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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current policy on granting visas for musical ensembles from Russia; why there was a delay in issuing visas recently for the Lyra Ensemble from St Petersburg which led to the cancellation of concerts on their proposed United Kingdom tour; and what steps they will take to avoid such situations in the future.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    Due to its obligations under the Data Protection Act, UK Visas and Immigration is unable to comment openly on individual cases. There is insufficient detail in the question to enable us to identify these visa applications but if Lord Jones of Cheltenham wishes to provide specific details of the visa applicants, UK Visas and Immigration will provide him with an in confidence letter regarding this incident.

    There has been no change in visa policy for those coming from Russia to give musical performances in the UK. Applicants must meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules. We advise Russian visa applicants to apply for their visas as early as possible in advance of their
    date of travel. In Russia, applicants can apply up to six months in advance of travel and a ‘submission without passport’ service is available for those who want to hold on to their passport whilst their application is processed.

  • Lord Alderdice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alderdice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alderdice on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether personality disorder services remain a priority commitment for the National Health Service; and if so, what guidance is provided to NHS England to ensure that quality services continue to be commissioned.

    Earl Howe

    Personality disorder services remain a priority commitment for the National Health Service. In 2011 the Government published No health, without mental health, a cross Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages which remains the Government’s vision for improving services for people with mental health problems; this specifically includes people with personality disorders. The Mandate to NHS England makes clear that by March 2015, we expect NHS England to make measurable progress towards achieving true parity of esteem between mental and physical health and that everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence-based services.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the value of assets wrongfully removed from Ukraine that have been recovered or frozen in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, since the meeting of the Ukraine Asset Recovery Forum in London on 28 and 29 April.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The UK led the call for the urgent imposition of EU sanctions, imposing an asset freeze on 22 individuals suspected of misappropriating funds from the Ukrainian state.

    Those assets which are proven to be the proceeds of corruption through criminal investigations, and subsequently confiscated, will be returned to Ukraine.

    We do not release information on the value of assets frozen under financial sanctions in the UK for reasons of confidentiality, and we do not hold information on the value of assets frozen overseas.

    It is our policy to work closely with other governments to assist them to trace and repatriate stolen assets. All appropriate criminal justice and administrative routes to support the Ukrainians are being explored. The Director of the Serious Fraud Office has opened a criminal investigation into possible money laundering arising from suspicions of corruption in Ukraine. The Serious Fraud Office has obtained a restraint order freezing approximately $23 million of assets in the UK in connection with this case.

  • Lord Tebbit – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Tebbit – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tebbit on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 6 May (WA 356), whether they intend to ensure that the word Europe” is used with qualification to make clear what meaning is attached to it in the context of that particular use.”

    Baroness Warsi

    The Government has no plans to start ensuring that the word "Europe" is always used with qualification.

  • Lord Donoughue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Donoughue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Donoughue on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord de Mauley on 11 March (WA 374), what offence would be committed by an RSPCA inspector making entry, or attempting to make entry, to private property of a private home without the permission of the owner.

    Lord Faulks

    If the RSPCA are investigating an allegation of animal cruelty and the owners do not cooperate or refuse entry to their property, the RSPCA would normally call upon the assistance of the police. The RSPCA has no special powers for entry or search and seizure – these powers lie with police constables and some local authority officers.

    As such they would be subject to the law as any member of the public would be.

  • Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current membership and remit of the Migration Advisory Committee; on what criteria they appoint its members; and whether they have plans to review those criteria and its remit with a view to tasking the Committee with examining immigration and its impact in the round.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is comprised of economists and migration experts who serve as a chair and committee members. They are appointed to support the remit of the Committee, which is to provide independent and evidence-based advice to the Government on migration issues. Professor Sir David Metcalf is the Chair and is supported by 4 members; Dr Martin Ruhs, Professor Jonathan Wadsworth, Dr Jennifer Smith and Professor Jackline Wahba.

    Lesley Giles of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and John Thompson, the Director of Immigration Policy in the Home Office, also sit on the Committee as ex-officio members.

    The Chair and Committee members are public appointments made in line with guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The current criteria for membership are:

    Essential criteria

    * Expertise in economics, preferably labour markets.
    * Quantitative analytical skills.
    * Strong written skills – experience of producing evidence based reports.
    * Building effective working relationships with a wide range of groups.

    Desirable criteria

    * Ability to work as part of a team.
    * Knowledge of non-UK migration data and policies.

    There are no plans to change or review the remit or the criteria for
    appointment to the MAC.

  • Lord Patten – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many occasions in each of the last 10 years there have been incursions by Spanish naval or other state vessels into British Gibraltar territorial waters; and on how many occasions they have summoned the Spanish Ambassador or made other diplomatic representations over such incursions.

    Baroness Warsi

    The total number of unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW), from 2010 onwards, are as follows:

    2010 – 103
    2011 – 24
    2012 – 229
    2013 – 496
    Jan-May 2014 – 185

    During this period, the Spanish Ambassador has been summoned three times on incursions related matters – 15 November 2012, 19 November 2013 and 2 April 2014. The British Government cannot readily provide statistics for incursions into BGTW by Spanish State vessels before 2010. This could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The Government upholds British sovereignty over BGTW by challenging and protesting unlawful incursions. We will continue to make representations to the Spanish government at the highest level, making clear the damage they cause to our bilateral relationship.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of potential health risks arising from (a) above-ground and (b) underground electricity cables which connect onshore windfarms to sub-stations.

    Michael Fallon

    Public Health England (PHE) is advisor on potential health risks from above ground or underground electricity cables. Government policy, based on advice from PHE, is that the 1998 International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines on public exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) are applied in terms of the 1999 EU Council Recommendation on limiting exposure of the general public (1999/519/EC). PHE remains the focus of UK expertise in such matters and keeps the scientific evidence relevant to EMF exposures under review.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations his Department has received from families groups on allowing the names of parents and legal guardians to be included on a child’s passport.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has no record of family groups (or anyone else) making representations on this matter.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent (a) police officers, (b) police community support officers and (c) police civilian staff were employed by North Yorkshire police on (i) 31 March and (ii) 30 September in each year since 2004.

    Damian Green

    The following table contains the requested data and covers the period up until
    30 September 2013. Figures as at 31 March 2014 are due to be published 17 July
    2014.