Tag: Greg Mulholland

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seeker applications were received in each of the last five years; and how many such applicants were (a) refused, (b) granted refugee status, (c) granted humanitarian protection and (d) granted discretionary leave to remain.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office publishes an analysis of applications for whole-year cohorts of asylum seekers to establish the overall success rates following appeal; this is available in Table as_06 (Asylum data table Volume 2) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. For the latest years, some cases will still be outstanding. This cohort analysis is therefore not able to provide a complete picture for the latest applications but for most years will provide the most complete description of the outcome for asylum seekers. The analysis of the outcomes of asylum applications are the recorded outcomes of the group (or cohort) of applicants in any one year, at a particular time. This dataset is updated, in full, annually and is currently available up to 2014.

Insert Table

A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April – June 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential suffering felt by badgers through gaseous methods of slaughter.

George Eustice

In August 2013, we commissioned new research into alternative methods of culling badgers.

The first step involved reviewing and updating the ‘Review of effectiveness, environmental impact, humaneness and feasibility of lethal methods for badger control’ published in 2005. The review was completed in September 2013.

Following research carried out as a result of Lord Zuckerman’s review in the 1980s, we would not support the use of hydrogen cyanide gas due to humaneness concerns. However, we are considering potential humane alternatives.

In October and November 2013 we carried out initial trials of nitrogen-filled foam to analyse its dispersal in an artificial sett-like environment. These trials did not involve the use of active setts or tests on live animals.

Further research is now planned into the use of carbon monoxide as a potential sett-based means of humane culling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which policies of other countries he has assessed with regards to the gassing of badgers.

George Eustice

Carbon monoxide gas has been used successfully in the United States and Australia to control a range of species including burrowing rodents, rabbits and larger mammals such as coyotes and foxes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to establish a statutory system of guardianship to support victims of child trafficking.

Karen Bradley

The Modern Slavery Bill, published on 10 June 2014, includes an enabling clause
which provides a statutory basis for child trafficking advocates and their
functions including the circumstances and conditions under which a person may
act as an advocate.

The clause provides the Secretary of State with a power to make arrangements so
that specialist child trafficking advocates are available to support and
represent children who there is reason to believe may be victims of
trafficking. It also allows for requirements on public authorities to
co-operate with and provide information to these advocates.

Trials of the child trafficking advocates scheme will commence in summer 2014.
The trials will be independently evaluated both at six months and on
completion. A report on the findings will be laid before Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to recognise child trafficking as a separate offence to adult trafficking.

Karen Bradley

The most effective way to protect child victims of trafficking is to have a
general offence, which applies to both adults and children. The Modern
Slavery Bill contains a general human trafficking offence, which does not
require prosecutors to prove the age of the child, as this can lead to practical
problems during prosecutions. Targeting a child will, however, be an
aggravating factor for sentencing purposes, and the human trafficking
offence in the Modern Slavery Bill will carry a maximum sentence of life
imprisonment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 20W, on bovine tuberculosis, whether his Department has since commissioned any research about the safety, humaneness and effectiveness of gassing badgers.

George Eustice

In August 2013, we commissioned new research into alternative methods of culling badgers.

The first step involved reviewing and updating the ‘Review of effectiveness, environmental impact, humaneness and feasibility of lethal methods for badger control’ published in 2005. The review was completed in September 2013.

Following research carried out as a result of Lord Zuckerman’s review in the 1980s, we would not support the use of hydrogen cyanide gas due to humaneness concerns. However, we are considering potential humane alternatives.

In October and November 2013 we carried out initial trials of nitrogen-filled foam to analyse its dispersal in an artificial sett-like environment. These trials did not involve the use of active setts or tests on live animals.

Further research is now planned into the use of carbon monoxide as a potential sett-based means of humane culling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-01-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses were ordered by the Financial Services Ombudsman to award consumers fair compensation up to the £100,000 limit in each year from 2001 to 2011.

Andrea Leadsom

The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.

These questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to extend the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to consider complaints from primary producers.

Jo Swinson

The jurisdiction of the Groceries Code Adjudicator is defined by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The Code governs the commercial relationships between the ten largest UK supermarkets and their direct suppliers, and reflects the findings of the Competition Commission’s market investigation into the supermarket sector conducted between 2006 and 2008.

There will be a statutory review of the performance of the Adjudicator next year in accordance with section 15 of the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure policy coherence between trade policy and international poverty reduction with reference to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Matthew Hancock

Trade openness is a key driver of economic growth, which is essential for poverty reduction. Trade will therefore play a central role in the Means of Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. We are working with colleagues across Whitehall to develop an ambitious proposal for trade commitments in the Post-2015 agenda. These commitments range from securing increased market access for low income countries to ensuring that they can make the most of this access through tackling ‘behind the border’ obstacles to trade.