UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of how the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara affects the ability of Al Qaeda to recruit disaffected youth in Western Sahara.

    Hugh Robertson

    We monitor the security situation in the region from a number of sources. We are aware of frustration in both Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee camps at the lack of progress in the political process and at the socio-economic conditions in the camps. However, we are not aware of any evidence to suggest increased radicalisation of Sahrawi youth by terrorist or criminal gangs.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they are providing to the government of Botswana about combatting the effects of the recent drought there.

    Baroness Northover

    Cyclical droughts in Botswana are of concern. The Government of Botswana is best placed to prepare for and lead the response to humanitarian disasters as it did during the 2013 drought. The UK Government does not have a bilateral development programme in Botswana, but will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what commitments they have made to provide adequate funding for the training that secondary mathematics and citizenship teachers will need to meet the new financial education requirements from September 2014.

    Lord Nash

    The Government is committed to developing a strong culture of professional development in schools for all national curriculum subjects, including citizenship and mathematics.

    We have allocated £11 million to fund 30 new maths hubs to improve the quality of maths teachers from primary school onwards. This initiative will enable every school and college in England, from early years to the post-16 sector, to access locally-tailored and quality support in all areas of maths teaching and maths learning. To further support teachers, Liz Moorse from the Association for Citizenship Teaching is chairing an expert group on citizenship. The expert group will clarify the key areas in which teachers most need further support. The expert group will then liaise with relevant specialists and providers to develop and produce new resources where necessary.

  • 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 whether the European Union still maintains Migrants’ Centres in Mali, or elsewhere in Africa, to deal with the needs of people wishing to move to Europe.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The EU established the Centre for Information and Migration Management (CIGEM) in Bamako in 2008 in conjunction with the Malian authorities. The Centre is still operating, but does not currently receive EU funding.

    The Government believes such centres can play a useful role in dissuading migrants from making dangerous and illegal journeys in an attempt to reach the EU.

    We also welcome other EU initiatives to address migratory flows from Africa, including the extension of the EU’s support for the ‘Regional Protection Programmes’ in North Africa and the Horn of Africa which help ensure adequate protection for refugees in their region of origin.

  • Lord Tebbit – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Tebbit – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their total expenditure on financial support for organisations which lobby them on government policy.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested is not held centrally. Government Departments fund and contract with various organisations. It would be a matter for the relevant Department to determine whether any of these organisations lobby the government inappropriately.

  • Lord Donoughue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Donoughue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 18 March (WS 50–52), how many trustees have been removed by the Charity Commission since 2007; how many trustees have been suspended by the Commission since 2007; and what discussions they have had with the Commission about its using its powers to investigate a breach of charitable law.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The number of trustees of charities suspended or removed by the Charity Commission in each year since 2007 can be seen in the table below:

    Number of trustees suspended

    Number of trustees removed

    2013/14

    4

    0

    2012/13

    0

    0

    2011/12

    1

    0

    2010/11

    1

    0

    2009/10

    1

    0

    2008/09

    1

    1

    2007/08

    7

    6

    A number of meetings have been held with the Charity Commission to discuss its use of regulatory powers. The draft Protection of Charities Bill, announced as part of the Queen’s Speech, would strengthen the powers of the Charity Commission to tackle abuse in charities.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the long-term impact of the conflict in the Central African Republic on education there, particularly of girls, on higher education, and on the use of schools for military purposes.

    Baroness Northover

    The ongoing violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to take a distressing toll on the civilian population, compounding an already acute humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that 557,000 people have been displaced within CAR, with 483,000 estimated to have fled the country, of whom 358,000 are refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

    Prior to the crisis, CAR was host to over 15,000 refugees from DRC and Sudan; however the deteriorating security situation has led to the voluntary repatriation of many refugees with support from UNHCR. In April over 6,000 Congolese refugees were voluntarily repatriated to Equateur province in DRC – a further sign of the gravity of the situation in CAR.

    The crisis is having a marked impact on education provision, with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimating that 400,000 vulnerable children are in need of emergency access to education. Many schools outside the capital have been closed since the onset of the crisis and whilst some schools in Bangui have reopened, work on rebuilding educational institutions as well as infrastructure is needed. The Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment in January 2014 placed the level of functioning schools at 4%, with many looted and occupied by displaced people, but did not report military use of schools. The interruption of education affects both girls and boys.

    The most important need continues to be security, and the UK has worked closely with international partners, including the African Union (AU), to support efforts to bring stability to the country. We have provided £2m in non-lethal support to the UN-mandated AU force, MISCA, which despite serious challenges, has worked well with the French Operation Sangaris to bring some security to the country. We will continue to work with the AU and others as we approach the handover to the UN Peace Keeping Operation, MINUSCA, in September 2014, and as preparations are made for elections, currently scheduled for 2015.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to ensure thatthe rights in international law of both Israel and Palestine become the starting point for any renewal of negotiations.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Government has strongly supported the tireless efforts of US Secretary of State Kerry to facilitate a lasting final status agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It is disappointing that, despite these efforts, greater progress was not made. However, we remain convinced that common ground and political strength can be found, and we remain committed to doing all we can to support the US and the parties as they seek to find a way forward.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the recent destruction of fruit trees at the Tent of Nations farm on the West Bank.

    Hugh Robertson

    We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. However, we repeatedly make clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about continued demolitions of Palestinian property and the need to abide by their other obligations under international law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of demolitions in general on 28 May with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.

  • 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, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2014, Official Report, columns 366-7W, on children: databases, what his Department’s policy is on sharing information in respect of vulnerable children and children at risk.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The statutory guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2013′, is very clear that the effective sharing of information between professionals and local agencies is essential for accurate identification, assessment and provision of services for vulnerable children. The Department for Education’s policy is clear that fears about sharing information cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children.