Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department’s aims are for the state visit of President Xi Jinping in October 2015.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The State Visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping on 20-23 October will set the tone and agenda for our relationship with China for the next decade, to develop a global partnership responding to the opportunities and challenges of the 21st Century. The visit will deliver major economic benefits for Britain through business deals, science and innovation co-operation, and enhanced links in education and culture. It will highlight the strength of the relationship in several areas: our openness to business links, our aim to make our economies fit for the future, and our response to important global issues.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on human rights abuses in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The British government regularly raises its human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities at the highest levels through Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team in Riyadh.

    Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign & Commonwealth Office country of concern because of the human rights situation in the country, particularly on the use of the death penalty, restricted access to justice, restrictions on women’s rights, as well as on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. We regularly make our views well known including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of people referred for talking therapies received cognitive behaviour therapy in each of the last five years.

    Alistair Burt

    Information on the proportion of people referred for talking therapies who received cognitive behavioural therapy during 2013/14 is given on the attached table Proportion of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) referrals that finished a course of treatment between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2014, for selected therapy types, England. Information for previous years is not available centrally. Information on 2014/15 will be published in November 2015.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the level of unmet demand for palliative care beds for patients in the last six months of their lives.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department has not undertaken an assessment of unmet demand for palliative care beds for patients in the last six months of their lives.

  • Ann Coffey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ann Coffey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individual investigations the National Crime Agency has conducted into County Line operations; and how many prosecutions have resulted from such investigations.

    Karen Bradley

    The National Crime Agency’s remit relating to ‘county lines’ does not focus on the conduct of individual investigations and prosecutions. Individual investigations and prosecutions remain the responsibility of local police forces. Information on the number of investigations and prosecutions relating to county lines specifically is not collated centrally.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications made by Syrian nationals in each of the last three years were refused on the grounds that the applicant could be returned to a safe third country.

    James Brokenshire

    In the last three years, the numbers of Syrian nationals (main applicants only) refused asylum on third country grounds were as follows:

    26 in 2012

    99 in 2013

    66 in 2014

    The Home Office publishes annual and quarterly data on asylum applications and initial decisions; this is available in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release.

    A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April – June 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the ongoing de facto blockade of Yemen by the government of Yemen and the Saudi-led coalition on (a) aid and (b) commercial supplies to that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The conflict in Yemen has resulted in severe restrictions on imports of humanitarian and commercial supplies into the country, including essential fuel, food and medicines. According to the UN, since April, Yemen has received 2.1 million metric tonnes of food (90% through commercial imports and 10% through humanitarian aid) but only 25% of its estimated fuel needs.

    The UK continues to call on all parties to facilitate unimpeded and immediate humanitarian access to all people in need in Yemen, and to lift any restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping.

    The UK is one of the largest donors to the crisis in Yemen and has announced £75 million to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, focused on the most urgent life-saving needs. UK aid is providing vital medical supplies, water, food and emergency shelter, as well as supporting UN work to co-ordinate the international humanitarian response.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 9602, which external organisations received payments from his Department in connection with developing the policies referred to in that Answer; and what amount was paid to each such organisation.

    Claire Perry

    EY, previously known as Ernst & Young, was engaged in developing the work referred to in Question 9602, and was paid £230k (excluding VAT) in respect of that work.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the gender pay gap.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The gender pay gap has fallen to its lowest ever level, but any gap is unacceptable. The Prime Minister has pledged to eliminate this gap in a generation. Our recent consultation will inform new regulations that will deliver our manifesto commitment to require large companies to publish details of their gender pay gap. We will also tackle the causes by encouraging girls to consider a wide range of careers and ensuring that workplaces are fit for the 21st century.

  • Kirsten  Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect the introduction of universal credit will have on the income of those working in a job from which they derive net earnings of at least £111 per week and who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

    Priti Patel

    Carer’s Allowance ceases when the claimant earns more than £110 a week. There is not a similar cliff-edge effect in Universal Credit. Carers who combine caring with paid work will continue to have the Carer Element included in the calculation of their overall award for as long as they provide care for at least 35 hours per week for a severely disabled person.

    In Universal Credit, earned income by members of the household is subjected to a work allowance. Different amounts are disregarded from earnings in order to reflect the needs of different types of household and to support the aim that work pays. Carers are entitled to one of these work allowances depending on their family type, although there is not a work allowance specifically for carers.

    Carers who combine work with caring will be able to earn up to their work allowance without their Universal Credit entitlement being affected. If earnings exceed that allowance then the Universal Credit award will reduce gradually as earnings increase.