Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff employed in delivering the Fit for Work programme are (a) registered as disabled or in receipt of disabled people’s benefits and (b) returning to work after serious illness or injury.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Health Management Ltd (HML), responsible for delivering Fit for Work in England and Wales, does not hold records of staff members who are disabled or who are in receipt of disabled person’s benefits although the company does provide the opportunity for people to self-declare a disability should they wish to do so.

    Since Fit for Work was launched, seven members of staff have returned to work following a serious illness or injury. ‘Serious illness or injury’ is here considered to mean an absence of four weeks or more.

    For Scottish Government, which is responsible for delivering Fit for Work in Scotland, does not collect this information centrally.

  • David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Jones on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has made to the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest on their refusal to allow the display of the Red Dragon flag at the 2016 contest.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I understand that the governing body of the Eurovision Song Contest has reversed its ban on the display of the Red Dragon flag. We welcome this example of European co-operation, and wish Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft the best of luck on 14 May.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK Suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the law with respect to abortion in Northern Ireland.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    Abortion law is a devolved matter with respect to Northern Ireland. It is therefore for the people of Northern Ireland and their elected representatives in Stormont to consider the need for any change.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister’s letter of 10 November 2015 to the President of the European Council, whether the Government has conducted (a) an environmental impact assessment, (b) a sustainability assessment and (c) a carbon emissions assessment of his proposals for a new settlement for the UK in a reformed EU.

    George Eustice

    The Prime Minister has written to the President of the European Council setting out the areas where he is seeking reforms to address the concerns of the British people over our membership of the EU. As the Prime Minister said in his letter, reform in these areas would address the UK’s concerns and provide a fresh and lasting settlement for our membership of the European Union.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of existing legislation to stop the illegal importation of puppies into the UK.

    George Eustice

    Pet animals, including puppies entering the UK, must comply with the requirements of the Pet Travel Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 576/2013). This is enforced, in Great Britain, by the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011. Animals, including puppies, entering the UK for sale or rehoming are subject to the provisions of the Council Directive 92/65/EEC (Balai Directive). This is implemented, in Great Britain, by the Trade in Animal and Related Products Regulations 2011.

    Both regulations provide for the Secretary of State to carry out a periodic review. Work on the review of the Trade in Animal and Related Products Regulations 2011 is already underway. The review of the Non Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 will commence early next year.

  • Pat Glass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Pat Glass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pat Glass on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on cases in which workers do not receive compensation awarded by an employment tribunal because the companies which were paying them less than the national minimum wage have moved into voluntary liquidation.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is committed to the effective enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and will take tough action where employers are found to have underpaid their staff. BIS Ministers regularly discuss issues of enforcement with colleagues in other relevant Departments to ensure the system is effective.

    Ensuring employees get the money they are owed is a priority. Where employees are owed monies but their employer has gone in to liquidation, they are entitled to claim for the difference between their rate of pay and the NMW, through the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service (RPS). The RPS will consider these claims and make payments, within certain statutory limits, to employees.

    The Government has also taken action to strengthen the enforcement powers available for NMW breaches, including ensuring that every criminal breach of the NMW Act is considered for Director Disqualification.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 25882, if he will list the (a) 27 categories of information held in the Asset Management data set, (b) 13 categories of information held in the Facilities Management data set and (c) four categories of information held under the Finance data set.

    George Freeman

    The information requested is contained in the accompanying table.

  • Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stringer on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the evidential basis for new guidelines on alcohol limits in respect of proposed metabolisation of alcohol by men and women.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government asked Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), to oversee a review of the alcohol guidelines, to ensure these are founded on the best science and so that the guidelines help people at all stages of life to make informed choices about their drinking.

    The Guidelines Development Group considered questions of individual variation, of which one issue is variations in the rates at which individuals metabolise alcohol. Their advice is clear that the weekly guideline is advice for the general population, which individuals need to consider in the light of their own individual characteristics.

    A “List of supporting evidence” on the consultation page (where all the documents, such as the reports and evidence papers are listed) can be downloaded at:

    https://app.box.com/s/wlludrmim3gd83r28c4oqb3upj68cqia

    “

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have received, if any, that Turkey (1) refused access to Syrians fleeing their own country, (2) forcibly returned both registered and unregistered refugees to Syria, (3) split families and separated children from parents in the process of returning refugees to Syria, (4) denied registration to refugees already in Turkey, and (5) failed to provide clean water and sanitation to refugee camps near the frontier.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Turkey is generously hosting over 2.7 million Syrian refugees and has provided Syrians in Turkey with access to healthcare, education and legal employment. The UN has said that refugee camps in Turkey are among the best in the world and we are not aware of any problems with water and sanitation. We have received no evidence of split families or Turkey denying registration to refugees already in Turkey. We are aware of reports of forced returns to Syria but have seen no evidence of these allegations. We continue to work closely with Turkey and the EU to further improve the situation for refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey, including through our contribution to the €3 billion package of EU financial support for Turkey.