Tag: Lord Empey

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much is paid in benefits to claimants who are citizens of each of the 27 other EU member states, and how many such claimants there are from each of those countries.

Lord Freud

Information on benefit receipt by nationality is not available.

The Department has published statistics on working age benefit recipients claiming within 6 months of National Insurance Number (NINO) registration. This information is known as “Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP benefit claimants” and is included in the “Statistical Bulletin on National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals”.

The Government is looking at ways to reform the current administrative system under Universal Credit so that it will systematically record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional financial resources and staff are being made available to assist unaccompanied children coming to the UK from refugee camps (1) in Europe, and (2) outside Europe.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Our Syrian resettlement programme is working well and local authorities across the country have been closely involved in this. Alongside this programme we will consult local authorities on how best to implement the resettlement scheme for children at risk announced on 21 April and the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the admission to the UK of unaccompanied refugee children from elsewhere in the EU. This will be done as part of our wider discussion with local authorities and other partners, including non-governmental organisations, about unaccompanied children who arrive in the UK and claim asylum here and about the implementation of new arrangements to relieve the pressure on particular local authorities by transferring these children to the care of other local authorities. The Home Office funds local authority care for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and funding arrangements form part of the ongoing discussion with local authorities. We are determined to ensure that no local authority is asked to take more unaccompanied children than local services are able to deal with and that impacts are managed in a fair and controlled way.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received proposals from the Northern Ireland Executive for the establishment of an Enterprise Zone in Northern Ireland, and if so, where such a zone would be located.

Lord Young of Cookham

The establishment of an enterprise zone in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

In the 2013 economic pact between the UK government and the Northern Ireland Executive, ‘Building a Prosperous and United Community’, we agreed to consider designating a range of sites within any Northern Ireland Enterprise Zone as designated areas for Enhanced Capital Allowances, should the Executive propose them.

This year, we delivered the necessary legislation to provide for Enhanced Capital Allowances in the Executive’s pilot Coleraine Enterprise Zone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many vessels belonging to people smugglers have been apprehended or destroyed in the Mediterranean in 2015.

Earl Howe

Since July 2015, the EU Naval Force Operation in the Mediterranean, Operation SOPHIA, has disposed of around 40 migrant boats. Her Majesty’s Government does not hold information on the total number of boats destroyed by other European actors operating in the Mediterranean. Figures are correct as at 10 November 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-03-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to change the operation of, and access to, the services provided by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

Lord Dunlop

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is currently considering a range of options for reforming his office. Any reforms will ensure that elections and electoral registration will continue to be delivered in the most effective way while placing his office on a sustainable financial footing. I understand work on some of the options for reform remains at an early stage.

In addition to the currently available paper registration process we propose to introduce, by the end of 2016, an on-line registration service. This will improve the registration service offered to people in Northern Ireland.

The consideration of possible structural changes to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Chief Electoral Officer and it will be for him to consult with stakeholders once the options have been fully explored.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the arrival of unaccompanied children from refugee camps (1) in Europe, and (2) outside Europe, on waiting lists for mental and other health services.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The United Kingdom has been operating resettlement schemes for many years and we already have established and effective networks to accommodate and support resettled people. The increase in numbers will require an expansion of current networks and the impact on local communities and infrastructure will need to be managed carefully. That is why we are working with a wide range of partners to ensure that people are integrated sensitively into local communities and that we have the right support in place for unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in the UK from Europe whilst ensuring we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.

The guidance, Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children, sets out the health duties for local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England. The guidance sets out that local authorities and the National Health Service should take account any particular needs of the child, including if they are unaccompanied asylum seekers. This guidance is attached.

Whilst there are a range of health care professionals, for example youth workers and teachers, who deliver interventions and support for children and young people with mental health conditions, clinical need should be determined by a specialist initial assessment in line with guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Local areas have published Local Transformation Plans that set out how mental health services will be delivered for their population. As part of their plans, local areas were asked to set out how they planned to meet the needs of more vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied refugee and asylum seeking children (UASC).

NHS England ensures that all commissioners of health services have appropriate arrangements and resources in place to meet the physical, emotional and mental health needs of looked-after children, including UASC. They will work with local commissioners to raise awareness of the Resettlement Programme and highlight the additional numbers of children who will require their attention and support.

Decisions about the resources needed to meet the mental health and other health needs of all children and young people, including UASC, are taken at a local level by CCGs. This may include decisions to recruit additional staff where necessary.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they received their most recent communication from the Northern Ireland Executive concerning the establishment of an Enterprise Zone in Northern Ireland.

Lord Young of Cookham

The establishment of an enterprise zone in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

In the 2013 economic pact between the UK government and the Northern Ireland Executive, ‘Building a Prosperous and United Community’, we agreed to consider designating a range of sites within any Northern Ireland Enterprise Zone as designated areas for Enhanced Capital Allowances, should the Executive propose them.

This year, we delivered the necessary legislation to provide for Enhanced Capital Allowances in the Executive’s pilot Coleraine Enterprise Zone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communications they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the creation of Enterprise Zones in Northern Ireland.

Lord Dunlop

The Government communicates with the Northern Ireland Executive frequently on a wide range of issues.

In ‘Building a United and Prosperous Community’ (the ‘Economic Pact’) signed in June 2013, the Government made a commitment to consider any Executive-nominated sites to be designated as an Enterprise Zone. Budget 2014 announced that businesses located within the Executive’s proposed pilot Enterprise Zone near Coleraine could benefit from enhanced capital allowances until 2020.

I understand the Executive continues to work towards the implementation of this pilot Enterprise Zone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-03-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish papers relating to the review of the workings of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

Lord Dunlop

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is currently considering a range of options for reforming his office. Any reforms will ensure that elections and electoral registration will continue to be delivered in the most effective way while placing his office on a sustainable financial footing. I understand work on some of the options for reform remains at an early stage.

In addition to the currently available paper registration process we propose to introduce, by the end of 2016, an on-line registration service. This will improve the registration service offered to people in Northern Ireland.

The consideration of possible structural changes to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Chief Electoral Officer and it will be for him to consult with stakeholders once the options have been fully explored.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many additional staff are being recruited to attend to and treat unaccompanied children coming to the UK from refugee camps (1) in Europe, and (2) outside Europe.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The United Kingdom has been operating resettlement schemes for many years and we already have established and effective networks to accommodate and support resettled people. The increase in numbers will require an expansion of current networks and the impact on local communities and infrastructure will need to be managed carefully. That is why we are working with a wide range of partners to ensure that people are integrated sensitively into local communities and that we have the right support in place for unaccompanied refugee children who arrive in the UK from Europe whilst ensuring we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.

The guidance, Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children, sets out the health duties for local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS England. The guidance sets out that local authorities and the National Health Service should take account any particular needs of the child, including if they are unaccompanied asylum seekers. This guidance is attached.

Whilst there are a range of health care professionals, for example youth workers and teachers, who deliver interventions and support for children and young people with mental health conditions, clinical need should be determined by a specialist initial assessment in line with guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Local areas have published Local Transformation Plans that set out how mental health services will be delivered for their population. As part of their plans, local areas were asked to set out how they planned to meet the needs of more vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied refugee and asylum seeking children (UASC).

NHS England ensures that all commissioners of health services have appropriate arrangements and resources in place to meet the physical, emotional and mental health needs of looked-after children, including UASC. They will work with local commissioners to raise awareness of the Resettlement Programme and highlight the additional numbers of children who will require their attention and support.

Decisions about the resources needed to meet the mental health and other health needs of all children and young people, including UASC, are taken at a local level by CCGs. This may include decisions to recruit additional staff where necessary.