Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which companies have been issued with more than 50 Tier 2 (ICT) visas in a calendar year for each of the last five years; and how many visas for each such company were issued.

    James Brokenshire

    A list of the sponsors that have assigned more than 50 Tier 2 (ICT) Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) in a calendar year for each of the last five years, which also provides the figures of how many of those CoS were used in support of an individual Tier 2 (ICT) application, are to be placed in the House Library.

    To break these figures down further into in and out of country applications, and whether the application was successful would require manual intervention and would exceed cost limits.

  • Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on UK membership of the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

    Dominic Raab

    As I told the House on 26th April, the Government’s position on the European Convention of Human Rights remains clear. We cannot rule out withdrawing forever, but our forthcoming proposals do not include it.

    We are confident that we can replace the Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights and reform our relationship with the Strasbourg Court.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-05-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their target date for the operation of a regulatory regime for claims management companies.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    At Budget 2016 the Chancellor announced that the government accepts the recommendations of the independent review into the regulation of Claims Management Companies (CMCs). The new regime will be tougher and will ensure CMC managers can be held personally accountable for the actions of their businesses. In order to ensure that the new regulatory regime is implemented effectively, the government intends to transfer responsibility for regulating CMCs from the Ministry of Justice to the Financial Conduct Authority. The government intends to take forward the necessary primary legislation in due course.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British citizens who have entered into early forced marriage have been charged with the cost of repatriation to the UK in the last four years.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not provide financial assistance to British nationals overseas, but is sometimes able to provide an emergency loan from public funds for pay for a repatriation. The FCO aims to support all vulnerable British Nationals overseas and this includes victims of forced marriage who receive specialist support from the Forced Marriage Unit. The Forced Marriage Unit work with colleagues overseas to repatriate forced marriage victims and arrange post-repatriation assistance which includes finding suitable emergency accommodation where needed and providing advice and support. The Forced Marriage Unit gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1,220 cases in 2015, 1,267 in 2014, 1,302 in 2013, and 1,485 in 2012. To provide more information on the nature of the assistance provided over the last 4 years, including repatriation, would involve a disproportionate cost.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had on the future of regional programming as part of the BBC Charter renewal process.

    Matt Hancock

    The new Charter requires the BBC to better reflect, represent and serve all of the UK’s nations and regions. The new public purposes make clear that the BBC should ensure it provides content and services that meet the needs of the UK’s nations, regions and communities.

    The specific content of regional programming is, however, an editorial matter for the BBC and there is a long-standing principle that the Government does not interfere in programme matters.

  • David Mowat – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Mowat – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mowat on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to increase the number of simple, low risk investment products that are available to charitable organisations; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Charities can invest their funds in a wide range of investment products. Charity trustees should refer to the Charity Commission’s guidance on investments, and should generally seek professional advice before investing.

    There are some specific investment products available only to charities. Common Investment Funds and Common Deposit Funds are collective investment and deposit vehicles open to charities.

    In addition, the government announced at Budget 2015 the introduction of a new Charity Authorised Investment Fund structure. This will bring new investment funds established for charitable purposes under FCA regulation, ensuring they receive the same regulatory oversight and protections as funds for retail investors.

    The FCA is currently consulting on measures to implement the new fund structure. The proposals being consulted on include the registration of the fund as a charity, the role of advisory committees, and provisions on income distribution and capital allocation. The consultation will close on 7 December 2015.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools provide support and guidance to pupils who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

    Edward Timpson

    Schools play an important role in safeguarding children from all forms of abuse. Our statutory guidance is clear that schools have an important role in identifying children who may be suffering abuse, or at risk of abuse, and then take necessary action, working with other services where appropriate. Schools also have an important role in raising pupils’ awareness of these issues, thus helping pupils to keep themselves safe.

    The Department for Education has produced statutory guidance for schools, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of schools and their staff, and which contains links to more detailed advice on specific forms of abuse, including domestic violence, teenage relationship abuse and forced marriage.

    Schools can use relevant parts of the curriculum, including sex and relationship education and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), to raise pupils’ awareness. It is for schools to determine which issues they address and how, and the Government’s statutory guidance on sex and relationship education makes clear that schools should ensure that young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour. To complement work done in schools, the Government’s ‘This is Abuse’ campaign has helped to educate young people about damaging behaviours within relationships.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20640, how many miles of track will be electrified by the end of Control Period 5 under the timetable for project delivery contained in Sir Peter Hendy’s review of the rail upgrade programme.

    Claire Perry

    Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20640, we remain committed to our modernisation programme of over 850 miles of electrification.

    Sir Peter Hendy’s review of the rail upgrade programme details that the vast majority of programmes and projects will go ahead for delivery by 2019 (the end of Control Period 5).

    However, some schemes are more immature in their development and, whilst schemes in this category will have significant delivery within Control Period 5, these schemes will span more than one control period.

    Electrification provides long-term efficiencies for the railways, but it is just one element of a wider set of railway upgrades to provide better journeys for passengers and freight users.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK’s naval obligations are under the Five Powers Agreement.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    Under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the five powers (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK) undertook to consult "immediately" in the event or threat of an armed attack on Malaysia or Singapore for the purpose of deciding what measures should be taken jointly or separately in response. There is no specific commitment to intervene militarily.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training staff in (a) Lancashire and (b) the North West who handle NHS 111 calls receive other that the mandatory training covered by the NHS 111 Commissioning Standards.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not held centrally and is a matter for the local providers and commissioners.

    The NHS 111 commissioning standards issued in June 2014 state that all staff involved in handling NHS 111 calls must comply with the Licensing Requirements of the Clinical Decision Support Software used (NHS Pathways). Staff must also undertake training on: how to interact with urgent care services; the use of local Directories of Services; NHS Values; delivering excellent customer services; and safeguarding.