Tag: Parliamentary Question

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sheikh on 2016-07-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UK–Sudan strategic dialogue initiated in March represents a change of approach in foreign policy towards Sudan, and whether that dialogue will continue.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Our objectives in Sudan have not changed. The British Government continues to work with its partners to end the conflicts, improve the serious humanitarian and human rights situation and tackle migration. The launch of the strategic dialogue underlines our commitment to discuss these and other issues with the Government of Sudan.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Care Quality Commission and (b) Marie Stopes International on the suspension of Marie Stopes’ abortion services in the UK.

    Nicola Blackwood

    I have met Care Quality Commission (CQC) officials leading on this issue. Departmental officials have had, and continue to have, regular discussions with the CQC and Marie Stopes International (MSI), following the suspension of some MSI services. These discussions have centred on what actions MSI needs to take and what assurances they need to give that they will be able to meet the required standards and quality of service in future.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken, and what action they plan to take, to put pressure on Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to cut off financing for terrorist organisations.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We work with regional and international partners, including all Gulf States, to tackle the threat posed by terrorist organisations, including by working to counter terrorist financing. We urge all international partners to implement UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2161 (on Al Qaida sanctions), UNSCR 2199 (on countering Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) finance) and UNSCR 1373 (on threats to international peace and security), and work to further combat the financing of ISIL through the Counter-ISIL Finance Working Group (Saudi Arabia is the Chair, Kuwait and Qatar are active members).

    The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) is the global standard setter for anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing. Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia are members of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (the regional grouping of FATF) which conducts mutual evaluations of its members to assess compliance with the international standard. A FATF report on terrorist financing published on 16 November 2015 noted that since 2010, Saudi Arabia had achieved the highest number of terrorist financing convictions out of the 33 jurisdictions who had achieved a conviction.

  • Neil Coyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Neil Coyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the organisations awarded funding from the Community Transport Minibus Fund in March 2015 have received (a) a vehicle and (b) that funding.

    Andrew Jones

    In March 2015, 310 organisations were announced has having successful bids under the Community Transport Minibus Fund. The specific requirements of each organisation were then individually assessed.

    76 of those organisations whose vehicle requirements are very specific have been identified for grant funding. 47 have received a 10% deposit for their vehicle and of those, 6 have received the full balance as their vehicle is ready for delivery.

    A procurement competition is currently open to provide a further 210 vehicles through Crown Commercial Services’ vehicle conversion and vehicle purchase frameworks, to ensure value for money.

    The remaining vehicle requirements are being discussed individually as they are either outside the scope of the fund or their requirements have change.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance British service personnel are providing to Saudi Arabian forces in Yemen.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a long history of defence cooperation. As part of this long standing relationship, the RAF provides training and shares best practice to the Royal Saudi Air Force, including training on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) compliant targeting.

    In addition we have provided guidance and advice to the Saudis on their processes to ensure continued compliance with IHL.

    Finally the UK has deployed a small number of military personnel serving as Liaison Officers in Saudi headquarters. Their role is to build our relationship and provide insight into Saudi operations. Liaison Officers are not involved in directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making 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 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Volkswagen on the provision of additional staffing in the UK during its repair programme.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government expects Volkswagen to treat its UK consumers fairly and adequately address their concerns. The Secretary of State pressed Volkswagen UK on their plans for the recall of affected vehicles, including for managing the additional workload, in a meeting on 10 December. He urged Volkswagen to resolve swiftly this unacceptable situation for both their customers and the British public. Departmental officials continue to meet regularly with Volkswagen on this issue.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take any action to evaluate the claims to asylum of Afghan interpreters formerly employed by the British Army who are currently in the Calais Jungle” camp

    Lord Bates

    We carefully consider all asylum claims made in the UK, including those made by former interpreters with our armed forces in Afghanistan, but we have no obligation under the Refugee Convention to consider asylum claims outside the UK. Those who need international protection should claim in the first safe country they reach so those currently in Calais should claim in France. Where someone seeking asylum elsewhere in the EU can demonstrate they have close family members legally in the UK, they may be entitled to have their claim processed in the UK under the Dublin Regulation.

    Separate schemes have existed since 2013 to assist interpreters previously employed by the UK Armed Forces. These apply only to those who have remained in Afghanistan and, in recognition of their unique and exceptional service or the danger interpreters may face because of their work, can lead to relocation to the UK if certain criteria are met.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many LEA schools have been found to have paid the head teacher at such schools more than the publicly disclosed salary in each of the last three years.

    Nick Gibb

    Local authorities are responsible for the oversight of the schools they maintain and carry out their own programmes of financial monitoring.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the inclusion of Universal Health Coverage as a target in the World Health Organization report Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, published on 8 April 2016.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK Government welcomes the report of the World Health Organisation, which highlights the integrated and indivisible nature of all the Goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the role of health among them, and presents Universal Health Coverage as a target in itself and a contributor to the other health targets

  • Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Barker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers offered a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme in circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As this is not a Government scheme the Department for Transport does not collect data on how many employers offered or refused to offer, a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

    This is because the Cycle to Work scheme is an employee benefit covered by an exemption and therefore employers do not have to make an annual tax return regarding the benefit; meaning the Department does not collect the data.