The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Attorney General, whether he has been consulted by the Crown Prosecution Service about a charging decision in Operation Lydd.
Robert Buckland
The Crown Prosecution Service routinely provides the Law Officers with updates on cases and casework issues. In accordance with the practice adopted by previous Law Officers I do not usually comment on which individual cases are raised with me.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many special advisers from which departments have notified the Prime Minister’s Parliamentary Private Secretary that they will be campaigning outside office hours for the UK to leave the EU.
Matthew Hancock
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 29 February 2016, UIN 28380.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of human rights workers being (a) summoned for questioning, (b) banned from travelling and (c) subject to attempts to freeze their personal funds and family assets by the Egyptian authorities.
Mr Philip Hammond
We are concerned about the decreasing space for civil society to operate in Egypt, including for Non Government Organisations (NGOs). Human rights defenders have been subject to measures including questioning, travel bans and judicial applications for asset freezing against individuals and their families. I refer you to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) on 22 March. UK officials have raised our concerns with representatives from the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.1 of his Department’s Single departmental plan 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, what percentage of the strategic road network had a (a) charging point and (b) rapid charging point for electric vehicles every 20 miles on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Andrew Jones
Highways England is analysing current provision of chargepoints on the strategic road network, and will then address gaps and work towards ensuring motorists have a chargepoint available every 20 miles. Progress to date has been encouraging, with 96% of motorway service areas now having at least one rapid chargepoint.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the NHS is not charged a premium price by pharmaceutical companies for general prescription drugs.
Alistair Burt
In the main, the National Health Service obtains value for money from the purchasing of medicines through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and the statutory scheme for branded medicines and through competition in the generic medicines market.
Where we suspect that price rises are excessive, we can, and do, alert the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and ask it to investigate.
My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has asked the CMA to urgently look at the issues raised in the media recently as part of its continuing investigations into excessive drugs pricing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indian government on the killing of protestors in the Kashmir Valley in July 2016.
Alok Sharma
I remain very concerned by reports of violence and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. The United Kingdom abides by its commitments under international law and expects all countries to comply with their international legal obligations. Our High Commission in Delhi is monitoring the situation closely and we have changed our travel advice. The long standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. It is not for the UK to prescribe a solution or to act as a mediator.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what support the Government plans to provide to Hull for the national LGBT+ Pride festival in 2017; and if she will make a statement.
Caroline Dinenage
The Government is considering different options for celebrating and supporting pride events in 2017 and will provide further details in due course.
At Pride this year, the Government demonstrated its commitment to LGB&T equality in different ways: we flew the rainbow flag on top of the government buildings; the Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement of solidarity with the LGB&T community ahead of the Brighton Pride, and I released an op-ed ahead of the Portsmouth Pride.
We are looking forward to celebrating the diversity of our communities at Pride next year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the recent attack on Camp Liberty, whether they have joined the United States and the UNHCR in condemning the attack, and calling for an independent investigation and prosecution of those responsible, and for the government of Iraq to take additional security measures to protect those who remain in Camp Liberty.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We strongly condemn the shameful attack against the civilian residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq on Thursday 29 October. Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad raised the attack with the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office on Friday 30 October and made clear the importance of an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the incident and ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice.
In all of our engagement with the Government of Iraq on this issue, including at Ministerial level and in our statements, we have emphasised the importance of the Iraqi government doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the residents of Camp Liberty. We support the UN calls for more to be done to protect the residents.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has estimated the cost to the public purse of making payments to support military veterans who retired with fewer than 22 years’ service before 5 April 1975.
Mark Lancaster
No estimate has been made of the cost of resolving legacy pension issues although it would likely cost the tax-payer billions of pounds; the issue of pre-1975 pensions does not just affect the Armed Forces, but is common to all other public service schemes in existence prior to the Social Security Act 1973.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal not to publish the Financial Conduct Authority’s report on banking culture outlined in its Business Plan 2015–16; to whom they have communicated that assessment; and what response they have received.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
No Treasury Minister or official had any discussions with the FCA before the FCA took its decision to discontinue the review of banking culture included in its 2015-16 Business Plan.
The FCA has published (in response to the Noble Lord’s Freedom of Information request) the dates when it communicated its decision to discontinue this review to other organisations. This response is available on the FCA website.