Tag: Lord Scriven

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 23 March (HL6926), on what date the Department of Health was informed that NHS England was going to introduce a sugar tax in NHS premises by 2020.

Lord Prior of Brampton

We have a range of conversations about key issues at Ministerial and official level with NHS England. NHS England is independent and the decision on a sugar levy on the National Health Service estate is a matter for them operationally. We are interested to see the results of their consultation on a sugar levy.

The announcement of a soft drinks industry levy by the Chancellor in the Budget is the first step in our comprehensive Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, and gives companies strong incentives to reformulate their products.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider publishing central government data on procurement history and key performance indicators to help tech communities understand the opportunities available to them, as recommended in the recent report The Digital Powerhouse: The innovation potential of tech clusters in the North.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

On 12 May, the Cabinet Office committed to implement the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) in the Crown Commercial Service’s operations by October 2016. This is part of the UK’s Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has also begun a consultation on a number of proposals to update the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the review of countries designated under section 94(5) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 following the Supreme Court judgment in R (JB (Jamaica)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] UKSC 8.

Lord Bates

The process of reviewing all the designated countries is nearing completion. Any proposals for changes to the designation of countries must be made by order and so will be put to Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Archbishop of Canterbury on the recent communiqué from Anglican Primates about homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Government has made no representations to the Most Rev. and rt hon Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Anglican Community, regarding the recent communique from the Anglican Primates, issued on 15 January.

The Government does not normally make comments in response to statements issued by the Church of England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 23 March (HL6926), whether the issue of the sugar tax to be introduced by NHS England in their own premises by 2020 was raised as part of their conversations with NHS England, and if so, by whom and which ministers were consequently informed.

Lord Prior of Brampton

We have a range of conversations about key issues at Ministerial and official level with NHS England. NHS England is independent and the decision on a sugar levy on the National Health Service estate is a matter for them operationally. We are interested to see the results of their consultation on a sugar levy.

The announcement of a soft drinks industry levy by the Chancellor in the Budget is the first step in our comprehensive Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, and gives companies strong incentives to reformulate their products.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend specifically to look at providing funding to make the North a testbed for experimental technology, as recommended in the recent report The Digital Powerhouse: The innovation potential of tech clusters in the North.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Government funding is already being used to develop and trial innovative new technology in the North. £170 million has been invested in the Hartree Centre to broaden and deepen the use of High Performance Computing in industry and academia – and has since attracted inward investment of over £200m from IBM and other high-tech industry. Government has also confirmed £45 million of research funding for six new Next Generation Digital Economy Centres – including one led by Newcastle University – to drive the development of new digital technologies. The centres have secured over £22 million additional funding and support in kind that will boost the impact of these centres. In addition, £9 million has been invested in the CityVerve Internet of Things Smart City demonstrator in Manchester to trial "Internet of Things" applications on a large scale.

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the review of the framework within which police forces use and retain custody images is yet complete; if so, what advice has been circulated to police forces as a result; and if not, why not.

Lord Bates

The review has not yet been completed. It is important that the issues identified by the review are properly tested with operational decision makers, so as to appropriately balance the protection of personal data and privacy with the public protection benefits and the operational need.

Due to the complexity of the operational and legal issues raised in the evidence gathering stage and the number of important stakeholders, this work is yet to be completed.

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the action plan sent to the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum following the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report in 2014 on asylum on grounds of sexual orientation has now been agreed and implemented in full.

Lord Bates

Following publication of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report last year and in consultation with key partners, UKVI produced and agreed an LGBTI ‘Action Plan’ to facilitate further improvements in the handling and management of asylum claims brought on the basis of sexual identity issues and to improve the training and guidance given to staff.

The key inspection recommendations have been reflected in this plan, specifically improving training and guidance to decision makers, improving claim recording mechanisms, ensuring policy compliance, and ensuring a consistent approach to explicit material and dealing with sexually explicit questioning. We continue to work with our partners in developing these strategies to ensure full implementation of the Chief Inspector’s recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-09-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Hungary about the use of tear gas and water cannon on those seeking asylum.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK expects all EU Member States to meet their obligations to comply with international standards including with regards to the fundamental values of respect for human dignity, freedom and respect for human rights, in the same way they have this expectation of us. The British Government recognises that Hungary has received the second highest number of asylum claims of any EU Member State this year to June, reaching unprecedented levels. We continue to follow closely the situation in Hungary and other Central European countries regarding the arrival of unprecedented numbers of people seeking entry and, often, passage onwards. Staff at our Embassy in Budapest have visited the border with Serbia and reception centres and have also met with Hungarian officials. More broadly as the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has stated, the UK and its EU partners must pursue a comprehensive approach which addresses the causes of the migration problem as well as the consequences.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-09-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the rules for public servants so that senior public officers who work during strikes do not get extra payments, as was the case with three senior officers of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service during strikes in 2014–15.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Pay policy for members of staff is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities.

The Government is grateful to those members of staff who worked to ensure the safety of their communities during periods of strike action by members of the Fire Brigades Union.