Tag: Martyn Day

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he is making to (a) the UN and (b) his Thailand counterpart on the detention of Pakistani Christians fleeing religious persecution in Thailand despite being UN-registered asylum seekers.

Mr Hugo Swire

We are concerned about the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand. We continue to work with the UNHCR in Thailand on a wide range of refugee issues. However, Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. Once any form of legal immigration status expires, refugees and asylum claimants may be deemed to be in Thailand illegally even if they have registered with the UNHCR. Nonetheless, we have pressed the Thai authorities to apply international humanitarian norms and standards when handling these vulnerable groups. We are also working with the Thai authorities to improve conditions of detention.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations her Department has received on the future of the school milk subsidy scheme since the outcome of the EU referendum.

George Eustice

Following the outcome of the EU Referendum we continue to receive views across the range of the Department’s responsibilities. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the EU and current EU funding arrangements will continue unchanged. The UK currently claims around £3.5 million a year under the current EU milk scheme, compared with the much larger nursery milk scheme for children under 5 which is funded by UK Health and Education departments, and is worth £67m a year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the introduction of a higher normal pension age in the Alpha pension scheme on the life expectancy of prison officers after retirement.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Prison officers are highly valued public servants, who do an important job protecting the public and keeping prisoners safe. The Justice Secretary recently met the POA to discuss their concerns.

Public sector pension schemes have been reformed to rebalance taxpayer and member contributions in the short term, and to ensure that costs are sustainable and fair in the long term.

An Equalities Assessment for the Alpha pension age change is available on gov.uk. The change eventually moves normal pension age to 68, and was introduced in the context of generally improving life expectancy. The higher normal pension age of 68 does not take effect until 2042, and of 67 not until 2025.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when work first began in his Department on consideration of the proposal to include Dupuytren’s contracture in the list of industrial injuries recognised for disablement benefits.

Justin Tomlinson

Work began in May 2014 following publication of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee’s report on Dupuytren’s Contracture. It is expected that a decision whether or not to add it to the list of prescribed diseases will be made early this year and will take account of the potential costs involved and other relevant factors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the risk to the UK and Europe of the spread of the Zika virus.

Jane Ellison

Public Health England (PHE) continue to monitor the situation closely and have provided revised travel advice and updated guidance to healthcare professionals on the management of patients returning from affected countries who present with symptoms. There is no evidence to suggest that the mosquitos that are known to carry Zika are established in the United Kingdom or could survive in our climate and therefore the risk to the UK population from Zika is very low. PHE is in regular contact with specialists in other European countries, as well as internationally, to make sure all necessary steps are being taken to protect the UK travelling public.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Turkish counterpart on military action in the south east of Turkey and the consequences of that action for Kurdish civilians.

Mr David Lidington

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 February 2016 (PQ 26321) to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps is he is taking to support the youth work sector; and if he will take steps to support that sector through sustainable funding, investment in research and incentives to encourage volunteering.

Mr Rob Wilson

It is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how to allocate funding for youth services according to local need, through the existing statutory duty (Education Act 2006, Section 507B). Government launched the Delivering Differently for Young People Programme to offer practical support to local authorities in exploring innovative and sustainable models for delivering youth services. Government continues to support the Centre for Youth Impact to work with youth organisations to undertake research to measure impact and demonstrate value to funders and commissioners. We are also committed to expanding National Citizen Service, which many youth sector organisations help to deliver. Government is taking new steps to encourage and enable social action. This includes a further £15m investment in the next phase of the Centre for Social Action. We want social action to become a lifelong habit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 35941 and with reference to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21220, on industrial injuries disablement benefit: Durpuytren’s contracture, for what reasons a decision has not yet been made on whether to add that condition to the list of industrial injuries disablement benefit diseases.

Penny Mordaunt

A decision on whether to add Dupuytren’s contracture to the list of prescribed diseases can only be made after the potential impacts and other considerations have been fully evaluated. We will announce our response to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council’s recommendation in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the number of medical and injury awards to staff of raising the pension age of prison officers and other frontline uniformed staff.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Prison officers are highly valued public servants, who do an important job protecting the public and keeping prisoners safe. The Justice Secretary recently met the POA to discuss their concerns.

Public sector pension schemes have been reformed to rebalance taxpayer and member contributions in the short term, and to ensure that costs are sustainable and fair in the long term.

An Equalities Assessment for the Alpha pension age change is available on gov.uk. The change eventually moves normal pension age to 68, and was introduced in the context of generally improving life expectancy. The higher normal pension age of 68 does not take effect until 2042, and of 67 not until 2025.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 8 December 2015 to Question 18144 and 22 December 2015 to Question 19937 on Dupuytren’s contracture, what his Department’s timetable is for considering whether to add that condition to the list of industrial injuries disablement benefit discussions.

Justin Tomlinson

Work began in May 2014 following publication of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee’s report on Dupuytren’s Contracture. It is expected that a decision whether or not to add it to the list of prescribed diseases will be made early this year and will take account of the potential costs involved and other relevant factors.