Tag: Gregory Campbell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in the devolved administrations on the proposed National Pollinator Strategy to reverse the decline in the bee population in the UK.

Dan Rogerson

Defra officials have been in regular contact with theDevolved Administrations as we prepare the National Pollinator Strategy. We have shared lessons learned and how to work cooperatively to achieve common goals. As we move to implementation of the Strategy’s actions, this cooperation will continue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the NSPCC’s Order In Court campaign seeking change changes to the way the criminal justice system treats children.

Damian Green

The Ministry of Justice is committed to protecting and supporting child witnesses to help give their best evidence. In doing so, we have equipped the majority of Crown Courts and Magistrates Courts with facilities to enable vulnerable witnesses to give evidence by secure video link from an alternative location to the trial court. We are exploring ways to increase the use of video links, including in cases involving vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses.

We are also working with other criminal justice agencies to improve the uptake of Registered Intermediaries for child and other vulnerable witnesses. I am grateful to the NSPCC, whose campaign will assist in raising awareness.

Specialist training for judges is the responsibility of the judiciary and the Judicial College.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings of the British-Irish Council he has taken part.

Jo Swinson

My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not held any meetings with the British-Irish Council within the last year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations the possibility of extending the National Citizen Services to those administrations.

Mr Rob Wilson

The Government is committed to giving as many young people as possible the chance to take part in this life-changing opportunity. The programme will continue to take place in every English Local Authority in 2015. 2014 saw 504 young people take part in Northern Ireland and 364 young people take part in Wales.

My officials and I continue to work closely with the devolved administrations and following successful pilots of the programme the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development is developing a longer term plan for supporting NCS in Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-02-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of allowing savings bonds for older people to be used as part of an ISA.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government has introduced a range of measures to support savers, including raising the ISA limit to £15,240, and making ISAs more flexible by allowing all of that money to be invested in stocks and shares or cash. The 65+ “Pensioner” Bond is a specific policy on top of the improvements to ISAs, designed to help savers who rely on their income during retirement. The Bonds will be taxed in line with other comparable products in the savings market: the only difference is the market-leading rate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-02-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of people currently paying income tax who would not pay that tax if the threshold at which it begins to be payable were to be raised to £15,000 per annum.

Mr David Gauke

It is estimated that raising the personal tax allowance to £15,000 in the year 2015-16 would take 6.2 million individuals out of income tax liability at a cost of £26 billion to the Exchequer.

These estimates are based on the 2011-12 Survey of Personal Incomes projected forward to 2015-16 using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s December 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Sudan counterpart on that government’s attitude towards its Christian communities.

Mark Simmonds

We regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Sudan about religious persecutions and the need to respect freedom of religion or belief for all its citizens. My officials have recently made representations to the Foreign Minister, urging the Government to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief including one’s right to follow the religion or belief of choice. This right is enshrined in international human rights law as well as in Sudan’s own 2005 Interim Constitution. We will continue to raise these issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to inform older people about the implications of digital radio switchover.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government set out its plans for digital radio in December 2013. We have always been clear that the listener is at the heart of any decision in relation to a digital radio switchover. With digital radio listening under 40% we concluded it was not the right time to announce a switchover or set any dates.

Whilst we are fully committed to a digital future for the UK, a decision about the timetable for a future switchover will only be considered once 50 per cent of all radio listening is on digital platforms and local and national DAB coverage matches FM.

As part of the Digital Radio Action Plan, DCMS worked with the Consumer Experts Group (originally formed to inform the digital TV switchover process) which included representatives from a number of consumer organisations*, including Age UK, in order to ensure the policy on digital radio takes account of a wide range of listeners needs. A paper by the Consumer Experts Group was published by DCMS and is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-scheme-digital-radio-action-plan. The Government will take account of this paper as part of a future consideration of a switchover.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he plans to make to his Egyptian counterpart on press freedom in that country.

Hugh Robertson

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement on 23 June expressing his concerns and urging the Egyptian Government to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression by reviewing this case as a matter of urgency.

The Egyptian Ambassador Ashraf el-Kholy was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 23 June. FCO Political Director, Simon Gass told the Egyptian Ambassador that the British Government was deeply concerned by the verdicts, along with the procedural shortcomings seen during the trials. The British Ambassador to Egypt raised this issue in Cairo with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June.

British Ministers and diplomats will continue to urge the Egyptian Government to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of UK residents aged 100 years and over between 2015 and 2025.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.