Tag: Patrick Grady

  • Patrick Grady – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Pensioner Poverty

    Patrick Grady – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Pensioner Poverty

    The parliamentary question asked by Patrick Grady, the SNP MP for Glasgow North, in the House of Commons on 6 March 2023.

    Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)

    2. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the state pension age on trends in the level of pensioner poverty. (903869)

    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mel Stride)

    My review of the state pension age is under way. The review will consider a wide range of evidence, including two independent reports, to assess whether the rules on pensionable age remain appropriate.

    Patrick Grady

    I hope that the evidence that the Secretary of State examines includes analysis by Age UK that 1.5 million pre-state pension age households have no savings at all. Age UK warns that accelerating the rise of the state pension age

    “will condemn millions to a miserable and impoverished run up to retirement”.

    Instead of risking that increase in pensioner poverty, should he not establish an independent pensions and savings commission to ensure that pension policies are fit for purpose and reflect the demographic needs of different parts of the United Kingdom?

    Mel Stride

    The two reports to which I have just referred are independent—from the Government Actuary’s Department, on matters such as life expectancy; and from Baroness Neville-Rolfe, on the metrics that should be taken into account in determining when the next increase in the state pension age should occur. We certainly take into account issues such as pensioner poverty, on which we have an excellent record. In fact, relative pensioner poverty before housing has halved since 1999, and there are 400,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty—that is before or after housing—compared with 2009-10.

    Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)

    Is it realistic to continue to expect people to spend a third of their lives on a pension?

    Mel Stride

    I have great respect for my right hon. Friend, but I am afraid that although he tempts me to answer that question, I cannot prejudge the decisions that I will take in the review.

  • Patrick Grady – 2023 Parliamentary Question on the 1998 Scotland Act and the Constitution

    Patrick Grady – 2023 Parliamentary Question on the 1998 Scotland Act and the Constitution

    The parliamentary question asked by Patrick Grady, the SNP MP for Glasgow North, in the House of Commons on 2 February 2023.

    Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)

    What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the use of section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 on the constitution.

    The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)

    Alas, I am a mere junior Minister and I rarely get to talk to my illustrious Cabinet colleagues, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Government used section 35 very carefully and very reluctantly, in order to preserve the balance of powers between our countries.

    Patrick Grady

    If the Government were so determined to resolve their dispute with the Scottish Government, they would publish the amendments that they say would make the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill acceptable to them. Is not the reality that the Tories are prepared to veto and undermine the elected Scottish Parliament because they never really wanted devolution in the first place?

    Alex Burghart

    As the hon. Gentleman knows, section 35 of the Scotland Act is part of our constitution. He will also know that it is now for the Scottish Government to bring forward a Bill that addresses the adverse effects set out in the statement of reasons. Once again, the nationalists do not wish to take responsibility.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will issue a response to Early Day Motion 676, British Women and the New British Passport.

    James Brokenshire

    The theme for the latest design is ‘Creative United Kingdom’ and celebrates 500 years of creativity in the United Kingdom. It features well known images from artists, landmarks and architecture, iconic British innovations and the performing arts and represents all four countries in the UK.

    The images of Ada Lovelace, for her continued importance to modern day computing, and Elisabeth Scott, as a pioneer for women in architecture, are rightly deserving of their place within this celebration of creativity.

    The new passport design has been in development since February 2013 and it has been necessary to secure the appropriate consents in order to use particular images. Narrowing the image choices down to a final number was an extremely difficult decision. The images chosen within the new passport design have enabled the use of evolving security technology to make it even more difficult to commit passport fraud. Passports featuring the new design have started to be issued.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what resources his Department has spent on HM Government Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty, revised in October 2011 in each year since its publication; and what resources his Department plans to spend in each year of the current spending review period.

