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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Naseby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Naseby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the grant awarded to the organisation Action on Smoking and Health in the current financial year in the light of the announcement by the Cabinet Office on 6 February in relation to charity funding.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The conditions applicable to grants awarded to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) are set out in the grant award letters, including a specific clause in the grant award letter which makes explicit that the award has been made under the provisions of Section 64 and may not be used for lobbying.

    ASH’s compliance with the conditions of the grant is assessed at the grant monitoring meetings held between the Deputy Director of tobacco control and representatives from ASH as well as in the final full year grant monitoring and governance reports.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any controls exist over the operation of unmanned ground vehicles (1) on highways, and (2) in other public spaces; whether controls exist over the use of such vehicles on pavements and other walkways, cycleways and bridleways; in the event of an accident or other event involving such a vehicle on a highway, who is responsible (a) for assessing responsibility, and (b) for paying any compensation that might be due; whether such vehicles must display information identifying the owner or controller; whether traffic police have any jurisdiction over such machines when being used on a highway; whether the police or other authorities have any powers to deal with such machines in the event of them causing a public nuisance; and whether insurance is required for the use of such machines.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    All vehicles, including connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), must be used in line with UK road traffic law. Failure to comply with UK law may well result in enforcement agencies taking action.

    The Pathway to driverless cars: a regulatory review, published in February 2015, sets out how current laws apply to CAVs, and points to where the position is not clear and should be reviewed further. For example, chapter 13 deals with insurance, and Annex B looks at innovative personal transport.

    In addition, to secure the safe development and introduction of CAVs in the UK, the Pathway sets out a number of action points. The government is working on these, including having published the Code of Practice for testing automated vehicles in July 2015, to ensure that British citizens and businesses will benefit from CAVs in the short and long term.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for universal credit were made online in each year since that benefit was introduced.

    Priti Patel

    A year by year breakdown of the information requested is not available for publication. We can say that since its introduction, around 90% of Universal Credit claims have been made online.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what military support has been provided to the government of Ethiopia in the last five years; what such support he plans to provide in the next five years; and whether the UK currently provides training for Ethiopian security or military personnel.

    James Duddridge

    Ethiopia is one of the world’s largest peacekeeping troop contributors, heavily engaged in the fight against Al Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia which is vital to build stability in the region and to UK interests. The UK maintains a Defence relationship with the Ethiopian Ministry of National Defence, focused on education and training in non-combat areas. Over the past five years that has been centred on assisting in the setting up of the Ethiopian Peace Support Training Centre, and providing courses that give members of the Ethiopian military an improved range of non-combat skills as they serve on regional peace support operations. We have run a successful programme of English language training, delivered by the British Council, and a Masters course in Security Sector Management, for students from across the Eastern Africa region. We have provided a small number of places to Ethiopian military students on courses in the UK.

    The importance of good governance, accountability and respect for human rights is central to this programme of engagement. Over the next five years, we will continue to focus on helping Ethiopia to develop its capability to conduct peace support operations in the region, and continue to encourage improved governance and accountability within the security sector.

  • Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legislation currently governs the retention of facial custody images.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    I apologise that I did not answer Parliamentary Question HL905 on 12th July. Due to administrative error this question was grouped with HL906 but only one answer was provided. The use and retention of facial custody images is governed by the Code of Practice on the Management of Police information (MOPI), guidance contained within the College of Policing’s Authorised Police Practice (APP) and the Data Protection Act 1998.

  • 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 increase transparency in mental health service block contracts.

    Nicola Blackwood

    In line with the principle of parity of esteem between all health services, NHS England together with NHS Improvement are supporting providers and commissioners of adult and older people’s mental health services to move away from block contracts and implement more transparent payment approaches. Two new payment options that providers and commissioners can choose between are a capitated payment approach or an episode of treatment (year-of-care) payment approach.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the value to tourism and to the national economy of the UK coastline.

    Tracey Crouch

    There were more than 23 million overnight visits to the English, Scottish and Welsh seaside by GB residents in 2014, which resulted in spending of £4.9 billion, according to the Great Britain Tourism Survey. Additionally, therewere 144 million day visits by GB residents where the seaside was the main place visited in 2014 which resulted in spending of almost £5 billion.

  • Stephen Pound – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Stephen Pound – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Pound on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the effect of the proposed British Bill of Rights on Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    My most recent discussion with the Secretary of State for Justice took place on 1 December. The Government was elected with a mandate to implement its manifesto commitment to replace Labour’s flawed Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights. The Government believes this can be done in a way that is consistent with the provisions of the Belfast Agreement.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 30 December 2015 (HL4621), whether they consider the four prisoners, including Jason Rezaian, recently released by Iran to the US each had dual citizenship, and whether they will use those cases as precedents in their approach to the case of Kamal Foroughi.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the release of US prisoners held in Iran. The agreement between the US and Iran was a bilateral one, and has not changed Iran’s policy of not recognising dual nationality. We continue to raise our own consular cases, including Mr Foroughi, with the Iranians at the highest levels and to urge for their release.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the meeting on 9 February between the original member states of the EU, and the re-commitment by those member states to an ever closer union” and a “two-speed Europe”.”

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the UK a special status in a reformed EU. The agreement sets out that the Treaties will be changed to “make it clear that the references to ever closer union do not apply to the United Kingdom” and acknowledges “different paths of integration being available for different Member States and do not compel all Member States to aim for a common destination.”