Tag: Ian C. Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the conduct of the election in Uganda on 18 February 2016.

James Duddridge

I commend the people of Uganda for turning out in large numbers to cast their vote on 18 February 2016 and for their determination to participate in the electoral process. However, the British Government has raised a series of concerns with the Government of Uganda about the conduct of the elections and the post-election environment. These include serious delays to the opening of polling stations, restrictions on social media access and the continuing harassment and intimidation of members of the opposition and journalists by the Uganda Police Force.

These issues were also reflected in the EU and Commonwealth Election Observation Missions’ preliminary statements of 20 February which we fully endorse. I urge the Government of Uganda to comprehensively address all the issues raised in the Election Observation Missions’ reports.

With international partners we continue to urge all sides to show restraint in the post election period, to abide by the rule of law and to settle election related disputes through the proper legal channels. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which post offices in each constituency have moved from ground floor to first floor premises in the last two years.

Margot James

The provision and location of post offices is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.

I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, from which HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices staff will be redeployed to the proposed new Liverpool HMRC office.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles that will enable it to deliver more for less. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills it requires to continue its transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

HMRC estimates that Liverpool will be home to between 2,800 and 3,100 full time equivalent employees. Consolidation into the Regional Centre is expected to begin in 2019-20. HMRC plans to open the Regional Centre in Cardiff in 2019-20. It is likely that the office at Plas Gororau in Wrexham will close in 2020-21. HMRC will be holding one-to-one discussions with each of its people to discuss the next steps.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions for domestic violence have been recorded in (a) Wrexham, (b) North Wales and (c) Wales in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mike Penning

This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Bahrain.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We regularly discuss human rights and reform with the Government of Bahrain including at the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting which was most recently held in November 2015. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to meet its human rights obligations and to honour all conventions to which it is a party. We welcome the progress made by Bahrain on their reform programme particularly in the areas of youth justice, the establishment and increasing effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s office, the Prisoner and Detainees’ Rights Commission and the reformed National Institute of Human Rights. We continue to work with the Government of Bahrain to ensure momentum and progress on its reforms, for the benefit of all Bahrainis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26844, whether the maximum customer travel of one and a half hours or 65 miles for an interview for a passport application refers to a one-way journey or round trip.

James Brokenshire

Please accept my apologies for an error which was made in the response to question 26844.

Under the planned changes to HM Passport Offices the vast majority of passport application interviewees will see no change to their travel time. In a small number of cases passport application interviewees will have to travel further but this should not be more than 65 miles or one and a half hours additional one-way travel from their previous closest office.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-10-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people claimed tax credits in each lower super output area in (a) Wrexham County Borough Council and (b) Wrexham constituency.

Damian Hinds

A geographical breakdown of tax credits claimants can be found in the 2013-14 finalised award published statistics, at this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/462398/LSOA_2013_-_W_-_Wales.xls

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will carry out a review of asylum dispersal areas in the UK with a view to expanding the number of such areas.

James Brokenshire

In accordance with the provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, senior Home Office officials are working closely with providers and local authorities to widen existing dispersal areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of television licences for people over the age of 75 in each of the last three years.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP’s expenditure figures on TV licences for the over 75s can be found in table 1a of the ‘summer budget’ link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) asylum seekers are dispersed and (b) refugees are resident in each (i) local authority and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office publish figures on the number of asylum applicants living in dispersed accommodation (under Section 95), by local authority, in the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. The latest release for April-June 2015 is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2015

Figures on Section 95 support by local authority (including those in dispersed accommodation) are published in table as_16q, in volume 4 of the Asylum data tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/455576/asylum4-q2-2015-tabs.ods

We are unable to provide the number of refugees living in each Local Authority and parliamentary constituency, as once refugee status has been granted the individual is not required to keep the Home Office updated on their current location.