the MRP during the lifetime of the contract and has included the assessment of 659,400 cases and the identification of 143,400 departures. More statistics on the contract can be found in the Immigration Enforcement transparency data, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-may-2016

The contract was signed in 2012 to run for four years and is due to expire this October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on establishing a credit union for members of the armed forces; what steps he is taking to make military personnel aware of that service; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 March 2016 to Question 29059 to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon).

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29059/

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

EU Directives related to HM Treasury responsibilities awaiting transposition into UK law are as follows: The Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, The Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive, VAT Vouchers Directive, Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, the Payment Services Directive II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and amendment to the Directive on Administrative Assistance and Mutual Cooperation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to devolve further fiscal powers to local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Percy

Devolution Deals have awarded Mayoral Combined Authorities with greater flexibilities over investment funding through the Single Pot. Some have also committed to pilots for the retention of growth in business rates above a base and further, to pilot the 100% retention system that will be in operation nationally by the end of this parliament. These policies fundamentally change the way local government operates, through the localisation of business rates to fund local government functions.

We continue to welcome Devolution Deal proposals from all areas of the country and have been clear that the most ambitious deals will require ambitious governance reform.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

There are no EU directives related to the Department’s responsibilities awaiting transposition into UK law.