Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to (a) close the trade and sale of ivory and (b) end the importation of ivory from countries such as (i) Tanzania, (ii) Zimbabwe and (iii) other African countries.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government is deeply concerned by the continued poaching of elephants for their ivory, which is why we are committed to maintaining the current global ban on any international trade in new ivory.

    The UK does not permit trade in raw ivory tusks of any age, from Tanzania, Zimbabwe or any other country. We are pressing for this approach to be taken across the whole of the European Union. In implementing our manifesto commitment to press for a total ban on ivory sales, we will work with our international partners and interested parties at home to take into account their views about how we best achieve this and over what timeframe.

  • Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217 have received any form of training from the UK.

    Earl Howe

    I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Penny Mordaunt MP), on 14 January 2016 to Question 21564, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do however provide educational training, as well as English Language Training. We have no information to indicate that participants on these educational courses were Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217.

  • 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 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the risk register for the universal credit programme.

    Priti Patel

    In accordance with government policy in this area, the Department does not publish risk registers for major programmes.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to modify the universal credit online application system to allow an application to be saved and returned to by applicants.

    Priti Patel

    The universal credit full service online application system does have this functionality but the full service is currently only available in a limited number of areas. National expansion of the Universal Credit full service will begin from May 2016, completing in June 2018.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to tackle (a) all the root causes of the conflict and (b) religious persecution of minority faiths in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Syria’s conflict has developed from peaceful protests against the government in 2011 to a violent insurgency that has complex international angles. Asad’s brutal actions have fuelled sectarian violence and the growth of Daesh. His regime is ultimately responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. We support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan De Mistura, to seek agreement on a process of political transition in Syria. We are clear that there can be no military solution to the conflict. The UN led negotiations remain the best opportunity to end the conflict and achieve political transition away from Asad, leading to an inclusive government which can represent all Syrians.

    The UK, as a core member of the International Syria Support Group has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination is fundamental. This means seeking to ensure that Syrian minorities are included and safeguarded as the political process progresses. We are supporting non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups in Syria, as we seek further progress on a political settlement.

  • Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-07-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to change the discount rate used to calculate the funding status of defined benefit pension schemes.

    Lord Freud

    The legislation governing the funding of defined benefit occupational pensions schemes is designed to be flexible, allowing the trustees or managers of these schemes to determine which method and assumptions are to be used in their schemes technical provisions. A number of factors come into play in scheme funding decisions and the Pensions Regulator provides useful guidance for trustees in its codes and supporting guidance and statements.

    In determining the discount rate to be used, trustees must act prudently taking into account the yield on assets held by the scheme and / or the market redemption yields on Government bonds or other high-quality bonds.

    There is no standard actuarial method and set of assumptions that must be used, however, should the Regulator have concerns about a funding plan it can intervene.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS England is able to meet its aim of extending waiting time standards for mental health.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The National Health Service is already meeting standards on access to psychological therapies and we have introduced waiting time standards for early intervention in psychosis.

    NHS England published an Implementation Plan in July 2016 setting out the actions required to deliver their Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, including developing the right pathways and access and waiting time standards for the treatment of mental health conditions. We are working with NHS England and health delivery partners to ensure that these actions are delivered.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful cataract operations in each age group there were in each of the last three years.

    Alistair Burt

    Data is not collected on the number of successful or unsuccessful cataract operations. The table below shows the number of finished consultant episodes with a main or secondary procedure of a cataract operation by age group between 2012-13 and 2014-15.

    Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector

    Age

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    0-4

    383

    423

    332

    5-9

    187

    188

    168

    10-14

    128

    138

    102

    15-19

    147

    153

    156

    20-24

    235

    266

    255

    25-29

    331

    315

    348

    30-34

    525

    542

    510

    35-39

    788

    822

    820

    40-44

    1,911

    1,883

    1,905

    45-49

    3,803

    4,166

    4,208

    50-54

    7,437

    7,923

    8,554

    55-59

    13,118

    14,283

    15,223

    60-64

    23,605

    24,919

    26,860

    65-69

    39,796

    43,535

    47,591

    70-74

    53,676

    58,908

    65,216

    75-79

    68,836

    77,081

    85,126

    80-84

    65,744

    72,303

    78,833

    85-89

    39,255

    42,602

    45,938

    90+

    13,575

    14,883

    15,740

    Unknown

    125

    137

    213

    Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

    Note:

    The figures in the table do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the governments of Serbia and Kosovo about implementing the agreements already reached in negotiations under EU auspices.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is a strong supporter of Serbia and Kosovo’s respective EU paths, which are dependent on full normalisation of relations between the two countries. Progress requires full implementation of all agreements reached, including the Brussels Agreement of 19 April 2013, and is managed through the EU facilitated Dialogue. We make regular representations to encourage both governments to fully implement all agreements. Following a successful Dialogue meeting in August, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), issued a press statement on 26 August urging both Serbia and Kosovo to maintain this positive momentum. The Foreign Secretary also made clear that completing the implementation of all their agreements will be an important step towards normalising relations between the two countries and increasing regional stability and security.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Burundian counterparts on its government (a) halting violence involving its security forces, (b) engaging in dialogue with opponents and (c) accepting the presence of 5,000 African Union peacekeepers within its borders; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    The UK is playing a lead role in building a single, consistent international response to the crisis in Burundi. In mid-December, I visited Burundi and urged the Burundian Government in the strongest terms to take steps to end the violence that has gripped the country. I stressed that only an inclusive dialogue would foster the conditions for the people of Burundi to be able to live their lives in safety and security. On 5 January I wrote to the Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation, Alain Nyamitwe, urging him to do everything in his power to ensure that his government attends, without preconditions, the next round of the Inter Burundi Dialogue in Arusha. At the African Union Summit this week I will urge the Burundian Government to accept the deployment of troops being offered by the African Union to protect civilians, re-establish security and create the conditions on the ground for reconciliation to take place. I also regularly raise the issue of Burundi with Foreign Ministers and Envoys in the region, to encourage a regional response to the crisis.