    Mr David Lidington

    In the four financial years 2011-2015, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded 42 abolition of death penalty projects with a total expenditure of £2,382,237. The breakdown of expenditure by year was:

    2011-12 £516,679

    2012-13 £760,803

    2013-14 £581,945

    2014-15 £522,809

    In the current financial year, we expect to spend around £600,000 on this topic. We will be announcing an ambitious strategy for further human rights programming shortly. This strategy will offer future opportunities for abolition of death penalty projects. The amount we allocate to projects in this area will depend on the quality of bids received.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the Government has made on the establishment of a memorial to UK citizens killed in terrorist attacks overseas; and what consultation the Government is undertaking with families of victims about that proposal.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    On 22 January I launched an online consultation seeking views on what form the national memorial to British victims of overseas terrorism should take (Official Report, 22 January 2016, col 47WS). The consultation is open until 4 March 2016. I have written to families of victims for whom the Government hold contact details. I have also issued an open letter available on gov.uk to invite all those with an interest to respond to the consultation should they wish to. Decisions on the memorial will be taken after we have fully considered responses to the consultation.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will issue a response to EDM 1338, Selection of United Nations Secretary General.

    James Duddridge

    We welcome the work of the 1 for 7 Billion campaign. Last week’s informal hearings by the UN General Assembly with currently declared UN Secretary-General candidates were a key part of our campaign to reform the selection process. We want greater transparency, a structured process and a gender diverse field. The General Assembly and the Security Council have committed to providing opportunities for engagement and dialogue between candidates and member states and last week’s hearings were the first step. We will encourage further direct engagement throughout the process.

    Our efforts on the process are designed to ensure we get the best person for the job. Any successful candidate needs integrity, a proven track record, first class communication skills, suitable and relevant experience and unimpeachable character. They should be committed to transparency and accountability, have strong leadership skills, a bold vision for an activist UN at the heart of the rules-based system, and be committed to cost-effective management and reform.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of investor state dispute settlement mechanisms on the ability of legal systems in developing countries to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is an independent legal process through which investors can seek compensation if they believe a host government is in breach of provisions within a bilateral investment treaty. ISDS should not prevent any Government, which acts in accordance with due process, from changing laws, revoking or terminating contracts or regulating in the public interest. Since 2012, through the Investment and Sustainable Development Programme, DFID has provided technical and legal assistance to 24 developing countries to develop and negotiate Bilateral Investment Treaties that best reflect their own interests and understand the legal implications, including those that may lead to an escalation of an ISDS dispute.

    The Sustainable Development Goals sets out several investment-related measures, including the adoption and implementation investment promotion regimes and creation of sound policy frameworks, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies that accelerate investment. The UK is fully committed to supporting the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will continue to support at present levels the Energy Africa Campaign.

    James Wharton

    The UK Government is playing a leading role in improving energy access in development countries. For example, through our Energy Africa Campaign we are working with solar firms to accelerate the expansion of the household solar market in Sub-Saharan Africa, helping to bring universal energy access in the continent forward from 2080 to 2030. The Government remains fully committed to this objective.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue a response to Early Day Motion 44, on Down’s syndrome, don’t screen us out campaign, tabled on 19 May 2016.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UKNSC) has recommended that Non Invasive Prenatal Testing for Down’s, Patau’s and Edwards’ syndromes should be introduced as an additional test into the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme as part of an evaluation. Ministers are currently considering this recommendation from the UK NSC.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any Government spending on the BBC World Service is recorded as Overseas Development Assistance.

    Greg Hands

    We have committed to increase funding for the BBC World Service to £34 million in 2016/17 and £85 million a year up to 2019-20. As a provider of accurate, impartial and independent news the BBC World Service helps to strengthen democratic accountability and governance, meaning that a significant portion of the funding provided can be classified as Official Development Assistance (ODA). ODA is subject to approval via the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which oversees international ODA classification. We will work with the BBC and DAC to make the case for classifying up to £28m of the £34m in 2016/17 as ODA, and up to £70m per year in three remaining years of programme as ODA spend.