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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Jones on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the transfer of protected persons from the West Bank to prisons inside Israel.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners with the Israeli authorities, including routine detention of Palestinians from the West Bank in prison inside Israel. We are particularly concerned about the detention of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons. We welcome recent improvements made by the Israeli authorities, including increasing the age of majority from 16 to 18 years old. However, we remain concerned at the number of Palestinian minors held in Israeli detention.

  • 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 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2015 to Question 17914, which change programmes are expected to contribute to the planned reduction in the size of his Department’s civilian workforce over the current Parliament; and what size of reductions he expects to result from each such change programme.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Defence Equipment and Support and the Trading Funds were included in the baseline workforce calculation.

    The Ministry of Defence is managing a range of change programmes designed to deliver Defence outputs more efficiently and effectively, including Army 2020 and outsourcing logistics to Leidos. A Business Improvement Review has been set up to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of support activities across Defence. This Review will look at the total shape, size and structure of our civilian workforce, the functions and processes that they are engaged in, and how those can be made more efficient.

    The Department expects the civilian workforce to reduce to around 41,000 by 2020. However, the timing and reductions associated with individual programmes are still to be determined and final decisions will be subject to consultation with employee representatives, value for money considerations and, where appropriate, commercial negotiation.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on future funding of research on (a) climate change and (b) climate change effects and adaptation of the introduction of an anti-lobbying clause in government grant agreements.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The vast majority of climate change research funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change is not awarded through grant agreements. As a result, we don’t foresee the introduction of an anti-lobbying clause in government grant agreements having any significant impact on research that we fund on these topics in the future.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their current initiatives on the use of tax havens and issues about the use of off-shore companies, what assessment they have made of the use by Thames Water of a Cayman Islands company to raise over £5 billion of debt, and of Thames Water being owned and controlled from Luxembourg.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not disclose details of its work on the affairs of particular taxpayers.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans to make changes to the procedure of the market rent only option once triggered, as planned in Part 6 of the withdrawn Pubs Code etc. Regulations 2016.

    Anna Soubry

    No. The Government does not plan to make any material changes to the procedure of the ‘Market Rent Only’ option, once triggered, in the revised regulations. Some technical drafting improvements have been made to Part 6.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue a response to Early Day Motion 195, on Chronic pain, tabled on 13 June 2016.

    David Mowat

    Chronic pain is a long term condition where patients have persistent pain or repeated bouts of intermittent pain and it is a condition in its own right or as a component of other long term conditions. The routine assessment and management of pain is a required competency of all healthcare professionals. Many patients with chronic pain can be successfully supported and managed through routine primary and secondary care pain management services. Approaches to treatment are not all pharmacological and for some patients, education in self-management approaches for their condition may be also be appropriate.

    It is important that patients with the most serious pain management issues are able to access specialist care. A patient whose pain is particularly difficult to manage may be referred to a specialised pain management service. Under the care of an expert multidisciplinary team, patients may be offered specialised pain management programmes and more complex drug treatments. Such services are commissioned nationally by NHS England as part of its remit to deliver specialised services.

    To support clinicians in the management of pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published several clinical guidelines on the treatment and management of different types of pain, such as migraine and back pain, as well as technical guidance on specific treatments, such as the use of opiates in palliative care and deep brain stimulation for chronic pain.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase the number of cadet units in state schools.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Government has committed £50 million from LIBOR fines to increase the number of cadet units in UK state schools through the Cadet Expansion Programme. The joint Ministry of Defence/Department for Education programme is targeting schools in less affluent areas and we have had a substantial number of applications to establish new units. This demonstrates the interest that schools around the country have in the programme.

    The expansion programme is well on track to achieve its target of 500 cadet units parading in schools across the UK by 2020. As at June 2016, 350 units were parading and on 4 October 2016 the Secretary of State announced the next wave of 25 new units in state schools which have been approved.

    The list of 25 new schools which have been approved is as follows:

    Arnold Hill Academy – Nottinghamshire

    Askham Bryan College – North Yorkshire

    Bedlingtonshire Community High School – Northumberland

    Bishop Challoner Girls School – London

    Broadgreen International School – Liverpool

    Cardinal Griffin Catholic College – Staffordshire

    Carr Hill High School and Sixth Form Centre – Lancashire

    Central Foundation Boys’ School – London

    Chichester Free School – Chichester

    Ernest Bevin College – London

    Gravesend Grammar School – Kent

    Hugh Baird College – Merseyside

    Khalsa Secondary Academy – Buckinghamshire

    Kings Leadership Academy Liverpool – Liverpool

    Medway UTC – Kent

    Newton Rigg College – Cumbria

    Nova Hreod Academy – Swindon

    Quintin Kynaston Academy – London

    Rockwood Academy – Birmingham

    South Shields Community School – Tyne and Wear

    South Wiltshire UTC – Salisbury

    St Thomas More Catholic School – Tyne and Wear

    The JCB Academy – Staffordshire

    Tudor Grange Samworth Academy – Leicestershire

    West Midlands Construction UTC – Wolverhampton

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what technical consultancy was provided to her Department to help produce the draft Investigatory Powers Bill; and how much was spent from the public purse on such consultancy.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Home Office makes use of technical expertise from within the civil service and externally to support preparation for legislation as well as implementation of current legislation. We also consult widely with academics, communication service providers and wider industry. It is not possible to determine how much of this work has been specifically devoted to preparation of the Investigatory Powers Bill.

  • Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for the financial position of students of offering loans to 19 to 23 year olds who are undertaking further education.

    Nick Boles

    Loans have been available to those aged 24 and over studying at levels 3 and 4 in further education since April 2013. We are now making them available to those aged 19-23 and extending them to levels 5 and 6. Advanced Learner Loans remove the barrier of paying up-front fees for courses.

    Learners do not repay their loan until they can afford to. Repayments on the loan are taken when the individual is earning more than £21,000 per annum and is at the rate of 9% of their earnings above this level.

    Loans enhance shared responsibility for skills funding, recognising that much of the benefit of advanced vocational study goes to the learner.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about the Turkish government’s military action against Kurdish militants in predominately Kurdish areas of Turkey.

    Mr David Lidington

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. The Turkish Government has responded by striking PKK targets in Turkey and Northern Iraq. They have also launched large-scale security operations involving curfews in some towns and cities in order to clear them of suspected terrorists.

    We are aware of reports of civilian casualties in the region, and a worsening humanitarian situation in certain areas in south east Turkey. The Turkish Government have said that 48 civilians lost their lives in clashes between 23 July and 23 December 2015. They also said that 93,000 people have fled their homes. We also understand that there have been investigations launched against elected officials and politicians. Any such investigations should be undertaken transparently and fully respect the rule of law.

    We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights need to be fully protected. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can.

    We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process. I raised these issues with my Turkish counterpart the last time we met in August 2015.