Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what cooperation arrangements are in place to tackle the potential utilisation of the land border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic by Islamist terrorists.

    Mr John Hayes

    The UK and the Republic of Ireland have long enjoyed a Common Travel Area (CTA) free of routine border controls. However, there are long-established and effective working relationships between the police and intelligence agencies in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to mitigate threats. The Government takes protecting our border security very seriously, and there is also a high level of collaboration on work with the Irish Government on strengthening of CTA’s external border.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what use the Royal Navy is making of unmanned vehicles.

    Earl Howe

    The Royal Navy (RN) recognises that autonomous systems offer a unique opportunity to maintain our operational advantage, and benefits significantly from the use of unmanned vehicles in both air and sea environments.

    The Scan Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System offers enhanced maritime surveillance and improved situational awareness in support of the RN in a number of operational theatres.

    The Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessels employ an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) for remote mine-disposal known as the Seafox mine-disposal system. In addition, the Fleet Diving Squadron employs a small UUV for seabed searches.

    The RN continues to explore how autonomous systems can further augment its capabilities into the future.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure people affected by historical hepatitis C and HIV-infected NHS blood treatments have their views adequately heard in its consultation entitled Infected blood: reform of financial and other support, published in January 2016; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    All those registered with the existing support schemes have been sent letters to make them aware of the consultation. The letter provides details of how to access the consultation both online and in hard copy. Letters were also sent to almost 180 hon. Members who have raised the issue on behalf of their constituents over the past year, to ask them to encourage their constituents to respond.

    The consultation contains a number of questions to allow people to share their views on the proposals and invites other suggestions.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to his Department of the Export Support Team was in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and whether those costs have been reimbursed by the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Export Support Team is part of the Defence and Security Organisation, part of UK Trade and Investment. The Minister for Trade and Investment is responsible for administrative and funding arrangements, including attached Service personnel’s capitation costs. Therefore, there is no cost to the Ministry of Defence.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employers were successfully (a) prosecuted and (b) fined for employing an illegal immigrant in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The information requested is shown in the attached tables.

    Table 1 sets out the number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences related to employment of illegal immigrants in England and Wales between 2010 and 2014. Court proceedings data for 2015 is planned for publication in May 2016.

    Table 2 sets out the number of civil penalties issued to individual employers during each of the last five complete financial years and the current financial year up to and including 29th February 2016.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-04-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence the Department of Health has on the effectiveness of the existing NHS Whistleblowing Helpline.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We are committed to improving openness in the National Health Service and ensuring whistleblowers receive proper support. Every NHS trust will have a ‘Freedom to Speak up Guardian’ who will support whistleblowers and foster an open and honest culture. The National Guardian will lead, advise, and support the local guardians in carrying out investigations on how concerns are being handled, share good practice, report on national or common themes, and identify any barriers that are preventing the NHS from having a truly safe and open culture.

    The Whistleblowing Helpline was established in 2003 by the Department of Health to provide advice to NHS staff and employers on the raising of concerns and on the protection of employees who do raise concerns. The Department holds regular meetings with the provider of the Helpline, Mencap, to keep its performance under review.

    In the context of changes in the broader health and care system, such as the establishment of the National Guardian and the local guardians network, the Department is considering what role the Helpline should play in ensuring support for whistleblowers. The Department extended the existing contract to allow the Helpline facility to continue operating while future options for the Helpline are considered.

  • Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) incidents have been reported to trading standards teams and (b) prosecutions there have been related to food and drink products substituted with a cheaper alternative in each of the last three years.

    Jane Ellison

    Monitoring food businesses to ensure compliance with legislation on food labelling and composition is the responsibility of county councils, unitary authorities, the London Boroughs and some but not all metropolitan borough councils. These local authorities are also responsible for taking enforcement action, including prosecutions, where non-compliance is found.

    Data are reported to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on the number of food and drink analyses undertaken in relation to compositional issues and labelling and presentation issues:

    23,599 analyses were undertaken in 2014/15, 16,899 for compositional issues and 6,700 for labelling and presentation issues.

    29,324 analyses were undertaken in 2013/14, 19,386 for compositional issues and 9,938 for labelling and presentation issues.

    26,940 analyses were undertaken in 2012/13, 16,982 for compositional issues and 9,958 for labelling and presentation issues.

    Data are also reported to the FSA on the total number of prosecutions concluded for food standards issues. This includes action in relation to composition, labelling and presentation but also for other issues such as chemical contamination. In 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13 respectively, 75, 57 and 78 United Kingdom food establishments were subject to prosecution.

    The FSA has recently established a central register of successful food law prosecutions. Analysis of data collected for the first year of operation of the register is not yet complete, but in future it will provide more definitive data on prosecutions for offences of this nature.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals on banning microbeads and microplastics in all personal care products, washing powders, household cleaners and industrial blast media.

    George Eustice

    The UK and all other EU Member States have called for the European Commission to come up with proposals to ban microbeads in cosmetics at EU level, as part of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. These proposals, which we expect to be developed as part of the 2017 Plastics Strategy, will inform the UK’s approach to introducing a ban on microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. However, we are also open to the possibility of the UK acting unilaterally if necessary.

    In addition, the UK, in association with neighbouring countries in the Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic (OSPAR), has developed a Regional Action Plan (RAP) on marine litter. This RAP includes an action to evaluate all products and processes that include primary microplasti­cs (including microbeads) and act, if appropriate, to reduce their impact on the marine environment. This programme of work will help to inform the UK’s approach to other sources of microplastics, such as washing powders, household cleaners and industrial blast media.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of the outcome of the EU referendum for future employment levels in the agricultural sector.

    George Eustice

    The Government has manifesto commitments to develop a 25 year plan to grow more and sell more British food and to treble the number of apprentices in food and farming. These commitments are unaffected by the EU referendum result.

  • Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) starter and (b) affordable homes the Government plans to build over the next five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is committed to building 200,000 starter homes over the course of this Parliament to provide affordable homes for purchase with 20% discount are available to first time buyers under 40.

    The Government remains committed to delivering 275,000 new affordable homes between 2015 and 2020. This means we will build more new affordable homes than during any equivalent period in the last twenty years.