Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of potential increases to the port usage of Heysham after the new Heysham M6 link road is completed; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    None. As this is a local road and not part of the Strategic Road Network, the assessment was carried out by Lancashire County Council. However, the scheme will certainly improve access to the Port and improve accessibility for related local businesses.

  • Robin Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Robin Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robin Walker on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Irish government on cross-border efforts to stop organised crime.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    In accordance with the Fresh Start Agreement, in December I attended a trilateral cross-border ministerial meeting with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government.

    We agreed new measures to enhance law enforcement cooperation on organised crime and a Joint Agency Taskforce has been established.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the concept of parity of esteem in the Belfast Agreement 1998 means that people living in Northern Ireland are subject to more parity of esteem than anywhere else in the UK; and if not, why not.

    Lord Dunlop

    This Government understands the concept of parity of esteem, as set out in the 1998 Belfast Agreement, as placing a general obligation on the UK Government to treat people of different traditions in Northern Ireland fairly and with equal respect. In the Agreement it is clearly expressed and defined in relation to people living in Northern Ireland.

    As a general obligation there is no definition of particular circumstances in which it does or does not apply.

    As I have set out in previous replies to the Noble Lord, this Government is firm in its commitment to the protection of people against any form of discrimination, and the promotion of opportunity for all, across the whole of our United Kingdom.

    In respect of the Noble Lord’s question about those who might march wearing army uniforms but who are not members of an army, the concept of parity of esteem clearly does not absolve people from upholding the law. This Government has made clear many times that we will never accept any form of equivalence between members of the security forces and those who engage in terrorism or other forms of paramilitary activity.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-06-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pensioners pay income tax at the higher rate.

    Mr David Gauke

    For 2013-14 it is estimated that 558,000 individuals above State Pension Age were liable for Income Tax charged at or above the higher rate. This is based on the most recent Survey of Personal Incomes (2013-14)

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of response officers (a) working as a single crew and (b) responding to 999 calls alone.

    Brandon Lewis

    Individual chief constables are best placed to assess the risks to their force and decisions about patrol policy must remain with them. Chief Constables, working with directly elected police and crime commissioners, have a duty to manage and support the police workforce effectively, ensuring the welfare of all officers and staff. Chief constables keep their patrol policies under regular review and decide how best to respond to their local circumstances.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the call by the European Commission as part of the EU enlargement strategy for Turkey to lift media restrictions to improve respect for human rights and the rule of law, and to re-start comprehensive peace negotiations with Kurdish militants and constitutional nationalists.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the Commission’s EU enlargement strategy, which commends Turkey’s considerable efforts on refugees and recognises the progress Turkey has made in recent years. The strategy also highlights where Turkey needs to do more to meet EU standards through continuing reform, particularly in the areas of fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, and rule of law. As we have made clear, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) needs to cease its attacks and we fully support a resumption of peace talks. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what basis Action Fraud determines which reported frauds to pursue for investigation; and whether the amount defrauded influences such decisions.

    Mike Penning

    Action Fraud is the national reporting point for fraud and also cyber crime. Crime reports received by Action Fraud are considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), both of which are operated by the City of London Police. Neither Action Fraud nor the NFIB are investigatory agencies. Crime reports are evaluated to assess the information available which could assist an investigation, and to identify links between seemingly unconnected incidents. Where there is enough evidence available and a viable lead, actionable intelligence packages are created by the NFIB and are sent to the appropriate police force to consider whether enforcement activity should take place. All crime reports are assessed against a number of variables, which may alter according to demand. It would be improper to comment on the procedure on which these decisions are made in the public domain.

    Action Fraud was rolled out to all police forces in April 2013; the data below includes crime reports and disseminations in England and Wales only. For the 12 months to 31 March 2015, Action Fraud received 230,399 reports of crime. Of these, 14,509 were cyber dependent crimes, namely, crimes which can only be committed using computers, computer networks or other forms of information communication technology – for example, hacking or malware offences. These crimes fall under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. For this period, the NFIB disseminated a total of 61,682 crimes to Forces and partner agencies to consider investigation. For the period April 2013 – March 2014 Action Fraud received 211,221 crime reports and of these, 21,686 were cyber dependent. For this period, the NFIB disseminated a total of 39,138 crimes to Forces and partner agencies to consider investigation.

    Historically the Action Fraud capability came into life in 2009 and was funded by the National Fraud Authority (NFA), which has since been closed, a proportion of the NFA’s total budget was used to fund the Action Fraud Capability and is as follows:

    • 2009/10 £5.7 million including a £1.4 million uplift to set up the service

    • 2010/11 £4.9 million

    • 2011/12 £6.68 million

    • 2012/13 £9.4 million

    Since the closure of the NFA in March 2014 Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau have been funded by Home Office funding, Cabinet Office funding for Cyber Security and funding from the City of London Police core grant, and is as follows:

    • 2013/14 £11.11 million

    • 2014/15 £10.62 million

    • 2015/16 £11.03 million

  • Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how often between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2016 requests for diplomatic status or immunity were refused, and on what grounds.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    A small number of requests for diplomatic status or immunity from members of the public have been received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and subsequently refused. However, statistics and details are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. It is incumbent on the sending State to inform the FCO of the appointment of staff, including diplomats, to any of its missions in the UK. The FCO is not required to give explicit consent to such appointments, except in the case of heads of mission and military, naval and air attaches.

  • 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 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25993, whether his Department had a Cycling Health sub-group.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department had a Cycle Stakeholder Forum, established from 2011 – 2014, which had some sub-groups including a group on cycle health, chaired by the Department of Health. The sub-group was disbanded when the Cycle Stakeholder Forum was dissolved.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the methodology and data sources set out in his Department’s paper, Benefit claims by EEA nationals, published in November 2015, how many individuals are recorded in government computer systems who were nationals of an EEA member country, other than the UK at time of registration for a National Insurance number and are recorded as having arrived in 2004-05 using the earlier of (a) arrival date or (b) NINO registration date and have either (i) paid National Insurance contributions over the previous year, (ii) paid PAYE income tax over the previous year, (iii) registered any other form of activity in the relevant systems, including payments of other tax or tax in respect of self-employment or (iv) claimed benefits or tax credits over the previous year and these; and how many such people (A) claimed benefits or tax credits only and (B) paid NI or PAYE or self-assessment tax only in each year from 2004-05 to 2014-15.

    Priti Patel

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