Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers refused to offer a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As this is not a Government scheme the Department for Transport does not collect data on how many employers offered or refused to offer, a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

    This is because the Cycle to Work scheme is an employee benefit covered by an exemption and therefore employers do not have to make an annual tax return regarding the benefit; meaning the Department does not collect the data.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the daily payment for unaccompanied asylum seeking children was for (a) under 16 and (b) 16-17 year olds in each of the last six financial years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    From 1 October 2010 until 1 July 2016 the funding rate for the majority of local authorities for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children was £95 per day for a supported child under 16 and £71 per day for a supported child aged 16 or 17. These rates were increased on 1 July 2016 to £114 per day for supported children under 16 and £91 for supported children aged 16 and 17. Enhanced levels of funding have been provided to a small number of ”Gateway” local authorities, in recognition of the large numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in their care. The most recent funding instructions can be accessed here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructions

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what non-disclosure agreements the FCO made in 2003–04, and on what date each agreement was made.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office no longer retains case files for employment tribunals for 2003 and 2004. However our records indicate we settled two 2 cases in each year. Settlement agreements at that time included a standard confidentiality or non-disclosure clause.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the amount his Department will save as a result of limiting the backdating of housing benefit to a maximum of one month in each of the next four years; and how that estimate was calculated.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Although information is collected that would enable an estimate to be calculated, the variables in question have not be quality assured to sufficient standards to provide a response. To do so would result in disproportionate costs.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any aircraft of the Royal Air Force have exercised or sought to exercise freedom of navigation or passage rights over disputed areas of the South China Sea claimed by the government of the People’s Republic of China since 2010.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The RAF regularly flies in the vicinity of the South China Sea on transit to countries such as Brunei and Australia. Information on the exact route of every such flight area since 2010 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The UK strongly asserts its right, and supports that of all States, to exercise Freedom of Navigation in accordance with the International Rules Based System.

  • Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment Highways England has made of the effectiveness of the response to the incident on the M6 Motorway between junctions 5 and 6 on Thursday 4 February 2016.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England conducted a structured debrief for this incident on 10 February. This is standard practice for any serious incident. It identified a number of recommendations, which are subject to ongoing discussions with other agencies. Once agreed, they will be used as lessons learnt for the management of future incidents.

  • Lord Dholakia – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Dholakia – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Dholakia on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations they have had with the government of India about recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee regarding Tier 2 visas.

    Lord Bates

    The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent body and its recommendations are not a statement of Government policy. We thank the MAC for their report and we are currently considering the findings carefully. We will announce our response in due course.

    Doctors from overseas make a valuable contribution to the running of our NHS and we will consider the potential impacts on them in making our decisions. The Minister for Immigration met the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and the Minister of State for Home Affairs during a visit to India in February and had wide ranging and constructive talks, including discussion of the MAC’s report on Tier 2.

    The Government fully respects the UK’s international commitments and remains strongly committed to the free trade agenda. The UK immigration system continues to support inward investment and trade.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is a specific budget for advertising the Government’s position on the EU referendum; and whether he plans to advertise that position in the media, on billboards and in newspapers before 23 June 2016.

    John Penrose

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14th April to the Hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex on 14th April.

    All external suppliers used were on existing Government procurement agreements, which have been awarded in compliance with the relevant procurement Regulations.

    The Government will comply fully with the statutory restrictions in place from 27th May.

  • Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of unlicensed firearms in circulation in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The table provided contains statistics on the number of licensed firearms and shotguns, by police force area, in England and Wales as at 31 March 2015.

    At this time there was a total of 1.34 million licensed shotguns and 0.53 million licensed firearms.

    The Home Office does not centrally hold any estimates for unlicensed firearms.

    Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations.

  • Lord Young of Cookham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Young of Cookham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Young of Cookham on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the lower life expectancy of those on low incomes is due to the higher rates of smoking in that group.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The independent review into health inequalities in England undertaken by Professor Sir Michael Marmot culminated in the publication in 2010 of Fair Society, Healthy Lives. A copy of the review has been placed in the Library. The review identified the most effective evidence-based strategies for reducing health inequalities in England and made the following recommendation:

    “Tobacco control is central to any strategy to tackle health inequalities as smoking accounts for approximately half of the difference in life expectancy between the lowest and highest income groups. Smoking-related death rates are two to three times higher in low-income groups than in wealthier social groups.”