Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made this year to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the use of beheading and crucifixion as criminal punishments.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles, in line with the minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.

    We continue to raise the cases of Ali Al-Nimr, Dawood Al-Marhoon and Adullah Al-Zaher with the Saudi authorities at the highest levels, including during the former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond)’s most recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 29 May. We expect that Ali Al-Nimr and the two others who were convicted as juveniles will not be executed.

  • Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans for any trade agreement between the UK and EU to come into force after the UK leaves the EU to be undertaken alongside negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    We are considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches. But we will not undermine the Government’s negotiating position by giving a running commentary on our position before negotiations have even started.

    The Prime Minister has spoken of getting a bespoke deal for the country – what we want is the right deal, on both trade for the UK and our relationship with the EU.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans are in place for monitoring the EU referendum.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    In addition to its roles overseeing delivery of the referendum, supporting the work of Electoral Registration Officers in registering voters and helping the police and electoral administrators tackle allegations of electoral fraud, one of the Electoral Commission’s key objectives is to ensure the integrity and transparency for voters of campaign funding and spending at the EU referendum. Its role will be to register campaigners and regulate their funding and spending.

    To ensure all campaigners know what the rules are, the Commission will actively engage with potential campaigners, publish guidance and provide an advice line. It will receive, analyse and publish information about the campaign funding and spending; ensuring this information is provided by campaigners on time and in line with the legal requirements. The Commission will also deal with potential breaches of the rules, including by the use of its enforcement and sanctioning powers where appropriate.

    As part of its approach, the Commission will monitor campaigning. Using various sources, including the media and information brought to the Commission by campaigners and others, it will identify emerging issues and opportunities to offer advice and guidance to those it regulates or, if necessary, take enforcement action where the rules are not followed. The Commission will also refer to the information obtained through campaign monitoring when looking at financial information submitted by campaigners.

  • Julie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julie Cooper – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the benefit to the public purse was of the closing of tax loopholes in each of the last six years.

    Mr David Gauke

    Revenue protected in connection with avoidance measures announced over the last 6 years is scored in relevant Budget documentation published by HM Treasury.

    However, for convenience on 19 March 2015 the coalition government published a document detailing the action taken over the course of the last Parliament to tackle tax evasion and avoidance. That document can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-tax-evasion-and-avoidance

    “

  • Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many intervention providers for the Channel Programme are pending approval.

    Mr John Hayes

    There are currently 55 Home Office approved Intervention Providers for the Channel programme. They play a central role in reducing the vulnerability of people being drawn into terrorism. They are recruited on the basis of proven experience in mentoring, their work with key communities affected by terrorism and extremism and their knowledge of extremist ideologies and recruitment narratives.

    Recruitment rounds take place approximately every quarter. Candidates can be recommended by local partners, including Local Authorities, community groups, or other local partners.

    Applications undergo stringent background checks and where candidates are suitable they will be invited to interview. Candidates who meet the requirements at interview are put forward for Ministerial approval. This robust process, given that they will be working with the most vulnerable individuals on sensitive issues, takes up to twelve weeks.

    The list of Intervention Providers is kept under regular review and the Home Office is working on their number of providers and to respond to the changing threat, for example to recruit more female providers. Intervention Providers are given ongoing professional training.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the steps the Sri Lankan authorities have taken to implement the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During my visit to Sri Lanka on 14 to 17 January I was able to see for myself the progress that Sri Lanka has made in implementing its commitments to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution as well as the considerable challenges that remain. There have been some encouraging developments such as the return of some military occupied land, the deproscription of Tamil diaspora organisations and the release on bail of some long-term Tamil detainees held under anti-terrorism legislation. There is still much to be done and the UK is committed to supporting Sri Lanka to fulfil all of its UNHRC commitments. We welcome Sri Lanka’s engagement with the UN. The High Commissioner for Human Rights will visit shortly to inform his assessment of Sri Lanka’s progress, which he will present to the UNHRC in June.

  • Iain Wright – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish his Department’s impact assessment of the apprenticeship levy.

    Nick Boles

    HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note on 4 February 2016 at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy/apprenticeship-levy.

    “

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Wythenshawe and Sale East constituency who are existing universal credit claimants and who are in work will have their universal credit decreased as a result of changes to the work allowance taking effect in April 2016.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available because individual claimants’ circumstances can change as they move in and out of work or their earnings change. We have contacted all claimants who are in work and reporting earnings to make them aware of this change, which will affect a subset of that population.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools make use of a broad curriculum in meeting their EBacc obligations under the new performance measures; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    All state-funded schools, including academies and free schools, must provide a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils. Ofsted inspectors examine whether schools are providing a broad and balanced curriculum which meets statutory requirements and the needs and interests of pupils.

    The EBacc has been designed to be limited in size to provide a rigorous academic core whilst leaving space in the curriculum for other subjects. On average, pupils in state-funded schools enter nine GCSEs and equivalent qualifications, rising to more than ten for more able pupils. For many pupils, taking the EBacc will mean taking seven GCSEs; and for those taking triple science, it will mean taking eight. This means that there will continue to be room for pupils to study other subjects.

    We set out our EBacc proposals in our consultation. We will respond to the consultation in due course.

  • Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they have spent on combating HIV stigma in each of the last five years.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Combatting HIV stigma is integral to much of the work carried out to tackle HIV and part of our National HIV and Sexual Health Promotion programme is to reduce stigma by working with the communities most affected by HIV. Over the last two years, Public Health England provided support for the People Living with HIV Stigma Survey, a collaborative cross sector community led initiative to capture the feelings and experiences of living with HIV in a variety of settings. Spending on stigma is not identified separately within the National HIV and Sexual Health Promotion programme and related work.

    The National Health Service, local authorities, Government, community and faith groups, the media and individuals all have a part to play in eliminating HIV-related stigma.