Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department is giving to seasonal workers who have been affected by recent flooding.

    Priti Patel

    Jobcentres in areas affected by the recent flooding have ensured staff and work coaches are available to support any increase in immediate claims. Work coaches will provide an individually tailored service to help and support their return to work as quickly as possible. Those workers affected by the recent flooding are referred to employers who are still recruiting.

    We would urge those affected, who have not already done so, to contact their local Jobcentre at their earliest opportunity.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many incidents of laser pen attacks on military aircraft were recorded in (a) the UK and (b) overseas in the last five years.

    Mark Lancaster

    There have been some 470 laser related Defence Air Safety Occurrence Reports received in the last five years involving UK military aircraft. Some 250 occurred in the UK and 220 overseas. It is not possible to determine whether laser pens were responsible for each incident.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Bahraini counterparts on the amount of political prisoners held in Bahrain; and what representations he has made for such prisoners.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly discuss human rights and reform with the Government of Bahrain. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) most recently raised human rights with his Bahraini counterpart, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, on 4 February. Where we have specific concerns around convictions or sentencing, we raise these with the Government of Bahrain as part of our wider dialogue on human rights and reform.

  • 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 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2016 to Question 29559, what average number of patients were registered at each GP surgery in each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The publication General and Personal Medical Services contains the aggregated number of registered patients at 30 September each year, but the average over the course of the year is not held centrally. Tables for each of the last 15 years have been placed in the Library. They provide snap-shot data as at 30 September for that year.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the financial consequences of the EU sanctions on Russia on Serbia.

    Mr David Lidington

    The EU imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the annexation of Crimea and the crisis in Eastern Ukraine. Serbia has not currently imposed sanctions on Russia. No assessment on the financial consequences of EU sanctons on Russia has been made.

    Neither I, nor the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), have had any disucssions with our Serbian counterparts on the financial consequences to Serbia of EU sanctions on Russia, but the UK Government has regularly encouraged Serbia, as an accession country, to align itself fully with EU foreign policy. The UK Government has not received any represenations from the Serbian government about the impact of EU sanctions on Russia on the Serbian economy.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of reports of collusion within the police forces and other agencies after the Hillsborough disaster, whether they will introduce legislation to prevent serving members of the police force and the judiciary from belonging to the freemasons.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Any police officer must be able to discharge their duties within the law and is expected to abide by the oath of constable. The Standards of Professional Behaviour, set out in Schedule 2 to the Police (Conduct) Regulations (2012), require police officers to be ‘honest, act with integrity and . . . not compromise or abuse their position’. Police officers must be able to do so, irrespective of membership of any external membership organisations.

    The College of Policing introduced a Code of Ethics in July 2014 which applies to all police officers and staff in England and Wales and sets out clear principles and standards of behaviour expected of them. It is for individual forces to determine whether an individual officer’s behaviour or misconduct meets the standards that are set out and where they are not, to investigate and instigate disciplinary proceedings where appropriate.

    Following the Chapman Review in 2014, the Government is continuing its programme of reforms to improve police integrity and the police discipline system, including through the Policing and Crime Bill which is currently before parliament to improve the system and its ability to hold officers to account for their actions and behaviour.

    In the case of judges it is also essential to the rule of law that they are independent and impartial when exercising their judicial functions. All judicial office holders should recuse themselves in any case where bias or the appearance of bias arises and are counselled against engaging in any activity which might undermine or be reasonably thought to undermine their judicial independence or impartiality. These commitments are enshrined in the judicial oath.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to increase accessibility to university buildings for disabled students.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone with the potential has the opportunity to benefit from higher education, irrespective of their background or mode of learning. In the last academic year we saw record entry rates to higher education, including among those from disadvantaged backgrounds

    Higher Education Institutions have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with disabilities. They have a clear legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people to ensure they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.

    To support Higher Education (HE) providers to prepare for the changes to Disabled Students’ Allowances that come into effect from academic year 2016/17, the Department has supported the establishment of a sector-led group ofstakeholders. The group’s focus is to communicate with senior leaders of HE providers, to help provide information about institutions’ responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students, and to encourage HE providers to develop inclusive learning environments.

    In addition, universities expect to spend more than £745 million through access agreements agreed with the Director of Fair Access on measures to improve access and success for students from disadvantaged groups, including disabled students – up significantly from £404 million in 2009.

  • Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Northover on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of tobacco use on international development as well as on public health.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government recognises the significant impact of tobacco use on international development.

    Tobacco use is the world’s single most preventable cause of disease. If current patterns of use persist, tobacco will kill about 1 billion people in the 21st century. Evidence indicates that by 2030, over 80% of the world’s tobacco-related mortality will be in low and middle income countries.

    Tobacco use is also a major barrier to sustainable development. A major driver of social inequities, tobacco use imposes significant social, economic and environmental harm on individuals, families and national economies.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review the planned business rate increase for organisations that seek to own or supply their energy with roof top solar panels in the light of carbon emissions targets agreed at the Paris Climate Change Conference.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Business rates policy in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government. In England, business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme for England to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

  • Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value was of child maintenance payments made to receiving parents under each scheme and each type of payment arrangement in each year since 2010.

    Priti Patel

    Information on the value of payments made to receiving parents, on the 2012 scheme, or Parents with Care under the 1993/2003 Schemes are included in the Client Fund Accounts. Previous publications can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-maintenance-client-funds-accounts

    The Client Funds Account 2014/15 is planned for publication by the end of 2015.

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