Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government is providing to the Kurdistan regional government related to internally displaced people in that region.

Rory Stewart

Since June 2014, the UK has committed £129.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. This includes cash assistance, access to clean water, food, medicines and other life-saving assistance for the most vulnerable people, including internally displaced people in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Given the importance of a coordinated response, we have provided £1 million of funding to UNDP to support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Joint Crisis Centre (JCC), and its equivalent for the Government of Iraq, the Joint Crisis and Monitoring Centre (JCMC). The JCC is leading humanitarian efforts for the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much repairs to Type 45 ships will cost; and whether the cost will be borne out of existing funds or a new allocation.

Harriett Baldwin

To reveal our current estimates of the cost of this upgrade would be prejudicial to the commercial interests of the Department. I can confirm, however, that funding for this improvement programme is to be contained within the budget allocated to Navy Command.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent the Zika virus from entering the UK.

Nicola Blackwood

The female mosquitoes responsible for Zika virus transmission are not native to the United Kingdom and it is considered highly unlikely they could survive the current UK climatic conditions long enough to become established. The risk to public health posed by Zika virus is, therefore, very low and no greater than the risks posed by other mosquito-borne infections, such as malaria, for example.

Public Health England monitors various insect vectors (in particular, mosquitoes) in the UK through surveillance projects that it runs in collaboration with a range of organisations across the UK. In England, detection of an invasive species considered to pose a threat to the UK would trigger the use of appropriate control measures.

In addition, the Government is ensuring UK residents travelling to countries with active Zika transmission are encouraged to take measures to minimise the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, for example through the use of insect repellent.

Up-to-date travel advice is in place, and clinical advice is available to UK medical professionals. More information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/zika-virus-zikv-clinical-and-travel-guidance

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce nuisance calls and (b) give advice to companies on how to contact the public appropriately on inheritance tax issues.

Matt Hancock

Companies who wish to make direct marking calls must abide by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations(PECR). The Government has already taken a number of steps to reduce the problem of nuisance calls with further measures to be implemented in the near future. In May 2016, the Government introduced a new requirement for all direct marketing callers to provide caller line identification. In September 2016 we introduced a measure in the Digital Economy Bill that in currently going through Parliament that will make it a requirement for the Information Commissioner to issue a statutory code of practice on direct marketing, which will support the ICO in taking action against those who breach PECR. More recently, we announced the Governments intention to hold company directors to account for breaches of the PECR. In addition, the Government is considering extending the Information Commissioner’s powers of compulsory audit to organisations that generate nuisance calls. This measure amongst other measures will provide better consumer protection, from unsolicited telephone calls.

The Gov.UK website, provides information about inheritance tax and the support available from the Inheritance Tax and Probate helpline. HMRC works with advisers to direct them and the public to this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on steps to ensure that maintenance of flight connections between Belfast Aldergrove Airport and New York.

Mr John Hayes

The Department for Transport was briefed on several occasions by the Northern Ireland Office on the Northern Ireland Executive’s considerations on steps to ensure the maintenance of flight connections between Belfast Aldergrove Airport and New York. The Department was not actively involved in this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Indian government on its steps to hold to account and prosecute state officials and other people who violate the safeguard for religious freedom in that country’s constitution.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. The Indian government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities.

I welcome Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to be the "servant of all Indians". He has clearly reaffirmed his commitment to the Constitution and “the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence”. Should any individual break the law in India, it is a matter for the Indian law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute.

The High Commission in New Delhi also maintains regular contact with the union and state government, civil society organisations and senior faith leaders working on religious freedom across India.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with manufacturers of drugs for cancer treatment on preventing rises in the prices of such drugs.

George Freeman

There have been no such representations or discussions. The prices of branded medicines are controlled by the 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme or under the statutory scheme established under the Health Service Branded Medicines (Control of Prices and Supply of Information) (No.2) Regulations 2008 and the Health Service Medicines (Information Relating to Sales of Branded Medicines etc.) Regulations 2007.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has provided support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Government does not provide support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to amend sentencing guidelines to reduce the amount of time that offenders spend in prison.

Andrew Selous

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts, who must follow guidelines unless it would not be in the interests of justice to do so. Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council to promote consistency and proportionality in sentencing. The guidelines are available on the Sentencing Council website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been prescribed Viagra for medical purposes other than that for which it is usually prescribed in the last three years; and what those other purposes have been.

Alistair Burt

Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines or the medical condition being treated.