The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2015-11-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how many people will work more hours as a result of the proposed four-year freeze in working age benefits from 2016.
Lord Freud
The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2015-11-30.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which countries local FM radio stations broadcasting BBC World Service programmes in-country have been closed down by the authorities in each year from 1999 to 2014.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The BBC World Service has advised that they experienced closures to their service in the following countries: 2006 – Tajikistan 2008 – Oman 2009 –Azerbaijan 2010 – Somalia 2010 – Sudan 2008 to 2011– Israel 2014 – Rwanda
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Steel of Aikwood on 2016-01-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries they include in their Global Mine Action Programme, and whether they will consider adding Angola to that list.
Earl of Courtown
The Global Mine Action Programme which runs from 2014 to 2017 funds mine action projects in Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Further work in Burma, Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe is currently being procured. The countries were selected following an inclusive consultation which took into account factors such as other donor funding and where the impact would be the greatest. In addition, DFID took the decision to shift the UK’s mine action funding to more fragile and conflict affected countries and where DFID could align mine action work with other DFID country programmes to maximise the impact. All funds have already been allocated under this programme therefore there is no scope for Angola to be included. This year DFID will reconsider the list of countries for future mine action programmes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects of the demolition of structures in the South Hebron Hills on 2 February 2016 on (a) future compliance with UN resolutions and (b) the peace process; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK position on demolitions is clear: demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wasserman on 2016-02-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to regulate the activities of individuals who offer support services to victims of crime.
Lord Faulks
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) currently funds a range of support services for victims of crime.
Where appropriate, grant agreements require organisations to adhere to the Victims’ Code and the EU Victims’ Directive when providing services for victims and MoJ has the right to terminate grant funding to those who do not comply with these, or other relevant requirements of the grant agreement .
Where organisations funded either by MoJ or PCCs are registered charities, they will also be subject to regulation by the Charity Commission.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with telephone providers reasons to make it easier for people to identify direct marketing calls and choose whether to accept them.
Mr Edward Vaizey
This Government is taking forward a range of measures to tackle nuisance calls, which will increase consumer protection and choice by strengthening the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) ability to take enforcement action against organisations that break the law. This includes lowering the threshold under the the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation 2003 (PECR) to make it easier for the ICO to take action against organisations that break the law, resulting in £3,420,000 worth of fines issued.
The Government also recently made an amendment to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), requiring direct marketing companies registered in the UK, to display Calling Line Identification. This new measure will both improve consumer choice, by making it easier for people to refuse and report unwanted marketing calls; and make it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office to investigate and take enforcement action against organisations who breach the rules.
The Department has held conversations with telephone providers on the identification of direct marketing callers and will continue do so as part of its strategy to tackle nuisance calls.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his EU counterparts on the compatibility of recent sentencing decisions by the Israeli judiciary with the human rights standards set in the EU-Israeli Association Agreement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We have no plans to hold such discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-09-02.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how much air passenger duty was paid by passengers using Manchester Airport in each year since 2011.
Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs does not collect information on air passenger duty (APD) revenues by airport as APD is payable by airlines and not on a per airport basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp will have on the stability of Somalia and the East Africa region.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Government recognises the significant burden that the Government of Kenya faces in housing a large number of Somali refugees, and encourages it to maintain its global leadership role in this regard as well as its international obligations. Any returns of refugees from Dadaab to Somalia must be in line with international law – including being safe, dignified and voluntary. This is critical to avoid any destabilising impact on Somalia and the East Africa region. The UK supports the extension of the Tripartite Agreement between UNHCR, Kenya and Somalia as the legal basis regulating the returns process.
The UK is providing an additional £20 million to support accelerated safe voluntary returns of refugees to Somalia from Kenya, by helping to ensure that refugees who want to return home have the support and possibility of livelihoods necessary for their safe, long-term resettlement in Somalia.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to continue with the visa scheme which allows Filipino nurses to come to the UK to work on its current basis; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
Tier 2 of the Points Based System for immigration – the skilled work route – allows non-EEA workers to fill graduate level occupations, and is the main route used by Filipino nurses wishing to work in the UK.
In June 2015, the Government commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise on restricting Tier 2 to genuine skills shortages and jobs which require highly-specialised experts, but with sufficient flexibility to include high value roles and key public service workers. The MAC has now reported and the Government is currently considering the MAC’s advice.
In October 2015, the Home Secretary agreed, exceptionally, to place nurses on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) as an interim measure, pending a full review of the evidence by the MAC. The MAC will advise separately on whether nurses should remain on the SOL by 15 February and we await their recommendation with interest. Skilled jobs which are not on the SOL may still qualify for Tier 2, provided the sponsoring employer has carried out a Resident Labour Market Test.