Tag: Martyn Day

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of people in the UK who have been trafficked.

Sarah Newton

The Home Office and Ministry of Justice jointly fund the Adult Victims of Modern Slavery Care and Coordination Contract in England and Wales. Since July 2011, The Salvation Army has been delivering this service. The total Government funding over this period has been:

Year	Funding
2011-2012
(July-June)	£2.3 million
2012-2013
(Jul-Jun)	£3.8 million
2013-2014
(July-June)	£3.9 million
2014-2015
(July -March)	£4 million
2015-2016
(April -March)	£9 million

The Home Office estimates that in 2013 there were between 10,000 and 13,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK.

In 2015 there were 3,266 of victims of human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – the UK’s framework for referring and supporting victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.

In addition, 427 potential victims of modern slavery were identified in England and Wales via the “duty to notify” requirement which requires specified public bodies to report to the Government all potential adult victims of modern slavery encountered in England and Wales who do not wish to be referred to the NRM. Similar provisions will shortly be in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects to publish the outcomes of his Department’s BBC Charter Review consultation.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government’s BBC Charter Review Public Consultation closed in October. Over 190,000 people responded to the consultation – the second largest response to any Government consultation. We are in the process of reading and analysing all the responses, and will publish the results once this exercise is completed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Prime Minister will issue a response to (a) Early Day Motion 722, Right of abode for former British-Hong Kong servicemen and (b) petitions on this subject presented at 10 Downing Street on 5 November 2014.

James Brokenshire

I have agreed to undertake a thorough assessment of the request that this group are offered right of abode in the United Kingdom, based on their employment in Hong Kong. This is under consideration.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the implications of a decision to leave the EU on provisions in the Scotland Act 1988 requiring compliance with EU law.

David Mundell

At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

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).