Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • 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 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department has made on returning to political negotiations to end the conflict in Yemen; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK’s support for the Saudi-led coalition on achieving this aim.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK supports the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition military intervention in Yemen, which came at the request of legitimate President Hadi to deter aggression by the Houthis and forces loyal to the former president Saleh. Saudi Arabia and the Coalition have played a crucial role in this endeavour. Peace talks are now the top priority. During the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Gulf in late May and early June, all countries reassured of their commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen. The UK is working closely with the UN to encourage the Yemeni parties to engage in good faith in the peace talks in Kuwait and respect the ceasefire which started on 10 April. Through the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, we are providing £1.05 million (over 2 financial years) to the UN Special Envoy’s office to bolster UN capacity to facilitate the peace process, and are also supporting work to broaden the dialogue to include women and other under-represented groups.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will discuss with the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities the calls by the Women Against State Pension Inequality for transitional state pension arrangements for women in Northern Ireland born in the 1950s.

    Richard Harrington

    DWP Ministers have regular meetings with ministers from devolved administrations where current areas of interest are discussed. In relation to transitional arrangements for the equalisation of State Pension age, the government’s position is clear; equalisation of women’s State Pension age with men and the subsequent increases in the State Pension age will continue as currently scheduled, in line with the legislation.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 13604, on tenancy deposit schemes, what the total value was of the deposit money (a) given back to tenants and (b) withheld by landlords in each of the schemes for each of the years listed.

    Gavin Barwell

    The three Government approved Tenancy Deposit Schemes in England help ensure that tenants are treated fairly at the end of their tenancy through protecting deposits.

    A deposit can be protected in a custodial scheme where the deposit is paid (submitted) and held by the scheme until the end of the tenancy. The scheme will pay the deposit back (return) to the tenant if they have fulfilled all their obligations at the end of the tenancy. A deposit can also be protected in an insured scheme, where the landlord or agent holds the deposit and pays it back to the tenant at the end of the tenancy. The deposit is not submitted to or returned by the scheme.

    The figures available for the number of deposits protected for tenants in Greater London since 2011, are set out in Table 1, and for deposits submitted and returned in Table 2.

    Table 1 – tenant’s deposits protected in Greater London

    Year

    Total number of deposits protected

    2011-12

    434,031

    2012-13

    398,635

    2013-14

    453,200

    2014-15

    499,098

    2015-16

    545,937

    Table 2 – tenant’s deposits submitted and returned in Greater London

    Year

    Number of deposits submitted

    Number of deposits returned

    2011-12

    74,202

    55,550

    2012-13

    77,709

    62,341

    2013-14

    82,613

    67,583

    2014-15

    88,465

    70,105

    2015-16

    90,849

    76,305

    The differences between the number of deposits submitted and returned are due to different lengths of tenancies, cases going through the dispute resolution process, and the protection of more deposits as the private rental market continues to grow.

    Overall, 98 per cent of all deposits protected in England since the launch of the tenancy deposit scheme in 2007, are returned to the tenant at the end of their tenancy.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Valerie Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the skills of steel industry employees are maintained.

    Anna Soubry

    From my visits to Scunthorpe, Redcar, Port Talbot and Cardiff, I know first-hand what a dedicated and skilled workforce exists in the industry and am determined that they have a future, with the action the government has taken and will continue to take to help the industry.

    For those workers that have unfortunately lost their jobs, the government is committed to doing all we can to give them the support and training needed to quickly return to work. We have made available up to £80 million for Redcar and announced up to £9 million for Scunthorpe to support those who have been affected.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in each county and unitary council area in the North West are currently receiving free school meals under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The number of children eligible and receiving free school meals (FSM) is available at regional and local authority level online at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015.

    We do not hold information on the qualifying benefits of individual claimants.

    “

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s defence strategy is towards Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting the legitimate Yemeni government in establishing a stable and secure Yemen and we continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by AQAP and Daesh in Yemen. Reaching a comprehensive peaceful solution to the current conflict is the top priority as a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to the country.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the tourist industry in Cumbria of recent flooding and severe weather.

    David Evennett

    The region has some of the most iconic tourist attractions in the UK and tourism is an essential part of the local economy. We want to ensure that our tourism businesses have as much support as possible as they recover from the recent floods. Some tourism businesses in flood affected areas have reported a drop in bookings of up to 60%.

    That is why a new £1m PR campaign was launched by the Prime Minister in Cumbria, on the 28th January, to support businesses ready to receive visitors, and this is part of a wider package of immediate measures to help the area.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars his Department has issued since August 2012; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.

    Mark Lancaster

    The requested information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to introduce lifetime awards for people assessed as requiring the upper personal independence payment allowance mobility component who have been diagnosed with muscle degenerative diseases or conditions.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Personal Independence Payment is specifically designed to ensure that the benefit is awarded to those with the greatest need and the award review process is integral to ensuring this happens. Under Disability Living Allowance over 70% of all claims had no review built-in, meaning that claimants could have been receiving too much or too little in benefit.

    We take a personalised approach to setting the length of awards, varying the frequency and format of awards and reviews depending on the individual’s needs and the likelihood of their health condition or impairment changing.

    Where the claimant has high levels of functional impairment which are only likely to increase or not improve, it is likely that the claimant will receive an enhanced rate of benefit and a longer term award.

    We recognise that it is important to ensure that the review process is applied sensitively and appropriately. As such, it is likely that the awards of such claimants would also go through a less intensive review process which may not, if all the necessary information is held, include a face-to-face assessment.

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

    Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department will be responsible for drafting and publishing the obesity strategy.

    Jane Ellison

    The Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, is being led by the Department with input from across Government, including Public Health England.