Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations his Department received on the requirements to be set for businesses in the retail and commercial enterprise sector to qualify for funding under the apprenticeship programme before those requirements were determined.

    Nick Boles

    In England, to qualify for apprenticeships funding, an apprenticeship offered in any sector must comply with the Skills Funding Agency’s funding rules: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sfa-funding-rules-2016-to-2017.

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  • 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 2016-04-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that donations to the Jewish National Fund are tax deductible, and that one of its primary activities has been the creation of forests over disputed Palestinian land, what action they are taking to rescind the charitable status of organisations that are for the benefit of one group at the expense of another.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Jewish National Fund is not a charity. The Jewish National Fund Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales having exclusively charitable purposes. Under s34 of the Charities Act 2011, the Commission must remove a charity from the register if it no longer considers the organisation to be a charity or if it has ceased to exist or does not operate. None of these criteria apply to this charity. Any concern regarding the charitable status of an organisation is a matter for the Commission.

    Taxation is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs who do not comment on individual cases.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted on the health benefits and risks of male circumcision.

    George Freeman

    The Department has not conducted or commissioned any specific research on the health effects of male circumcision.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will take steps to ensure that the House of Commons Commission’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Tom Brake

    The House of Commons procurement policies operate within the parameters set out by the UK Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

    The House has a Sustainable Purchasing Policy which, amongst other things, requires contracts that are particularly suitable for SMEs to be highlighted as so being, contracts to be divided into lots and processes to be as simple and proportionate as possible to encourage SMEs to participate in our competitions. Further, the policy requires contracts that are suitable for Social Enterprises to be identified at an early stage and that market engaged to ensure their participation.

    More generally, the House supports British industry and agriculture by:

    • Purchasing our goods and services in a way that maximises the ability of SMEs, Social Enterprises and organisations with less bargaining power to win our contracts;
    • Conducting open and competitive tender processes that are accessible to all British suppliers whether small, medium or large;
    • Advertising our contracts on the UK Government procurement website Contracts Finder and the House’s own electronic procurement portal to ensure that there is maximum visibility of our contractual opportunities;
    • Writing specifications of requirements that take into account domestic social, economic and environmental requirements.
  • Lord Bruce of Bennachie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Bruce of Bennachie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total value of their support to disabled people in developing countries.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK’s global leadership and commitment to disability inclusive development has been increasing. Through the Sustainable Development Goals, the promise to Leave No One Behind, and DFID’s Disability Framework, we have committed to promoting disability-inclusive international development through a twin-track approach. This means that, guided by our Framework, we aim to mainstream disability in all of our policies and programmes as well as supporting programmes that target disability specifically.

    We do not currently track spend on disability inclusion, but a review of progress in December last year told us that we are doing more to support people with disabilities than ever before. Key disability-specific programming includes funding to important partners such as ADD International and the Disability Rights Fund, and Bridging the Gap – a research project to identify gaps between disability policy formulation and implementation. But people with disabilities also directly benefit from spending across our geographic and thematic portfolios. To make it increasingly possible to determine if programmes are reaching and successfully serving people with disabilities globally, the international development system must get better at disaggregating data by disability status. In response, DFID has produced guidance to inform programmes and policies.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are being put in place, in co-operation with the government of France, to support asylum seekers in Calais this winter.

    Lord Bates

    The French Government is responsible for the care of migrants in Calais, including support over the winter. However, both governments are committed to finding a sustainable solution to the situation in Calais. One aspect of the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August committed the UK to providing £3.6 million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help support a range of work to manage the migrant population in Calais. Additionally, the UK has provided £530,000 to fund a project to identify those in the camps at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and to provide them with appropriate support within the French system.

    The UK and French Governments are unified in their response to these migratory pressures and both governments recognise the importance of close partnership and collaboration.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 39 (d) of the North East Devolution Agreement, what representations he has received on north east Air Passenger Duty mitigation; and what steps he is considering to implement the commitment to protect Newcastle Airport from the impact of devolution of Air Passenger Duty to Scotland.

    Damian Hinds

    The government published a discussion paper at Summer Budget 2015 exploring three potential options to support English regional airports from the impacts of Air Passenger Duty devolution. We received a large number of responses, including from stakeholders in the North East. We will respond to the consultation in due course.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals, if any, they have made, and what further action they will take, to ensure that the voices of women are heard in all future negotiations about Syria.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have consistently urged the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, as well as representatives of the moderate Syrian opposition to ensure that women are fully represented in negotiations with the Syrian regime. This was the case at the Geneva peace talks two years ago where women were represented on the opposition negotiating team. Further UN-brokered talks between the Syrian regime and opposition are planned for late January; we and our partners will continue to encourage the opposition and organisers to involve women fully in the process.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of the practice of nationality-based pay discrimination against non-EEA seafarers employed on (a) UK and (b) non-UK registered vessels working from UK ports.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The department is currently seeking evidence on possible cases of discrimination, including on pay discrimination, through the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 which is due to complete in autumn 2016.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to answer Question 21634, tabled by the Right hon. Member for Tooting on 8 January 2016.

    Nick Boles

    We will collate this information and deposit it in the Libraries of the House shortly.