The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to publish a draft agenda for the Anti-Corruption Summit to be held in May 2016.
Matthew Hancock
Information about the London Anti-Corruption Summit can be found on the summit web pages of the GOV.UK website. Further details about the summit will be announced in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, under what circumstances the Government can take ships up from trade which are registered with flags of British Overseas Territories.
James Duddridge
Any vessel registered in the UK, an Overseas Territory or a Crown Dependency, is a ‘British ship’ and is entitled to fly the British Merchant Shipping flag (the ‘Red Ensign’). The UK remains the flag State for all ships flying the Red Ensign and is ultimately responsible under international law for these ships. The UK has general superintendence over the ship registers in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. This general superintendence derives from the UK’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding ships flying its flag; these obligations have been implemented in domestic legislation.
Under prerogative powers all British flagged vessels (including those on UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependency registers) can be requisitioned where there is deemed to be a threat to the realm. Conscription of all British flagged vessels is done by Government Order. Such Order is enacted only during national crisis, such as war. The decision to use such Order is decided on a case by case basis by the Government of the day. For example, this Order was enacted during the Falklands War.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase cervical screening rates among (a) women with learning disabilities and (b) women in deprived communities.
Jane Ellison
There is a range of work going on to understand the reasons for the decline in cervical screening uptake amongst women aged 25 to 29 and to try to address them. They include:
a) Data and information – access to data, cleansing, benchmarking for providers, timely and useful information for commissioners;
b) Behavioural insight – communication with commissioners, providers, patients and public;
c) Commissioning levers – commissioning contracts in public health (S7a) and primary care;
d) Partnership work – relationships with commissioners and providers; and
e) Sharing best practice – what works well, evaluation and how to embed quality improvement
Public Health England (PHE) is working with colleagues in NHS England and Health and Social Care Information Centre to implement the Accessible Information Standard which is intended to improve access to services for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Through the re-development of cervical Information Technology systems opportunities will arise to review how to help improve uptake.
PHE supports providers to help meet the Accessible Information Standard through the provision of high quality information for people with learning disabilities or sensory loss. A national group of experts and service users has been set up to oversee this work and will be updating the existing easy read leaflets and developing new materials over the next 18 months.
PHE is aware that there are a range of factors which may act as barriers in hindering women from attending cervical screening. It is hoped that through the STRATEGIC (Strategies to Increase Cervical screening uptake at first invitation) interventions will be identified to help minimise barriers and assist women to attend screening whilst increasing uptake across all quintiles. The STRATEGIC trial was completed in 2015 and researchers are expected to publish findings later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the relative viability of securing an investigation into alleged acts of genocide by Daesh by means of establishing an independent panel through the UN rather than the International Criminal Court.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We continue to look at every available option to bring Daesh to justice, and to work closely with our international partners and the UN on what can be done to assist the victims and to bring those responsible to justice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the diplomatic and trade opportunities presented for the UK by the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Qatar has an ambitious infrastructure programme for the 2022 World Cup worth over £140billion, offering significant opportunities for UK companies. UK Government officials are in regular contact with the Qatari World Cup’s organising body, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. As part of their discussions they highlight British companies’ expertise in fields such as security, hospitality, stadium management in staging global sports events.
The UK wants Qatar’s 2022 World Cup to be a success and to be Qatar’s key delivery partner. As the UK showed during London 2012, international sporting events help to build stronger friendships between people of different countries. This is the first time that the Gulf has hosted this tournament and the UK has lots of experience it can share. This means opportunities for even stronger cooperation and engagement across all aspects of our bilateral relationship.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-11-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what effect the spending reductions agreed between his Department and HM Treasury will have on the (a) Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, (b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (c) Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (d) Vehicle Certification Agency.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government will provide full details of the Spending Review outcome on 25 November.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Network Rail and Suffolk County Council on increasing the number of services stopping at Newmarket railway station.
Claire Perry
The Secretary of State has held no discussions with Network Rail and Suffolk County Council on increasing the number of services stopping at Newmarket station.
The issues of future passenger and freight demand, route capacity and service levels have been considered in Network Rail’s Anglia Route Study; and will be considered by the Department in future planning cycles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-01-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the new electronic system of quarterly income tax reporting will allow small businesses to align their reporting with VAT returns.
Mr David Gauke
Making Tax Digital will simplify tax administration for small businesses. The Government believes VAT registered businesses should have the option to provide HMRC with one update to cover both VAT and their profits-based taxes. We will consult widely on the details of Making Tax Digital during 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a British exit from the EU on the international legal enforceability of protected UK food names.
George Eustice
We have not made an assessment of the potential effect of a British exit from the EU on the international legal enforceability of protected UK food names.
Separately, the Government is taking steps to achieve a significant increase in the number of UK food products covered by the EU’s protected food names scheme. We continue to exert pressure on the European Commission to secure wider international recognition of these products, as well as our wines and spirits drinks that are protected by Geographical Indications, in the context of EU bilateral trade negotiations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tebbit on 2016-03-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any (1) minister, (2) official, or (3) ministerial special adviser, importuned any persons to sign letters concerning the European Referendum or the consequences of a national vote for leaving the EU in national newspapers; and if so, (a) how many were importuned, (b) how many signed, and (c) how many declined to do so.
Lord Bridges of Headley
I refer the Noble Lord to the Prime Minister’s oral response to the Hon Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 22 February 2016: Column 32.