The below Parliamentary question was asked by Glyn Davies on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how the Government plans to commemorate in Northern Ireland the centenary of the battle of the Somme.
Mr Ben Wallace
I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Member for Portsmouth South.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Philp on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU citizens who have not started working have been deported after six months to which countries since May 2015.
James Brokenshire
We do not hold the information requested centrally and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Dunlop on 24 February (HL5739 and HL5740) concerning the Belfast Agreement 1998, why they did not answer the question about the agenda for discussion with the Republic of Ireland, and who checks that those involved in discussions are entitled to be involved.
Lord Dunlop
I have previously responded to the Noble Lord’s question by explaining that discussions with the Irish Government are in accordance with the established three-stranded approach to Northern Ireland affairs which is reflected in the Belfast Agreement. I have nothing to add to this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice his Department has sought from the Swiss government on best practice in concluding a trade deal with (a) Japan, (b) China and (c) other non-EU states.
Mr David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not sought advice from the Swiss government on these matters.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the number of people with disabilities who are seeking asylum.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
At present the Asylum Transparency Agenda Data set does not report information on asylum claimants with disabilities nor are there plans for this to be included. In addition we do not currently record this information in a readily accessible format.
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 his Department is taking to ensure that universities offer disabled students levels of support which take account of recent changes to the disabled students’ allowance.
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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-09-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they will be putting forward to assist in the adoption of a new global framework on refugees at the forthcoming UN High Level Summit on Refugees and Migrants on 19 September.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK fully supported the UN General Assembly’s High Level Meeting on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants on 19 September, and the New York Declaration on refugees and migrants which was adopted at the meeting.
We will work with others following the High Level Meeting to achieve specific outcomes that will be better for migrants, for refugees, and for all countries in the migration chain – source, transit and destination.
In New York, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) argued that alongside stepping up our efforts on humanitarian assistance and development, the international community needs to build a more effective policy approach: addressing the root causes of forced displacement, providing proper protection for refugees, and reducing today’s unmanaged population movement.
At the High Level Meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the principle of providing asylum in the first safe country, thereby discouraging dangerous secondary movements; ensuring clarity in the different protections afforded to refugees and economic migrants; and maintaining the rights of all states to control their own borders.
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, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK solar power market of the proposed 2017 business rate rise for organisations investing in roof top solar power for their own consumption.
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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether full funding for the implementation of the new access target for early intervention in psychosis is included in the Government’s commitment to an additional £600 million of funding for mental health in 2016-17.
Alistair Burt
No decision has yet been reached on how the additional £600 million of funding for mental health in 2016-17 will be allocated.
A key element of achieving parity across mental and physical health care is in people having timely access to evidence-based and effective treatment.
One focus of the first set of mental health standards for 2015/16 is that from 1 April 2016, 50% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis are treated with a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved package of care within two weeks of referral. This is being supported by £40 million recurrent funding from NHS England to support delivery of the early intervention in psychosis (EIP) standard. Health Education England are focusing £5 million for workforce development towards meeting the EIP standard.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Redfern on 2015-11-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are providing to workers affected by the recent job losses in the United Kingdom steel industry.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
We have announced packages of support worth up to £80 million to support people who have lost their jobs in Redcar and up to £9 million, with Tata, for people who have lost their jobs in Scunthorpe. We have also established Task Forces at both locations which are making good progress under the strong leadership of Amanda Skelton and Baroness Redfern respectively. I am pleased that we have recently agreed a number of support packages worth over £40million with the Redcar taskforce which will provide financial assistance to affected workers, fund retraining, rehouse fifty apprentices and support the wider local economy and supply chain. We are working closely with the Scunthorpe taskforce on how best to target support there.