UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any grant has been provided to Action on Smoking and Health in the last five years other than through grants under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, and if so, what was the nature and value of each grant.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    All grants awarded to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the last five years have been awarded under Section 64 powers. There are a range of different circumstances under which it would not be appropriate or represent best value for money to run a competed scheme. The grants awarded to ASH have been assessed as most appropriate for the non-competed route.

    The assessment of any grant application for funding from ASH is undertaken by members of the Tobacco Control policy team. Following this assessment, the Grants Hub makes a decision regarding whether or not to approve the application. These policy assessments contain policy advice to Ministers and so are not made public. Approvals are required from Ministers and from HM Treasury or are subject to a Departmental approval process that has been agreed with HM Treasury.

    To identify relevant representations the Department has received would result in disproportionate cost.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Virendra Sharma – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what effect Sustainable Development Goal 3 has had on her Department’s aid strategy for UK; and what account she plans to take of that goal in forming the new UK aid strategy.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID will continue to play a leading role in health globally supporting developing countries to meet the Global Goal 3. DFID’s work on health is also guided by the Government’s International Development manifesto commitments and the new UK Aid Strategy. This work will benefit millions of people, which will avoid needless deaths; and encourage healthier populations who are better able to contribute to their nation’s prosperity; and increase the ability of these countries to develop, which is in the UK’s national interest. We will also help build strong health systems that can sustain the gains.

    For example, the new Ross Fund announced in the UK Aid Strategy is a commitment to global public health that will fund work to tackle diseases of epidemic potential, such as Ebola, neglected tropical diseases, drug resistant infections, and malaria. This will directly contribute to the achievement of a number of the global goal health targets.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22026, what proportion of the £47 million paid to local authorities under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme was subsequently paid by local authorities to households which were not entitled to flood compensation payments.

    James Wharton

    Local authorities are responsible for the administration and delivery of the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme.

    They determine how to use the money to best meet local need and ensure value for money. My Department does not collect detailed information on the payments that have been made through the Scheme. However, officials are aware that of more that 15,000 payments made to households, fewer than 50 have been found to be incorrect. Those have been returned to the local authority in question.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Nokes on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family courts have designated safe waiting rooms for vulnerable victims and witnesses.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government is committed to supporting victims of domestic violence and abuse.

    The Ministry of Justice is undertaking research to explore how the family judiciary are currently managing cases where unrepresented alleged perpetrators of abuse can cross-examine vulnerable witnesses in the family court, and to establish what, if any, additional provisions could be considered to support them in doing so. A report will be published in due course.

    The research did not aim to assess the psychological impact of any cross-examination on victims of domestic abuse. However, some of the findings relate to the considerations the judiciary make in managing such cases appropriately, and the report will outline options to further protect vulnerable witnesses in the family court. It was out of scope of this research to explore cases where an unrepresented litigant who is a victim of domestic abuse may have to cross-examine their alleged abuser.

    Family judges have a range of powers and training to manage difficult court room situations and to ensure they are handled sensitively for victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable witnesses. Judges can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate. It is for the judge involved, on the basis of the evidence, to determine how the framework will be applied in a particular case.

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework where domestic violence is alleged and all judges receive specific training on this framework.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been employed on zero-hours contracts in (a) Burnley and (b) Lancashire in each of the last six years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales about aligning her powers with those of the Children’s Commissioner for England.

    Alun Cairns

    Wales Office Ministers have not had any recent discussions with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales about aligning her powers with those of the Children’s Commissioner for England.

    The Children’s Commissioner for Wales fulfils an important role in our efforts to protect children and I would of course be happy to meet with her if she feels her role and remit could be strengthened in any way.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking, in Calais and throughout Europe, to enhance the processes for identifying children with rights to family reunion in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The UK and France are running regular joint communication campaigns in northern France which inform unaccompanied children and others of their right to claim asylum in France and of the family reunion process. The frequency of these campaigns has been increased in line with the Joint Declaration signed in August 2015. Since February 2016 more than 20 children have been transferred to the UK from France and there are many other cases in train.

    75 UK personnel will be deployed to Greece to support implementation of the EU-Turkey Migration Agreement. Supporting the operation of the Greek asylum system is a fundamental part of our approach to identifying individuals in need of protection at the earliest opportunity, including those who may be eli-gible for family reunification under the Dublin Regulation. We are also providing bilateral support to the Dublin Unit in Italy.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current level of violence against Hindus in Pakistan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain concerned by ongoing reports of the persecution of the Hindu community in Pakistan. These include incidents of abduction, forced conversion and the forced marriage of Hindu women to Muslim men. We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of religious minorities, including Hindus, with the Government of Pakistan. The former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), pressed Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all its citizens, including minority religious communities, during his visit to Islamabad in March. We continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including on freedom of religion or belief, and to uphold the rule of law.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths have occurred in the last five years following abortions provided through the NHS and carried out by the private sector.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Data from abortion notification forms (HSA4) indicates that between 2011 and 2015, the most recent five years for which data is available, there was one death relating to a termination funded by the National Health Service and carried out by the independent sector.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, FCO, Tobias Ellwood MP on 20 July (HC6867), what assessment they have made of the legality of coalition airstrikes in Yemen, and to what extent that assessment differs from those produced by Human Rights Watch.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK supports the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition military intervention in Yemen, which came at the request of legitimate President Hadi to the UN Security Council, the Gulf Co-operation Council, and the Arab League for support by ‘all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter Houthi aggression’. We are aware of reports, including from Human Rights Watch, of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law by the Coalition. We have received repeated assurances from the Saudi Arabian-led coalition that they are complying with International Humanitarian Law and we continue to engage with them on those assurances. The Saudi Arabian authorities have their own internal procedures for investigations and we encourage them to be open and transparent in this. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law and international human rights law.