Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in his Department and non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As a legally compliant employer we do provide healthcare benefits where we have a legal obligation to do so imposed by The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE). This means that where staff transfer with their work into the Civil Service then we are legally obliged to match their terms and conditions and these might include travel allowances and subsidised health insurance

    No staff in the Department currently receive a home to work travel allowance, a car allowance or subsidised health insurance, which compares to the position before 2010 where fewer than 5 staff received subsidised health insurance.

    The number of staff in the Department for Transport’s non-departmental public bodies who currently receive a home to work travel allowance, a car allowance or subsidised health insurance is shown in the table below:

    Home to work travel allowance

    Car allowance

    Subsidised health insurance

    Number of staff

    less than 5

    less than 5

    12

    Where there are less than 5 staff receiving these allowances we are not releasing the number to ensure they cannot be identified.

  • Lord Vinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Vinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Vinson on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that the net long-term international migration figure for the year ending September 2015 was 323,000 rather than their ambition of tens of thousands, what is the high migration assumption in the latest ONS population projections, and what they estimate will be the increase in the UK population over the next five years.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Israeli government organisations have been given charitable status in the UK.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    In England and Wales the law requires charities to be independent in the way they operate and they must be set up with exclusively charitable purposes for the public benefit. This precludes from charitable status any organisations that are established to further the purposes of any non-charity, which would include a national government.

    Charity law is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but the requirements there are similar.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the health condition of Kamal Foroughi in Iran; and what assessment he has made of the level of Mr Foroughi’s access to appropriate medical care.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have raised our concerns about Mr Foroughi’s health with the Iranian Government and continue to lobby them at the highest level at every opportunity, requesting consular access for officials, access to lawyers and appropriate access to medical treatment. Most recently, on 18 May, I raised our concerns for Mr Foroughi’s health with the Iranian Charge d’affaires. We continue to ask for his early release on humanitarian grounds given his age and medical history.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-07-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will meet representatives of Norway and Switzerland to discuss the outcome of the EU referendum.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) held discussions with European counterparts and a range of other partners to explain the result of the referendum and next steps. Officials continue to be in frequent contact with their Norwegian and Swiss counterparts and have discussed a range of topics since 24 June, including the outcome of the EU referendum.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with UK supermarkets about the case for supermarkets regularly to check imported products to ensure that those products are properly labelled.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Under the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 Food business operators are responsible for ensuring that labelling does not mislead the consumer. The rules are enforced by local authorities.

    Imported products of animal origin are usually inspected at EU border inspection posts by Port Health Authorities.

    As there are well established systems already in place, the Government is not having any specific discussions with UK supermarkets about this issue at this time, but government will continue to monitor this.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the armed forces compensation scheme tariffs were last reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    In 2009 Lord Boyce was asked to review the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), including its associated tariffs, to ensure that the Scheme was fit for purpose. Lord Boyce made his recommendations in February 2010, and as a result the Ministry of Defence tripled the maximum lump sum award for mental illness from £48,875 to £140,000 in order to accurately reflect the impact of the most serious mental health conditions. While Lord Boyce was clear in his report that a further fundamental review of the AFCS should not be required, we recognise that it is appropriate to review our policies and associated tariffs on a regular basis.

    In addition to the AFCS lump sum, the most seriously injured receive a tax-free Guaranteed Income Payment for life. This is uplifted annually by the Consumer Price Index.

    An Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) was also established in 2010 to advise on appropriate levels of compensation for several specific injuries and illnesses, including mental health. The IMEG has looked at how best to compensate for mental health problems and they keep this under review.

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that landlords receive rent from tenants who are in receipt of housing benefit.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Housing Benefit for claimants living in the social rented sector is paid direct to the landlord. Those renting in the private rented sector normally receive their benefit direct and are responsible for paying this over to their landlord. In certain circumstances the local authority can make direct payments to the landlord including when rent arrears of eight weeks or more have accrued and or when it would be in the best interest of the claimant to do so.

    Authorities are not required to make direct payments to landlords that are not a “fit and proper person” to receive it.

    The arrangements in Universal Credit allow for the housing costs element to be paid direct to the landlord where it is in the claimant’s or their families interests, including where the claimant is in rent arrears of the equivalent of two month’s rent.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage countries hosting Syrian refugees in that region to allow NGOs to provide non-formal education opportunities.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region being held in London on 4th February, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.

    At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans for there to be a period between the Local Sustainable Transport Fund ending in March 2016 and the commencement of the new Access Fund.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    On 15 February 2016, we announced that there will be a transition year between the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and the Access fund. The Sustainable Travel Transition Year will take place in 2016/17, with the Access fund being formally launched later in 2016 for delivery in 2017/18.

    This transition year will enable the Department time to publish the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS); to work with the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) to understand the future approach for the Local Growth Fund; and to identify the highest value for money approach to supporting investment in sustainable travel.