Tag: Lord Empey

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-03-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to recognise passports issued by Russia to residents of Crimea following the annexation of that territory from Ukraine as valid travel documents.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Government is clear that the UK does not recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea which we view as illegal.

    Some residents of Crimea already hold Russian nationality, and were in possession of a valid Russian passport before Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Subject to any travel ban imposed upon an individual, the UK will continue to recognise any legitimate holder of a Russian passport with a valid UK visa or entry clearance as eligible to travel and seek entry to the UK.

    In terms of UK visa applications, those applying for visitor visas can apply at any location. Applications for visas in other categories should, in line with paragraph 28 of the Immigration rules, be made in the country or territory in which they are living. Therefore, Russian passport holders living in Crimea would be able to apply for a visit visa anywhere in the world, including Russia; but any non-visit applications would need to be made in Ukraine.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have sought assistance from the Royal Household in recovering records of royal pardons granted between 1987 and 1997.

    Baroness Randerson

    The review of Departmental record keeping ordered by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is ongoing.

    Northern Ireland Office officials continue to seek information on use of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM) for the years 1987 to 1997. This includes contact with the Royal Household to ascertain whether they hold any relevant information.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept claims for hearing loss from former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Yes, provided that the Department accepts that it would be likely to be found liable if the claim were to be considered by a court.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place for a person who was granted a royal pardon between 1987 and 1997 to resist a subsequent prosecution for the crime for which that person has been pardoned in the event of new evidence emerging and the lack of knowledge by the prosecuting authorities of the existence of such a pardon given the absence of records of such pardons having been granted.

    Baroness Randerson

    Following a search of the records held by the Northern Ireland Office, no evidence has been found to indicate that between 1987 and 1997, the RPM was used to do anything other than to remit (i.e. shorten) the sentences of individuals who had already been convicted of offences. It is therefore the release from custody that demonstrates the exercise of the RPM.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims for hearing loss they have received from former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Claims for damages brought against the Ministry of Defence are not recorded in a manner that enables the specific regiment or unit of a claimant to be identified without incurring disproportionate cost. 10,148 such claims have been received in the last six years from current and former Service personnel serving in Northern Ireland. Around 7,500 such claims have been successful to date, and the total value of compensation paid as a result has been around £62.3 million.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept claims for hearing loss from former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who served before 1986; and if not, why not.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 prevented service personnel, including former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, from suing the Crown for alleged negligence which occurred before that section was repealed in 1987. The repeal was not retrospective. Depending on their level of hearing loss, they may, however, be eligible for a War Disablement Pension.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the value of the compensation paid to former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who have made claims for hearing loss; and how many successful claims there have been to date.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Claims for damages brought against the Ministry of Defence are not recorded in a manner that enables the specific regiment or unit of a claimant to be identified without incurring disproportionate cost. 10,148 such claims have been received in the last six years from current and former Service personnel serving in Northern Ireland. Around 7,500 such claims have been successful to date, and the total value of compensation paid as a result has been around £62.3 million.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have held talks with the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Justice Minister about the forthcoming parading season in Northern Ireland; when any such meetings occurred; and who was present at those meetings.

    Baroness Randerson

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Chair of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland and the Minister for Justice for Northern Ireland on Wednesday, 14 May 2014.

    Also in attendance at this meeting were senior officials from the Northern Ireland Office and Department of Justice along with members of the PSNI Service Executive Team and the Secretariat of the Parades Commission.

    This meeting provided participants with an opportunity to exchange general views on the parading season in Northern Ireland. No decisions were taken at this meeting and there were no discussions about operational matters relating to specific parades.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whom they consider to be the legitimate government of Syria.

    Baroness Warsi

    While we consider the National Coalition the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, it is not at present the government in Syria. The Coalition is working to realise the aspirations of the vast majority of Syrians for a democratic and pluralist future for their country. The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by responding to the demands of its people for their basic rights and freedoms with escalating, and horrifying, brutality: using chemical weapons, heavy artillery and air power against civilians; unlawfully detaining and torturing its own people, including children; and preventing life-saving humanitarian support from getting to those who need it. The recent Syrian presidential elections were a parody of democracy and served only as a reminder of the continued illegitimacy of the Assad regime.

  • Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Empey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so how much, money they have withheld from the Northern Ireland Executive because of its failure to implement welfare reform in Northern Ireland.

    Lord Deighton

    The Chief Secretary to the Treasury notified the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel on 31 March that the Northern Ireland Executive’s funding allocations would be reduced by £13m, £87 m and £114 m in 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 respectively.