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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 April 2016, HCWS679, on immigration detention, who will be eligible under these proposals to authorise the detention of a pregnant woman for the first 72 hours.

    James Brokenshire

    At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.

    It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.

    Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.

  • 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 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will raise with the Palestinian Authority the recent reported increase in arbitrary arrest and allegations of torture and ill-treatment of their detainees.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are deeply concerned by these reports, and have raised our concerns around the conduct of the security forces with the Palestinian Authority. Through our Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, we are working with the Palestinian Authority to support reform of the Palestinian security sector, aiming to strengthen civilian oversight and accountability of the security forces.

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department plans to spend on the upgrade and life-extension programme for the C130-J programme.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 announced an out of service date (OSD) extension of 14 C130J Mk4 aircraft from 2022 to 2030. This does not constitute an extension of the overall design life of the platform, but a revision of the Royal Air Force’s planned OSD. During this period, it is currently estimated that, over and above annual support costs, approximately £200 million will be spent on key components to maintain the life of the aircraft and £150 million on upgrading the fleet with new capabilities.

  • Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugo Swire on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will assess the merits of requiring developers who need retrospective planning permission to refund the costs incurred by the planning authority.

    Gavin Barwell

    The enforcement of planning control is a statutory function of local authorities for which they need to budget and the costs of which are not generally recoverable.

    The primary purpose of a retrospective planning application is to give those who have made a genuine mistake the opportunity to rectify the matter. Introducing additional charges would penalise those people unfairly and might deter them from submitting applications.

    We believe this remains the right approach and have no plans to amend it at this time.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to provide support to people diagnosed with cancer in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance who will be affected by the proposed reductions in benefits for people in that group.

    Priti Patel

    No current claimants, including those diagnosed with cancer, will be affected by the change to the work-related activity component and we have already committed to providing up £100m in new, practical support for claimants with limited capability for work to help them move closer to the labour market and, when they are ready, into work.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects to notify the European Commission of draft agreement with the People’s Republic of China and the China General Nuclear Power Group as required by Article 103 of the Euratom Treaty 1957.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In October 2015, EDF signed a Strategic Investment Agreement and Heads of Terms with China General Nuclear (CGN). This is not an agreement with the Government, so isn’t within the remit of Article 103 of the Euratom Treaty.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2015 to Question 19711, if he will provide equivalent data for the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

    Priti Patel

    The data is not available in financial years (April-March) only in academic years (August-July). I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 5 January 2016 to her previous question 20685

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with flood insurers on the launch of Flood Re in April 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    I chaired a Flood Re readiness meeting on 12 January with Flood Re, major insurers, and delivery partners. Officials have regular contact with Flood Re on preparations for the Scheme’s launch. Flood Re has given assurances that the Scheme is on track to start accepting policies from insurers in April 2016.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the amount spent was from the public purse was on decommissioning and disposal of (a) HMS Ark Royal and (b) HMS Illustrious.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Much of the work to decommission Royal Navy ships is undertaken using contracts that provide support services for all ships conducting Fleet activities at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth. Costs are not attributed to individual vessels.

    Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) was responsible for the removal of classified equipment and known hazardous materials from the former HMS ARK ROYAL. This work cost £0.7 million. Similar work is being carried out on the former HMS ILLUSTRIOUS which has yet to be sold. Expenditure incurred to date is £0.5 million.

    The Disposal Services Authority (DSA), part of DE&S, disposes of defence equipment that is surplus to requirement. DSA costs are not attributed to individual platforms and information on these ships is not held in the format requested.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support countries in combating breast ironing.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.

    The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.

    The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.