Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they made of the risks to national security and to service personnel before publishing the names of soldiers and potential recruits online.

    Earl Howe

    The Armed Forces have a long history of publishing a nominal roll of serving officers, in the form of the ‘The Navy List’, ‘The Army List’ and the ‘The Air Force List’, generically known as the Armed Forces Lists.

    The Armed Forces Lists’ information was first published online in 2014, following requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and as part of our overall commitment to transparency. This information was judged to be releasable, having previously been published annually for over 200 years.

    In September 2015, the policy on the publication of the Armed Forces Lists was reviewed and a decision was made to significantly reduce the information published, limiting this to information on officers at one star rank (Brigadier and equivalents) and above, except in respect of the Royal Navy. Details of those officers commanding a warship would continue to be published through release of a suitable version of the ‘Fleet Bridge Card’, which provides information on the number of RN Senior officers in command of the Fleet, the Flotillas and the warships. This decision was informed by advice on security risks. The previous Service Lists published on the Gov.uk website have now been removed.

    Names of soldiers at Warrant Officer rank and below and potential recruits have never been published online in the Armed Forces Lists.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2016 to Question 48875, how many refugees her Department has helped to remain in, or stay as close as possible to, their countries of origin.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is supporting hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the Syria crisis in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. We also provide support, assistance and protection for over 5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank and the region. In Africa, our programmes support over a million refugees, with a focus on Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The Secretary of State recently visited Kenya and saw how UK support for refugees is creating trading opportunities and sustainable livelihoods closer to home. The UK has announced a further £20 million to help voluntary, humane and safe returns for Somali refugees in Kenya, and £15 million towards a UN Appeal to support an expected one million displaced people in Afghanistan, including returning refugees.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Secretary of State has now formally withdrawn the commitment made in The importance of teaching: the schools white paper 2010 concerning the role of local authorities in commissioning new provision and overseeing the transition of failing schools to new management.

    Lord Nash

    Local authorities are under a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places in their area. They can increase the number of school places by proposing the expansion of a maintained school or seeking to fund the expansion of an academy to meet basic need. Where a local authority identifies the need to establish a new school, s6A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires it to seek, in the first instance, proposals to establish a free school. Local authorities can, if they wish, assess proposals and recommend their preferred provider. However, the Secretary of State makes the final decision on whether or not to enter to enter into a funding agreement with any of the proposers.

    The Education and Adoption Bill is clear that all failing schools must become academies and local authorities, along with governing bodies, are under a duty to facilitate the conversion. The latest draft of the Schools Causing Concern guidance, which is currently out for consultation, makes clear that local authorities have an important role in working with Regional School Commissioners to ensure the rapid and effective transferof failing schools to sponsor-led academy trusts.

    Local authorities therefore have an important role to play in education and this commitment has not been withdrawn.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Michael Fallon

    On nine occasions.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what planning for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria the Government has undertaken.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK has factored the need for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction into our planning from the beginning of the crisis and committed £1bn towards this. We are now working with international partners to coordinate stabilisation efforts as they develop, and to update our post-conflict planning to reflect the timeline envisaged in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) process. We are ensuring that an internationally coordinated stabilisation mechanism is ready for a scenario in which transition has taken place, when delivery of stabilisation efforts to support political transition will be necessary. This all rests on an inclusive political settlement, which is why the UK is pushing hard for the ISSG to deliver transition leading to a ceasefire and an inclusive government which represents all Syrians. The Syria Conference in February provides an important opportunity to advance stabilisation and reconstruction planning.

  • Caroline Flint – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Flint – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2016-02-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the contribution of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury of 3 February 2016, Official Report, column 975, what level of information has been disclosed to him in respect of Google’s tax return and the HM Revenue and Customs agreement with that company.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information to which Ministers have access is the same as that in the public domain.

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the conduct of tax inquiries. Ministers are not privy to information about the individual tax arrangements of any company.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the statistical information on active National Insurance numbers issued to EEA citizens requested by Jonathan Portes under the Freedom of Information Act on 2 December 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals

    “

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the outcomes have been of her Department’s programme of post-conflict development in Northern Uganda.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Post-Conflict Development Programme for Northern Uganda aims to improve service delivery in health, support the most vulnerable and help young people find employment, amongst other activities. This is in line with the new UK Aid Strategy which includes tackling the root causes of instability and conflict. Some of the main achievements include:

    • Training 15,000 youth in vocational skills.
    • Training 14,000 youth in entrepreneurialism.
    • Construction of 1,738 homes for health workers and teachers to allow them to provide vital services in an under-served region, and reduce drivers of instability.
    • Testing 60,992 children under five with high fevers for Malaria and providing treatment for those who were shown to be infected.
    • Providing 10,000 food transfers in return for work to families at risk of malnutrition and unable to access employment opportunities due to the post conflict environment.
  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance there is for briefing relatives following Boards of Inquiry which take place when there has been an in-service death; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Boards of Inquiry were replaced in 2008 by Service Inquiries. The policy on Service Inquiries, which includes support to families, is laid out in Ministry of Defence Joint Service Publication (JSP) 832, Guide to Service Inquiries.

    Further, JSP 751, Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures, provides the framework and direction on casualty management, from which the single Services develop and deliver their support for bereaved families. No distinction is made between operational and non-operational deaths.

    Although JSPs 832 and 751 lay out the overarching policy and processes, the single Services may involve different organisations in supporting bereaved families according to individual need and local circumstances.

    In the case of a Defence Safety Authority Service Inquiry, next of kin are offered a personal brief from the Inquiry President on the findings before they are published.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of job outcomes in Scotland for the Work Choice programme in each of the last three financial years for which such information is available.

    Priti Patel

    For all Work Choice providers excluding Remploy, there have been 1,350 job outcomes in Scotland in the financial year 2013/14, 1,290 in 2014/15, and 700 in 2015/16.