Tag: Naomi Long

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will commission an independent assessment of the effect of changes to funding levels of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and its compliance with the Paris Principles.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to her question of 26 June 2014, Official Report, Column 260W. My officials will study the Commission’s impact statement closely and work with it to ensure it is able to continue to meet its statutory and international obligations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy towards Burma of the recently published brief by the Chin Human Rights Organisation entitled The state of freedom of religion or belief for Chin in Burma, 2013.

Mr Hugo Swire

We are aware of the Chin Human Rights Organisation and their report on freedom of religion and belief in Chin State. We are currently implementing some of the recommendations that the report makes to the international community, including regularly raising the importance of Freedom of Religion and Belief in discussions with the Burmese government.

During my visit to Burma in January, I raised the full range of our human rights concerns with senior members of the Burmese government and called for religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue in a speech in Rangoon. Freedom of Religion and Belief was also discussed during the first EU/Burma Human Rights Dialogue in May 2014.

Our Ambassador and Embassy officials meet regularly with representatives of all faith communities, both in Rangoon and in the wider country, including in Chin State. The UK has provided funding for interfaith dialogue to help build trust between communities – for example a project promoting peace building among youths from different faith groups.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which community-based women’s organisations in Burma receive funding from her Department to assist victims of sexual violence by the Burmese army.

Mr Alan Duncan

DFID is providing £500,000 through the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) to strengthen the network and capacity of agencies working on gender-based violence in Rakhine and Kachin those areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether it remains her policy that the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry chaired by Sir Anthony Hart is the most appropriate place where all allegations surrounding Kincora should be examined.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

It remains my view that the Inquiry chaired by Sir Anthony Hart is the best forum to consider the allegations surrounding Kincora.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will include Kincora Boys’ Home in the independent inquiry into historical child sex abuse, established by the Home Office, in order to allow potential witnesses not to be constrained by the Official Secrets Act.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

It remains my view that the inquiry chaired by Sir Anthony Hart is the best forum to consider the allegations surrounding Kincora.

As you may be aware the Attorney General for England and Wales has written to the Chairman of the Inquiry and provided an undertaking in the usual format about the admissibility and use of evidence given by a witness who co-operates with the Inquiry. This undertaking covers any offences arising under the Official Secrets Act.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to work with partners in the region to ensure that sufficient aid for reconstruction reaches Gaza following the recent conflict.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID has already disbursed £5 million of the £20 million early recovery assistance that we pledged at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference. The UK was also the first donor to support the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism which is facilitating the import of construction materials into Gaza, and, in close co-ordination with our EU partners and the Office of the Quartet Representative, we continue to press the Government of Israel to lift restrictions and facilitate the entry of aid into Gaza.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, persuant to the Answer of 5 January 2015 to Question 218547, if he will adapt the Early Access to Medicines Scheme to better accommodate off-patent indications of drugs, by creating incentives for pharmaceutical companies to submit applications to the scheme.

George Freeman

Since the launch of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme in April 2014, three Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designations have already been granted. By 9 January 2015 there had been 428 downloads of the PIM designation form and 187 downloads of the scientific opinion form, which indicates the high level of interest in the scheme.

The Early Access to Medicines Scheme already has a number of incentives for pharmaceutical companies. The PIM designation provides an early indication that a product may be a possible candidate for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme and is of particular value to smaller companies because it will act as a signal to potential investors. At the next stage of scientific review, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will consider the evidence and can issue an Early Access to Medicines scientific opinion. This opinion will support the prescriber to make a decision with the patient on using this medicine, when still unlicensed or used off-label. Earlier clinical use of new innovative medicines will also provide valuable real world data to companies for use in subsequent health technology appraisal processes.

We committed to review the Early Access to Medicines Scheme when we launched the scheme in April 2014. Through the Innovative Medicine and Medical Technologies Review we will also be taking forward a major review over the coming months to make recommendations to Government on opportunities to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines, devices and diagnostics.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the post-2015 development framework includes a sustainable development goal on water and sanitation that includes universal access to sanitation by 2030.

Lynne Featherstone

The UK Government is committed to supporting 60 million people to gain access to sustainable water, sanitation and/or hygiene services in the developing world. We are on track to achieve this target.

The UK supports the inclusion of universal access to sanitation as a target under a water related goal. This language is included in the most recent draft goals and targets list released by the co-chairs of the Open Working Group (OWG) on 2 June.

The final targets in the post-2015 development framework will however be subject to international negotiations in the United Nations, in which the UK will play an active role.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the proposed beneficial ownership registry identifies the real controlling parties of all companies listed.

Jenny Willott

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will make provision for the implementation of a central registry of company beneficial ownership information. The legislation will set out the obligations and sanctions that will apply to companies and others to ensure that the central registry contains information on the ultimate owners and controllers of UK companies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-06-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to abolish tax on sanitary products.

Mr David Gauke

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 256W.