Tag: Natalie McGarry

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to keep open the Kinloss army barracks.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence is continuing to review our estate to ensure it is smaller and more sustainable, this will allow us to focus on delivering future Defence capability and has enabled the investment in sites such as Lossiemouth and Faslane.

Whilst no decision has been made on the future of Kinloss Barracks, Scotland will continue to be a vital home for our Armed Forces. However Scotland, like the rest of the UK, must expect some sites to close as well as investment in these other locations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Glasgow and (d) Glasgow East constituency are in receipt of both the state pension and carer’s allowance in the 2015-16 financial year.

Justin Tomlinson

The information as requested for 2015/16 is not available.

However information on the number of people in receipt of both the State Pension and Carer’s Allowance is published by the Department on a quarterly basis. The latest data available is February 2015 which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool

Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help secure a lasting peace settlement in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Our goal remains a negotiated political settlement which delivers stability for all Syrians and a government with which we can work to tackle terrorists. The UK Government is clear that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict. Through our membership of the United Nations Security Council and as part of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) we are supporting the UN Special Envoy for Syria in facilitating peace negotiations between the Syrian parties on a process for political transition in Syria. These UN-led negotiations remain the best opportunity to end the conflict through political transition away from Asad to an inclusive government. We are also working to create the conditions for this by pushing hard for full and sustained humanitarian access in Syria, and working through the ISSG Task Forces in Geneva to maintain the Cessation of Hostilities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British airstrikes have been conducted in (a) Iraq from September 2014 to September 2016 and (b) Syria from December 2015 to September 2016.

Mike Penning

Between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2016 there were 941 UK airstrikes in Iraq. Between 1 December 2015 and 31 August 2016 there were 63 UK airstrikes in Syria.

These strike numbers are constantly reviewed and updated by the Coalition to ensure records are as complete and accurate as possible. As such, past and future statements regarding statistics may differ to those given here.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of Government expenditure on the carer addition element of pension credit in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Glasgow and (d) Glasgow East constituency in the 2015-16 financial year.

Justin Tomlinson

Forecasts of expenditure as a result of the carer addition element of Pension Credit for 2015/16 are not available. However, estimates of the outturn expenditure (as a result of the carer addition element of Pension Credit) in 2014/15 are shown in the table below.

Tables show expenditure for Great Britain, not the UK, as expenditure in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive.

Pension Credit expenditure as a result of the carer addition, 2014/15	£, million	…as a percentage of total pension credit expenditure in that area
Great Britain	£364.7	5.5%
Scotland	£39.6	6.7%
Glasgow (City)	£6.4	5.9%
Glasgow East (constituency)	£1.8	9.4%

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of welfare reform on health inequalities in (a) Glasgow, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK.

Nicola Blackwood

The policy responsibility for welfare reform sits with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Department of Health (DH) has not made a separate assessment of the effect of welfare reform on health inequalities in England or Scotland. It is for the Scottish Government to assess the impact of welfare reform in Scotland.

Although no assessment has been made in England, DWP has engaged across government on its proposals for welfare reform. DH has been involved in discussions on the introduction of Universal Credit and its impact on health inequalities for programmes such as Healthy Start and Help with Health Costs.

Healthy Start is a United Kingdom-wide statutory benefit, funded by DH, which aims to provide additional support to improve the diets of low income pregnant women and families with children under the age of four years. Currently, regulations are being put in place which will enable the scheme to function under Universal Credit. An equality analysis, which will include a consideration of the impact on health inequalities, will be published shortly.

Help with Health Costs is a set of arrangements which provide help with the cost of a range of National Health Services for example free NHS prescriptions or NHS dental treatment. On 1 November 2015, DH put in place criteria to determine entitlement to Help with Health Costs to those in receipt of Universal Credit. An equality analysis was produced to inform these changes, outlining the potential impact, including on health inequalities, on groups affected by the change from the previous benefits and tax credits exemption arrangements to the new criteria for Universal Credit exemption. A copy of the equality analysis is attached.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times nuclear convoys travelled through (a) Glasgow East constituency, (b) the City of Glasgow and (c) Scotland from May 2015 to September 2016.

Mike Penning

The Ministry of Defence keeps defence nuclear material convoy movements to the minimum necessary to maintain the operational effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. I am withholding information on the frequency and routes used by the convoys for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he he has made of the proportion of Government expenditure on pension credit which falls within the carer addition element of that credit in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Glasgow and (d) Glasgow East constituency in the 2015-16 financial year.

Justin Tomlinson

Forecasts of expenditure as a result of the carer addition element of Pension Credit for 2015/16 are not available. However, estimates of the outturn expenditure (as a result of the carer addition element of Pension Credit) in 2014/15 are shown in the table below.

Tables show expenditure for Great Britain, not the UK, as expenditure in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive.

Pension Credit expenditure as a result of the carer addition, 2014/15	£, million	…as a percentage of total pension credit expenditure in that area
Great Britain	£364.7	5.5%
Scotland	£39.6	6.7%
Glasgow (City)	£6.4	5.9%
Glasgow East (constituency)	£1.8	9.4%

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to investigate reports that asylum seekers have been mistreated and housed in substandard accommodation in Glasgow.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office contract compliance teams regularly check supplier performance, including investigating complaints and incident reporting.

We have worked closely with our COMPASS Providers, including Serco, to improve property standards and over the lifetime of the contract, quality standards have increased.

Where a contractor is found to be falling short of these standards, we work with them to ensure issues are quickly addressed. When they are not we can and do impose sanctions.

Where there are allegations of asylum seekers being mistreated or their accommodation being substandard, I would encourage anyone to notify the Home Office so we can investigate and resolve any issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what work his Department has done to assess the potential effect of the soft drinks industry levy on levels of obesity in children and teenagers.

Jane Ellison

The Chief Medical Officer has said that reformulation and resizing are the key wins to tackle obesity.

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has been specifically designed to encourage companies to reduce the amount of added sugar in their products and move consumers towards healthier choices, by promoting low-sugar brands and introducing smaller portion sizes for high-sugary drinks.

The government will monitor industry progress in reformulation over the coming years.