The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to make any further changes to the definition of defence expenditure in calculating the proportion of GDP spent on defence in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.
Michael Fallon
The NATO definition of defence expenditure is outlined in NATO guidance. NATO determines when changes to that guidance are required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the report by the (a) Nuclear Propulsion Integrated Project Team and (b) Frazer Nash on plans to extend the time limit of restoration of Electrical Shore Supplies to nuclear powered submarines from 20 minutes up to a maximum of three hours.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence regularly reviews nuclear related processes and procedures with industry partners and with regulators, which includes independent safety scrutiny. Safety remains our priority.
I cannot comment on specific timescales for the restoration of Electrical Shore Supplies to nuclear powered submarines nor reports produced in connection with this, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many former members of each branch of the armed forces are in receipt of (a) child and (b) working tax credits.
Damian Hinds
The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandatory regulation to stimulate volumes of installations of heat pumps.
Andrea Leadsom
DECC keeps under review all policies which might be needed to meet future carbon budgets in line with the requirements of the Climate Change Act, in its consideration of the advice from the Committee on Climate Change.
Reducing carbon emissions will require improved energy efficiency measures and changes to heating systems in buildings. The Government is committed to considering both together through a stable long-term framework which explores the potential role of regulation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of developments in the human rights situation in China since March 2015.
Mr Hugo Swire
We pay close attention to the human rights situation in China and report on it regularly through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy. The latest update was published on 15 July and outlines a range of developments from January to June this year.
Whilst we recognise the improvements China has made to social and economic rights, we continue to have concerns about a range of restrictions to civil and political rights. The operating space for civil society groups is shrinking, and over 200 lawyers have been detained or questioned since July. We regularly raise our concerns with China, both through the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue and through bilateral meetings, and will continue to do so. We also work through international fora, such as the UN Human Rights Council, to highlight our concerns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Grant on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which countries in the Middle East and North Africa her Department has assessed as able to provide safe refuge and access to essential services to refugees from Syria; and what estimate she has made of how many such refugees each of those countries could accommodate.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The countries in the Middle East assessed as able to provide safety and access to essential services are those where we currently support the host Governments to provide refuge: Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. The UK is also monitoring the treatment of Syrian refugees who have arrived in small numbers in Egypt and other part of North Africa.
The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. The UK has pledged over £1.1 billion, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. Of this, we have allocated £559 million to support refugees in the region, including £304 million in Lebanon, £193 million in Jordan and the remainder across the region.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Howarth on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans for his Department’s Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund to be used to support efforts to reduce still births and neonatal deaths in multiple pregnancies.
Ben Gummer
There are no specific plans for the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development (IESD) fund to support efforts to reduce still births and neonatal deaths in multiple pregnancies. The IESD fund provides for funding for voluntary sector projects that are able to demonstrate a clear focus on supporting and driving forward new ideas, excellence or the undertaking of strategic developments in voluntary sector capacity and capability in health and care.
The fund does not have a particular focus on reducing still births and neonatal deaths in multiple pregnancies, but aims to support projects with the potential to have national significance in any area of health and care, particularly where statutory services can be complemented and high quality health and care outcomes achieved.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which non-governmental groups and individuals her Department consulted on its Counter-Extremism Strategy, published on 19 October 2015.
Karen Bradley
We have engaged widely with partners, including across government, academia, faith groups and communities to develop our strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the overseas security and justice assistance guidance that was issued before the Government entered into the contract to provide training needs analysis to the Saudi penal system.
Andrew Selous
I refer the hon member to the Secretary of State’s statement of 13 October 2015. We have no plans to publish the overseas security and justice assistance (OSJA) guidance in relation to the bid to provide a training needs analysis to the Saudi Arabian prison service. No contract was entered into and the bid was withdrawn before the contract with the Saudi Government was signed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans for the electrification of the Great Western Mainline to be completed.
Claire Perry
The Secretary of State announced in June that Sir Peter Hendy, the new Chair of Network Rail, would develop proposals for how the rail upgrade programme, including the Great Western Mainline, will be carried out. He will report to the Secretary of State later in the autumn and it would be premature to speculate on his conclusions.