Tag: Jeffrey M. Donaldson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is a Crown body or a non-departmental public body; and what the planned budget for that office is for 2016-17.

Mr Ben Wallace

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is a statutory officer holder. He/she is supported by the employees of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland who are recruited directly by the Chief Electoral Officer under s.14A of the Electoral Law Act 1962.

An initial resource budget (excluding depreciation) of £2,011,000 has been allocated to the Chief Electoral Officer. Further funding – both capital and resource – will be made available to support the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland transformation programme which includes the introduction of digital registration.

The Chief Electoral Officer will also receive funding from the Consolidated Fund and the Northern Ireland Assembly to support the EU Referendum and Northern Ireland Assembly elections that are due to take place in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received representations to support the candidacy of Argentine Foreign Minister Susanna Malcorra for the position of UN Secretary General; what assessment he has made of the potential effect on UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands of such an appointment; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

I have received notice that Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra, is bidding for the role of UN Secretary-General. We want a strong Secretary-General, one with integrity, a proven track record, first class communication skills, suitable and relevant experience and unimpeachable character. They should be committed to transparency and accountability, have strong leadership skills, a bold vision for an activist UN at the heart of the rules-based system, and be committed to cost-effective management and reform. It is imperative that any Secretary-General serves the whole membership. We judge all candidates on their merits. The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the (a) criteria by which applicants are selected and (b) names of applicants who applied to host Armed Forces Day in 2017.

Mike Penning

Guidance on applying to host the Armed Forces Day National Event is available from the Ministry of Defence’s Ceremonial Events and Commemorations Team whose contact details are on the Armed Forces Day Website: www.armedforcesday.org.uk.

Applications typically take the form of a letter from the Local Authority Leader /Chief Executive, to the Defence Minister in the House of Lords (Earl Howe). This letter is assessed to gauge the strength of the applicant’s argument as to why they should be selected, and the quality of their proposals for the event. In addition, the following aspects are considered:

Proximity to previous national events – there would be an aspiration to stage the event in a different region of the country to previous events, in order to capture a fresh local audience.

Maturity of any existing annual event hosted by the applicant.

Availability of a suitable venue and infrastructure within the applicant’s jurisdiction.

Support of local populace for the Armed Forces.

The applicant’s capacity to administer an event of equivalent scale and significance.

Financial resource available, and plans to secure adequate sponsorship.

While it would be inappropriate to name the authorities that lost out to Liverpool City Council in the process of selecting the hosts for the National Armed Forces Day event in 2017, we can confirm that no formal bid was received from any local authority in Ulster.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department asked local authorities in Northern Ireland to apply to host Armed Forces Day in 2017.

Mike Penning

It is a matter for local authorities to decide whether to apply to host Armed Forces Day in 2017.

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the deadline for the receipt of applications for Armed Forces Day 2018 will be.

Mike Penning

Applications for the National Event are accepted at any time, though should typically be submitted by the end of March in the preceding year, so March 2017 for the 2018 event.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for funding by his Department of regimental museums over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

In addition to the National Army Museum, in the current financial year the Ministry of Defence (MOD) supported 69 regimental and corps museums across the UK through a combination of a £1.3 million total grant in aid, £1.6 million salary costs, and providing utilities and some support running costs when a museum is located on a MOD site. Funding beyond the current financial year will be set later this year, and will be subject to the normal review process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the attendance of reservists at weekly drills, training exercises and medical assessments.

Mr Julian Brazier

The majority of Reserve personnel train on a regular basis, effectively balancing their commitment to their Service with the competing demands of a busy modern life. The Ministry of Defence recognises and rewards reservists’ commitment to our nation in various ways.

We have provided better equipment, and more opportunities for interesting and challenging experiences, including exercises, adventurous training and overseas training.

Volunteer reservists are paid for attendance at training and also receive a tax-exempt training bounty provided they fulfil their Service’s annual training requirement including a two week camp or course. They have also received an annual paid leave entitlement since 1 April 2013.

In addition, since April 2015, reservists have been eligible for the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme for non-mobilised service, based on paid attendance.

These are just some examples of the actions the Department has taken to demonstrate that reservists are valued and valuable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to participate in events to commemorate the centenary of the (a) Easter Rising and (b) Battle of the Somme.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

One of the Northern Ireland Office’s objectives for the commemoration of the decade of centenaries of 1912-1922 is to work with the Irish Government to promote greater understanding of our shared history and promote reconciliation.

2016 will mark the centenary of a number of significant events including the Easter Rising, the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Jutland. The Northern Ireland Office is working with colleagues in DCMS and others to prepare for a number of these commemorations. All invitations received are being considered on a case by case basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that checks on the complement and manning limit of reservist regiments are performed regularly and on time.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Reserve is a vital component of the Army’s military capability and the Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring it continues to grow and contains the correct capability mix. There are a series of mechanisms to ensure this is the case.

The Secretary of State chairs regular meetings to review manning levels in the Army Reserve. In addition, manning levels are routinely reviewed through the Defence People and Training Board, Defence Board Meetings and a series of holding-to-account processes.

The Army also monitors the size and shape of its Reserve through bi-monthly boards, whilst the Executive Committee of the Army Board reviews manning levels on a quarterly basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the oral and written evidence provided by the Government to the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I have been in regular contact with the Home Secretary on the Investigatory Powers Bill since drafting began last year. The Government is fully aware of the crucial importance of this legislation for combating terrorism in Northern Ireland. In November, the Home Secretary and I met to discuss the pre-legislative scrutiny process and the latest draft of the Bill that has been examined by the Joint Committee.

Between November and January, the Government provided detailed evidence to the Joint Committee, including the Home Secretary’s oral evidence given last week. The Government’s evidence has explained the provisions of the Bill in detail and has set out the necessity of the powers as well as the safeguards that are to apply.