The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the Austrian government on a person suspected of rape in Linz, Austria, who is now resident in the UK.
Mr David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any representations from the Austrian government on this alleged case.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent to which there is a threat to freedom of speech in Hong Kong.
Mr Hugo Swire
During his meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on 5 January and in London on 4 February, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), stressed the importance of respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all residents of Hong Kong. He also made clear our expectations that the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law for Hong Kong should be respected. During those meetings, China reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy.
During the visit to London by Hong Kong Chief Executive C Y Leung on 15 and 16 October 2015, the Foreign Secretary and I also discussed with him the importance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and the need to preserve the rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Joint Declaration.
The Foreign Secretary’s most recent six-monthly report to the House, published on 11 February (covering the period 1 July–31 December 2015), urged “the Chinese and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region governments to reassure the people of Hong Kong that the fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents will continue to be fully protected, and respected by all, in accordance with the Joint Declaration and Basic Law.” The report also stated that “while we assess that during the reporting period ‘One Country, Two Systems’ has, in very many areas, continued to function well, there have been some areas which have given grounds for concern. These revolve principally around the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Joint Declaration, including academic freedom and the freedom of the press.” We will continue to raise such issues with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.
We aim to provide consular assistance to all British citizens, and to dual nationals in their country of other nationality in exceptional circumstances, in line with our consular guidance. We acknowledge that some countries do not accept dual nationality.
In the case of British citizen Mr Lee Po, the Government continues to call at the highest level on the Chinese Government for his
immediate return to Hong Kong. Despite formal requests which we continue to make, we have not been granted consular access to Mr Lee. We also stand ready to provide consular assistance to Mr Lee’s family.
The Government will continue to monitor rights and freedoms in Hong Kong through the Foreign Secretary’s six-monthly reports.
The full report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2015
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 2007 to ensure that customers can use discount vouchers to purchase formula in supermarkets.
Jane Ellison
The restrictions on promotional sales of infant formula are an important aspect of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 2007 which implement the World Health Organization International Code on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. There are no plans to amend this part of the Regulations. While the Department encourages exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life because of the significant health benefits to both mothers and babies, we recognise that infant feeding choices are complex and based on individual and family circumstances, and therefore, low income households have access to the Healthy Start Scheme and may use the vouchers to purchase infant formula.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrea Jenkyns on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average cost to the public purse of an additional (a) school place and (b) classroom in each of the next three years.
Edward Timpson
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-06-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have of rocket and mortar attacks on civilians in the Sheikh Maqsoud area of Aleppo by the Fatah Halat coalition of Islamist militants or other groups; and whether they have received any reports that chemical weapons were used in that area in early April or since then.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of reports of rocket and mortar attacks in civilian areas in the Sheikh Maqsood area of Aleppo in early April. These attacks were a result of clashes between the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and a range of armed opposition groups. There have also been allegations of chemical weapons use by armed groups in the area. We have been unable to verify these reports. The ongoing violence in Syria continues to put civilians at risk. Only a political settlement, with transition away from Asad, can bring an end to their suffering.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Polak on 2016-09-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the reports of a senior World Vision official in Gaza diverting funds to Hamas, what steps they are taking to ensure that UK aid given to projects in Gaza and the West Bank is not misappropriated.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The recent allegations against the senior World Vision official in Gaza are deeply concerning. DFID does not fund World Vision operations in Gaza or the Occupied Palestinian Territories more widely. DFID’s programmes are subject to stringent safeguards.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2015 to Question 15325, how any of those asylum claims resulted in a positive asylum decision.
James Brokenshire
Of those claims which have received a decision, 486 received a positive outcome.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have introduced a requirement for health professionals involved in the Personal Independence Payment assessment to confirm that they have referred to the reliability criteria when formulating their advice.
Baroness Altmann
The guidance for health professionals undertaking assessments for Personal Independence Payment specifies that for a descriptor to be able to apply to a claimant, the claimant must be able to complete the activity reliably i.e. safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period. For a report to be considered fully acceptable it must include confirmation that the health professional has fully considered these reliability criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22573, what equipment and buildings of any kind situated along the side of the Bexleyheath rail line were damaged in the landslides which blocked the line during the week beginning 11 January 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Claire Perry
Network Rail has advised that a signalling control cabinet was pushed over by the recent landslip at Barnehurst, and then had to be moved to a location away from the affected area to enable access to temporarily stabilise the landslide. This involved moving the staging on which the cabinet was sited, the cabinet itself, and the cables.
Network Rail further advises that the earthwork was last examined on 5 February 2015, when its condition showed no signs of impending failure. Its condition prior to the earthworks failure was such that its next inspection would have been three years from that date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to reply to the letter to his Department from the hon. Member for Ashfield of 4 January 2016 on the GP surgery in Underwood.
Alistair Burt
I replied to the hon. Member on 28 January.