Tag: Lord Blencathra

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-05-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to protect the identity of RAF unmanned aerial vehicle operators.

Earl Howe

Reaper Force personnel are briefed in line with their specific situation and, as with all RAF personnel, they receive periodic training on personal security. This includes, for example, briefing on social media profiles. Mechanisms exist to ensure that specific threats, and the necessary responses to them, are communicated in a timely fashion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-07-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to implement English language checks on doctors who have come from other EU countries to test their knowledge of clinical English rather than general social English.

Lord Prior of Brampton

In June 2014 the General Medical Council (GMC) was given powers to carry out proportionate language controls on all applicants from the European Economic Area (EEA) to ensure that doctors have the necessary English language skills to practise safely in the United Kingdom. In addition the GMC was given powers to take fitness to practise action if a doctor working in the UK has insufficient language skills to carry out their job safely. Doctors must register with the GMC to practise in the UK.

Since June 2014 a total of 1,659 doctors from the EEA have been unable to demonstrate to the GMC that they have sufficient language skills to practise safely in the UK; 564 of those doctors have gone on to reach the standard required by the GMC and have been issued with a licence to practise.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial contribution they have received from the Church of England to fund the provision of facilities for refugees.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Government recently launched a community sponsorship scheme to enable community groups including charities, faith groups, churches and businesses to take on the role of supporting resettled refugees in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 16 September (HL1580), whether they plan to run a similar programme for Islamic extremists still in prison.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

In line with the former Prime Minister’s commitment, we are currently considering how the Desistance and Disengagement programme can best be introduced within the prison estate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what range of sanctions is available to use against British Jihadists returning to the United Kingdom after fighting in Syria and Iraq; and whether they will encourage the police to use them.

Lord Bates

People seeking to travel to engage in terrorist activity in Syria or Iraq should be in no doubt we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security. If they return to the UK they should expect to be subject to a police investigation. Whether a prosecution for an offence can be pursued in individual cases is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, which received Royal Assent on 12 February 2015, has added to existing powers by disrupting the ability of people to travel abroad to engage in terrorism-related activity and controlling their return to the UK; enhancing our ability to monitor and control the actions of those in the UK who pose a threat; and combating the underlying ideology that feeds, supports and sanctions terrorism.

In addition, the Government has powers under the Immigration Act 2014 to deprive persons of their British citizenship if such a deprivation is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’, for instance if a person has been involved in threats to national security, war crimes, serious and organised crime or unacceptable behaviours such as glorification of terrorism. Deprivation of British citizenship results in simultaneous loss of the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Once deprived, an individual becomes subject to immigration powers and can be deported or removed from the UK

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the removal of the passports of British Jihadists who have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq, in order to prevent their return to the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates

The Government has long-standing powers under the Immigration Act 2014 to deprive persons of their British citizenship if such deprivation is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’, for instance if a person has been involved in threats to national security, war crimes, serious and organised crime or unacceptable behaviours such as glorification of terrorism.

Deprivation of British citizenship results in simultaneous loss of the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Once deprived, an individual becomes subject to immigration powers and can be deported or removed from the UK or prevented from returning to the UK if deprivation action occurs whilst they are abroad.

In addition under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, the Home Secretary may impose a temporary exclusion order on a British citizen suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activity outside the UK. The individual’s passport would be cancelled, but the individual may return to the UK in accordance with a permit to return.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace since 1995 in relation to the promotion of diesel engine cars.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

There have been numerous contacts between government departments and both Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth since 1995. The information on representations made is not readily available and it would be disproportionate to fully retrieve it.

I can however confirm that in the last month representations to more than one government department have been made by the organisations raising concerns regarding the possible promotion of diesel engine cars.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce a British fuel efficiency test for all motor vehicles sold in the United Kingdom which exactly simulates real driving conditions and which does not use a rolling road nor overinflated tyres.

Viscount Younger of Leckie

We will continue to work with the EU to produce testing that more accurately reflects real world driving conditions. The current laboratory test – the New European Test Procedure – is expected to be replaced in 2017 with a new test – the World Light duty Test Procedure – that will more closely replicate the design of modern vehicles and the way they are driven.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Church of England following the letter sent to the Prime Minister by 86 bishops on 10 September about the Church providing funds to meet all additional costs of increasing the number of refugees taken into the United Kingdom; and what assessment they have made of the further support the Church of England can provide to meet the needs of refugees in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates

On 10 September 2015 a letter signed by 37 Bishops was sent to the Prime Minister. This letter set out how the Church stands ready to play their part but also how they believe the country could resettle more than 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years.

The Home Office wants to involve the Church in the design and implementation of the longer term programme of work. We are happy to have meetings with representatives from the Church to discuss the issues raised in the Bishops letter. Some of these meetings have already taken place with more planned over the next few weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-10-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost, in the first year, of accepting Syrian refugees.

Lord Bates

The first 12 months of each refugee’s resettlement costs will be funded using ODA (Official Development Assistance). After year one we will also provide additional funding to assist with costs incurred in future years.

The anticipated cost for the first year is still being worked out between relevant Government departments and local authorities. We expect to agree indicative costings in the near future.

There are a range of factors that have to be included when it comes to bringing people to the UK and helping them to settle. Each person coming from Syria will have different needs so it is not possible to say how much the support for any individual will cost.