Tag: Helen Goodman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-03-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people he assumed would use the Lifetime ISA in order to estimate the cost to the Exchequer of that policy.

Harriett Baldwin

The Lifetime ISA is a voluntary product. For further information on the costing of this policy, please see page 9 of the Budget 2015 Policy Costings document: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/508147/PU1912_Policy_Costings_FINAL3.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Chinese government on the safety of British journalists working in China.

Mr Hugo Swire

We remain concerned by the harassment and detention of journalists in China. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to respect and protect freedom of expression and association, in line with its constitution and the international frameworks to which China is a party. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised this issue with the Chinese Foreign Minister earlier this year. Specifically, he expressed his disappointment at the unacceptable treatment of journalists, including those from the UK, outside the court during the trial of Pu Zhiqiang. I raised the same issue with Vice Minister Cheng Fengxiang, of the Chinese Communist Party International Liaison Department, in December 2015. The latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights report highlights further concerns over the treatment of some journalists in China (including foreign journalists).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time is for claimants of universal credit to receive their first payment.

Damian Hinds

The information you have requested is not currently quality assured for release.

We hope to be able to release data on this later this year after it has been quality assured.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Natura 2000 scheme will be continued.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Whilst we are still a member of the EU we will continue to implement the Habitats and Birds Directives, including management of the Natura 2000 network of European sites.

We are committed to protecting vulnerable species and habitats and to being the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than that in which we found it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with officials of the Egyptian government on the killings in Rabaa in June 2013.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK Government was deeply concerned by the clearance of the sit-ins on 14 August 2013, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of protestors and a number of police officers. We raised our concerns with the Egyptian Government at the highest levels, as well as in the EU Foreign Affairs Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The then Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague of Richmond, issued a statement at the time of the violence, in which he condemned the use of force in clearing protests in Egypt and called on the security forces to act with restraint. I personally raised this issue with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on 9 September 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to begin the ratification process of the December 2015 Paris Agreement.

Mr Nick Hurd

An explanatory memorandum initiating the UK’s domestic approval of the Agreement was laid on 7^th October 2016 with a view to completing the domestic procedures that will enable ratification before the end of the year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a response to the Human Rights Watch report, The Blood of People Who Don’t Cooperate: Continuing Torture and Mistreatment of Detainees in Bahrain, published on 22 November 2015.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are considering the report carefully. The UK Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. We are aware of ongoing allegations against Ministry of Interior personnel and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities. The Government of Bahrain has previously committed to consider ratifying the Optional Protocol of the Convention Against Torture. The UK strongly supports this and we have been working with the authorities to share best practice on torture prevention measures. We also continue to ask the Government of Bahrain to allow a visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on museums and galleries in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2014-15; and what estimate he has made of such spending in (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Thanks to an excellent Spending Review settlement in November 2015 – the Government is honouring its manifesto commitment to keep entry to the permanent collections of our national museums free.

Through the Arts Council England, DCMS is increasing funding for major partner museums to £22.6 million to enable greater regional spending. In addition to this, regional museums can bid for funds from ACE’s £10 million per year Resilience Fund. We are also investing millions of pounds to boost local and regional museums – for example, £5 million towards a new South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum and £2.5 million to the Manchester Museum of Science andIndustry.

Spend on DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries was £389.7 million in 2014/15. In 2005 spend was £397.4 million and in 2010 it was £474.7 million. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also a major source of support to museums. To date, HLF has supported a total of 38,000 projects with £6.6 billion across the UK with around one third of this being allocated to museums, including support for capital projects, acquisitions and skills development.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-02-05.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what principles or framework HM Revenue and Customs uses to negotiate tax treaties with developing countries.

Mr David Gauke

The UK’s starting point in negotiations of tax treaties is based closely on the OECD Model Double Taxation Convention, which is also the basis for most other countries’ tax treaties. Some developing countries prefer to follow the UN Model Convention, the provisions of which differ in some areas to the OECD Model and the UK has agreed to adopt some of the UN provisions in its treaties with those countries. The object of the negotiations is to produce a text acceptable to both countries, balancing their preferences and reflecting compromises.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have made representations to his Department about the proposed change of social sector housing benefit to the level of local housing allowance.

Justin Tomlinson

So far representations have been made by 93 individuals and 16 housing providers about the proposed change of social sector housing benefit to the level of local housing allowance.

DWP Ministers and officials will continue to have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.