Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what special measures exist for survivors of domestic abuse in the family courts in child contact proceedings.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Family judges have a range of powers and training to ensure that vulnerable witnesses are handled sensitively in court. The Child Arrangements Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework where domestic violence is alleged. 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.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Final Resolution of the 12th International Conference on the European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds, held at the European Parliament in January.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we do not agree with all points made in the Final Resolution of the 12th International Conference on the EU, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds, held at the European Parliament in January, we too call for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party to cease its attacks and share the participants’ desire to see a return to the peace process.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) level of tariffs which UK businesses would operate in the event of the UK leaving the EU and negotiating a free trade deal with the EU equivalent to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade agreement between the EU and Canada and (b) costs of customs checks and rules of origin requirements for UK businesses in the event of the UK leaving the EU; and what the annual value to the UK economy is of the EU’s trade agreements with third parties.

    Anna Soubry

    At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

    The document “Alternatives to membership: possible models for the United Kingdom, outside the European Union”, published on 2 March, looks at the potential models for the UK’s relationship with the European Union, including negotiated bilateral agreements, such as the recent EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement. It concludes that such an agreement would bring significantly less advantageous terms for UK trade than those we currently enjoy, with particular issues for UK services losing access to the Single Market.

    The estimated value to the UK of EU FTA negotiations that have already been concluded is around £ 2.5 billion.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost of defending judicial reviews brought against her Department has been since 2010.

    Karen Bradley

    No central records are kept of (i) the number of judicial reviews initiated against the department since 2010; (ii) the cost of defending such challenges; or (iii) the number of such challenges which have been successful. It would incur disproportionate cost to try to acquire this information.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which projects her Department plans to close following its decision to suspend financial aid payments to the government of Mozambique.

    Justine Greening

    Following confirmation of undisclosed state-guaranteed loans, the UK immediately suspended all direct aid to the Government of Mozambique. This has since been followed by other donors. The UK is working with international partners to assess the implications for programming. The UK’s priority is to continue to support the people of Mozambique to exit poverty and build a more prosperous and secure country.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to release the funding for Phase 2 of the redevelopment of the West Cumberland Hospital.

    George Freeman

    This is a matter for the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust provided an update on progress in relation to delivery of Phase 2 of the re-development of West Cumberland Hospital in a press release issued in June 2015:

    http://www.ncuh.nhs.uk/news/2015/june/trust-planning-next-phase-of-west-cumberland-hospital-redevelopment.aspx

    NHS Improvement advises that the Trust is continuing work to identify options that will enable it to progress Phase 2 of the development.

    “

  • Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcome has been of recent discussions with the US administration on renewal of the military base in the British Indian Ocean Territory; and if he will make a statement.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    ​The Government welcomes the US presence on Diego Garcia and as such, we continue to discuss with the US Government their continued use of Diego Garcia. US presence on the island of Diego Garcia is governed by a series of agreements, called Exchanges of Notes, of which the overarching agreement sets out that the whole Territory should be made available for UK and US defence purposes for an initial 50 year period of 1966 to 2016. If neither side object during a two year window of December 2014 to December 2016, the agreement will continue as it stands until end December 2036. An announcement on the outcome of discussions will be made to Parliament and the public in due course.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many female inpatient mental health beds there were on (a) Saturday 7 November 2015 and (b) Sunday 8 November 2015.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not hold this information centrally. However we know that there were beds available across the country the weekend in question. Where there are shortages of beds, we would expect trusts to respond appropriately to any increase in demand. Providers and commissioners work in collaboration to ensure that they secure the most appropriate beds or places as close to home as possible.

    The Government has made it clear that beds must always be available for those who need them. We have set out in our Mandate to NHS England that plans must be put in place to ensure no one in mental health crisis will be turned away.

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

    Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 9 December (HL4036), what assessment they have made of whether it is appropriate for the Chief Executive of NHS England to take part in a political debate programme, and of whether doing so is consistent with the requirement for senior public servants to remain politically neutral; and whether they plan to issue new guidance to NHS England on the basis of that assessment.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, is not a civil servant and it is for him to take decisions on invitations received. There are no plans to issue guidance to NHS England.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the cost to business of the closure of the West Coast Main Line between Glasgow and Carlisle.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail and the relevant passenger and freight train operators have been working collaboratively since the closure to provide the best practicable alternative travel options for the traffic which uses this part of the West Coast Main Line with the aim of minimising the adverse impact on users.