Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prisoners recorded as taking car driving lessons or tests in the last five years absconded or attempted to abscond during a lesson or test.

    Lord Faulks

    There is no record of any offender failing to return to prison from temporary release which was authorised to allow them to take driving lessons or tests in the past five years.

    Release on temporary licence is designed to prepare prisoners for their eventual release. Public protection is our priority and all offenders considered for temporary release are fully risk assessed.

    Prisoners are only permitted to take a driving lesson or test if this is required to help their rehabilitation, for example, by improving their employment prospects, thus reducing their likelihood of reoffending.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to InsuResilience, the G7 Initiative on Climate Risk Insurance, if she will make it her policy to (a) allocate additional funding of £100 million to that programme, (b) scale up by at least £50 million weather-indexed microinsurance that provides direct coverage for smallholder farmers pastoralists and other vulnerable groups and (c) increase her Department’s grant funding for the African Risk Capacity to £20 million in order to improve the capacity of that programme to meet its targets.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK supports the G7 Climate Risk Insurance Initiative and is committed to contributing to meeting the collective target set out in the Elmau declaration of helping up to an additional 400 million people in the most vulnerable developing countries to gain access to climate risk insurance by 2020. UK support under the Initiative includes a commitment of up to £100m to African Risk Capacity (ARC) and £15m for the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative. Of this, the UK has contributed £32m so far to ARC.

    On scaling up support to weather indexed microinsurance, the UK currently provides some support to livestock insurance in Kenya to improve the product offered to pastoralists and increase the role of the private sector. The UK also provides index-based insurance through the CGIAR climate change, agriculture and food security research programme (CGIAR-CCAFS). In September 2015, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would provide at least £5.8 billion of climate finance over the next five years. This is likely to include further support for climate risk insurance.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Director of Public Prosecutions about the possibility of charges of fraud, corruption, conspiracy and attempting to pervert the course of justice being brought against lawyers working for Leigh Day and Public Interest Lawyers with regard to the Al Sweady case.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    The Crown Prosecution Service routinely provides the Attorney General with updates on cases and casework issues. In accordance with the practice adopted by previous Law Officers the Attorney General does not usually comment on which individual cases are raised with him.

  • Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Wills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many meetings they have had in the last three years with the Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead Group about its operation of its Southeastern rail franchise in respect of (1) health and safety, (2) passenger satisfaction, and (3) responsiveness to customer complaints.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Senior officials meet with the Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead group on a quarterly basis to discuss the operation of all franchises under their control. Meetings discuss the overall performance of the franchises operated. Health and Safety for the industry is overseen by the Office of Rail and Road.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of cadet forces to reducing the incidence of serious youth violence.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The Ministry of Defence-Sponsored Cadet Forces comprise the Sea Cadet Corps, the Combined Cadet Force, the Army Cadet Force, and the Air Training Corps.

    The Department has not formally assessed the potential contribution of its Cadet Forces in reducing the incidence of serious youth violence. However, the 131,000 Cadets involved follow a wide variety of well-organised, enjoyable and challenging military-themed activities in a safely-managed environment.

    Experience shows that these activities allow Cadets to develop a sense of responsibility and service to the community, self-reliance, leadership, teamwork, communication skills and respect for authority and for others. In undertaking these activities, Cadets can gain nationally-recognised educational and vocational qualifications.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the proposed international conference on a Middle East weapons of mass destruction free zone.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    As one of the Co-Convenors of the proposed Conference on a Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone, the British Government fully supports work towards such a Zone. We support the convening of a Conference as soon as possible, once the states of the region reach agreement on Conference arrangements.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-06-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what role the new money guidance body will play in coordinating financial capability initiatives.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The government is committed to ensuring that members of the public are given the help they need to make informed financial decisions. This is why the government published a paper at Budget – Public Financial Guidance Review: Proposal for Consultation. The paper set out plans to create a new money guidance body which will identify gaps in the financial guidance market and commission targeted debt advice, money guidance and financial capability projects to fill those gaps.

    The paper published at Budget sought views on how the new money guidance body should best deliver guidance services. The consultation closed on Wednesday 8 June and the government will publish a response in the Autumn.

  • Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Altmann on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimates they have made of the number of women now aged between 58 and 62 inclusive who are aware of their correct state pension age.

    Lord Freud

    No estimate is held on the number of men that are currently aware of the increases to State Pension age. However, all men affected by the State Pension age increase in the Pensions Act 2011 were written to between January 2012 and November 2013 using the addresses held by HMRC at the time.

    The Department does not hold a specific estimate on the number of women that are aware of their state pension age. We wrote to all women affected by the Pensions Act 2011 in the age range specified between January 2012 and November 2013 using the addresses held by HMRC at the time.

    In 2004, a DWP survey found that 73 per cent of people aged 45 to 54 (so aged 57 to 66 in 2016) were aware of the future increase in Women’s State Pension age. In 2006, 86 per cent of women aged 55-64 (so aged 65 to 74 in 2016) and 90 per cent aged 45-54 (so aged 55 to 64 in 2016) were aware that the State Pension age will increase in future. In 2012, a similar survey found that only 6% of respondents thought their State Pension Age was 60.

  • Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 September (HL1574), whether they have completed their review of the Lessons Learned workshop; and if so, whether they intend to publish the results of the review of the 83 per cent escalation of costs for the recent improvements to the A1 highway near Gamston Airport.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Lessons Learned review was completed on 8 June 2016 and there are some outstanding issues regarding the possible requirement for permanent speed cameras. The agreement of alterations to a private access and the road safety audit works recommended must be completed before the full review can be published. Highways England intends to publish the findings on its website in due course.

  • John Mc Nally – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Mc Nally – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Bangladesh on the murder of Faisal Arefin Dipon.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The British Government has been unequivocal in its condemnation of the murder of Faisal Arefin Dipon and in calling for the Bangladesh government to protect those who face threats to their lives because of the views they have expressed. My noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, our High Commissioner in Dhaka and myself have all expressed our shock at the appalling murder and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and free speech protected.