Tag: Parliamentary Question

Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Rural Payments Agency has made in payments related to the European School Milk Scheme in each region and constituent part of the UK in each year since 2005.

George Eustice

The attached table shows the total UK amounts taken from the annual European accounts for each year from 2005 to 2016. The amounts in the table are the payments made to the organisations that supply milk to schools, which have been claimed back in full from the European Commission by the RPA.

In years 2005 and 2006 the Rural Payments Agency were required to produce the accounts in GBP currency and in years 2007 and later, were required to produce accounts in euro currency to comply with Regulation 883-2006.

Year	Amount
2005	6,695,400.64
2006	6,552,414.56
Total£	£13,247,815.20
2007	8,204,965.56
2008	7,893,693.21
2009	7,553,825.13
2010	7,292,814.68
2011	1,900,066.83
2012	4,753,174.39
2013	4,525,499.84
2014	4,382,584.46
2015	4,325,618.91
Total €	€ 50,832,243.01

The figure for 2011 is a result of a repayment made by the Department of Health, where a decision was taken to fund the cost of the nursery milk provision entirely from their own budget. This resulted in the RPA claiming less from the European Commission that year only.

A breakdown by region and constituent part of the UK could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023

Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on reforming the questions asked on asylum applications related to persecution related to religious beliefs.

Mr Robert Goodwill

In June 2016 The Home Office received the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion’s report, ‘Fleeing persecution: Asylum claims in the UK on religious freedom grounds’. We are carefully considering the report and its recommendations and will provide a response in due course, including whether we will consider whether any changes to the way we handle religious-based claims are appropriate.

The report acknowledges the progress made by the Home Office with regards to guidance and training provided to its staff but highlighted the Group’s view that there were some discrepancies between the Home Office policy and practice.

The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits and grants protection for those who genuinely need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In every asylum case the particular circumstances of the individual are considered in light of published country information, which includes issues relating specifically to religious freedoms.

Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of religious claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of religious groups and other stakeholders.

01/01/2023
Craig Tracey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Tracey on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps the Government is taking to support businesses in Scotland.

Jesse Norman

The British Business Bank currently facilitates around £300m of finance in Scotland. Around £10m of Start-Up Loans have been provided to over 2,000 Scottish businesses, and £290m is helping a further 2,000 businesses to grow through other Bank programmes. In 2015/16, Innovate UK committed to invest £58.3m in 291 innovation projects in Scotland.

01/01/2023
Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has assessed or commissioned on potential links between prostate cancer treatment and Alzheimer’s disease.

George Freeman

The Department has not made an assessment of, or commissioned, specific research on this topic.

01/01/2023
Ian Paisley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how Northern Ireland can benefit from contributing to the Northern Powerhouse.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I have regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a range of issues, including his plans for the Northern Powerhouse, which is about building a strong economy from which all parts of the United Kingdom can benefit.

01/01/2023
Lord McColl of Dulwich – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McColl of Dulwich on 2015-12-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of people being killed by buildings collapsing as a result of subterranean excavations carried out in order to increase accommodation.

Baroness Altmann

In the last 10 years, no people have been killed by buildings collapsing during subterranean excavation work to increase accommodation. Subterranean excavation to increase accommodation involves significant health and safety risks, including the potential for the collapse of both excavated ground and buildings. There have been two deaths caused by collapsing excavated ground during construction of subterranean accommodation. The Health and Safety Executive’s construction programme has initiatives aimed at improving standards in this type of construction work, including targeted inspection and enforcement campaigns.

01/01/2023
Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects of plans to restrict housing benefit for 18 to 21 year olds on those people; and which groups of young people will be exempted from those restrictions.

Justin Tomlinson

Removal of automatic housing support for 18 – 21 year olds, announced in the Summer Budget 2015, will be introduced in April 2017. The Department is liaising with a range of key stakeholders as we develop the detail of the policy. Once this work has been completed we will bring forward detailed proposals.

01/01/2023
The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2016-02-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when British military liaison began with Saudi Arabia regarding its intervention in Yemen.

Earl Howe

The UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a long history of defence co-operation and this involves an ongoing defence engagement relationship.

In addition, we have deployed a small number of military personnel serving as liaison officers in Saudi headquarters to provide insight into Saudi operations in Yemen. These liaison officers are not involved in the targeting process – whether it be selection, decision-making or directing.

The first of these liaison officers was deployed in May 2015.

01/01/2023
Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will publish a patient-friendly guide to inform responses to the consultation on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund.

George Freeman

NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) consultation on draft proposals on the future of the Cancer Drugs Fund closed on 11 February 2016. The NHS England Board agreed a way forward, on 25 February 2016, which will see the new arrangements for the Fund going live on 1 July 2016.

NHS England and NICE adopted a number of different approaches to engage with audiences. This included holding four webinars for stakeholders and two face-to-face events in London and Manchester alongside a number of individual meetings with key stakeholder groups including patient organisations and cancer charities.

NHS England has advised that it will publish a consultation report on its website in due course. Further information is available at:

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/cdf-consultation

“

01/01/2023
Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to assist the government of Afghanistan in tackling corruption in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne

I have been asked to reply.

Helping Afghans to tackle corruption is critical to the UK’s engagement in Afghanistan. We are taking a leading role in raising the profile and priority of anti-corruption efforts and coordinating international efforts focused on interventions that contribute to the building of a stable political settlement and a viable state.

The UK’s objectives are to:
- Change norms and incentives: supporting increased transparency, citizen engagement, civil society advocacy and oversight, and applying greater political pressure;
- Strengthen systems to reduce opportunity: supporting stronger private sector regulation, strengthening public financial management and administrative controls;
- Increase risk to individuals: supporting enforcement to increase sanctions, controlling access to the UK and increasing reputational risk; and
- Minimise risk in UK-funded activity: improving use of evidence and further strengthening programme and risk management.
01/01/2023