Tag: Paul Monaghan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to relax immigration rules on the reunification of families and allow members of a refugee’s extended family to join them in the UK.

James Brokenshire

Our refugee family reunion policy allows immediate family members of a person in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status – that is a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18, who formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin – to reunite with them in the UK.

We have no plans to widen these criteria, which are fully compliant with our international obligations and enable thousands of people each year to be reunited with their families in the UK.

We are also making a significant contribution to support refugees and their families in other ways. The UK has contributed over £1 billion in humanitarian aid in response to the Syrian crisis and we intend to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees displaced to neighbouring countries over the lifetime of this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what correspondence the Government has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland on implementation of the Access to Banking Protocol and the (a) closure of branches and (b) reduction of banking services in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, each participating bank has committed to carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch. This includes establishing the impact of a branch closure before it takes place; finding suitable alternative provision; and putting in place suitable alternative measures before a branch is closed.

There is a commitment to review the operation of the protocol after one year. In August, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise and I wrote to the Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association and requested an update on progress towards the appointment of an independent reviewer. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Chief Executives of the banks that are signatories to the Access to Banking protocol.

Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.

Decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on preparations for the EU referendum.

Mr David Lidington

Secondary legislation required for the referendum is making good progress. The Conduct Regulations, which set out the detailed framework of how the poll will be administered, have been debated in both Houses of Parliament. The date of the referendum must be agreed by Parliament in another statutory instrument which was laid before Parliament in draft on 22 February.

On 23 February the Electoral Commission published its "assessment of readiness" which endorsed the Government’s approach and noted that "arrangements for delivery of a well-run referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union are well advanced".

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for consent have required environment impact assessment by the Marine Management Organisation since 2010.

George Eustice

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) database was established in April 2011 and accurate data for marine licence applications determined by the MMO are limited to post 1 April 2011. However, I can confirm that since April 2011:

• 50 fully determined marine licence applications have required an appropriate assessment;
• 151 fully determined marine licence applications have required an environmental impact assessment;
• 44 marine licence applications have been refused; and,
• 3,849 fully determined marine licence applications have been approved, including 1,848 variations to an existing marine licence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on farmers in (a) Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross and (b) Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

George Eustice

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 is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the total gross expenditure on the London Power Tunnels Project is to date.

Andrea Leadsom

National Grid has said that as of 1 May 2016 total gross expenditure on the programme of works on the London Power Tunnels Project is approximately £780m.

Ofgem is responsible for regulating National Grid to ensure that the work they do represents value for money for consumers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the international coalition is making in its work to defeat Daesh.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​As recent progress in Qayyarah in Iraq and Manbij in Syria demonstrates, our strategy of supporting local forces, including with airstrikes is working. The Coalition assesses that Daesh has been driven out of around half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and over 20 per cent in Syria. Thousands of people have been freed from Daesh’s rule and many of those who have escaped have now been able to return to their homes. The next major challenges are driving Daesh out of Raqqa and Mosul.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the length of time it is taking the British Virgin Island government to respond to its consultation on a public register of beneficial ownership.

James Duddridge

The BVI Government issued a public consultation document in November 2013, seeking public opinion on whether or not the BVI should adopt a central register of beneficial ownership. The consultation process concluded in March 2014 and this was followed by a review and analysis of the submissions. The results were published in February 2015. Since then the BVI Government has been working with the financial services industry to develop proposals which led to the Statement made by the Premier in the House of Assembly on 3 November on changes to the BVI Business Companies Act and Anti Money Laundering legislation. We will continue to work with the BVI authorities so that the changes to their systems meet the three criteria that the Government has set out.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the effect of a written objection being made by a consultation body specified in Regulation 2 of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010 (as amended) for the determination of an application for an oil transfer licence.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the Competent Authority that assesses applications for an Oil Transfer License (OTL). All written representations made during a public consultation are considered with the application and used to inform the analysis and the decision

The MCA will approve or deny the application, direct the applicant to do additional work to address concerns and/or seek additional stakeholder consultation and engagement where appropriate.

In accordance with the ‘Merchant Shipping (Ship to Ship Transfers) Regulation 2010 (as amended), the MCA will inform the applicant in writing of the decision, with any associated caveats to the License, if granted. Officials will also write to all individuals or consultation bodies who responded to the public consultation informing them of the decision and the justification for it.

Representations and decision correspondence are retained by the MCA and kept on file for a minimum of 20 years. Records of any other stakeholder engagement undertaken during an OTL consultation or subsequent to it are retained by the MCA for a minimum of five years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which countries aspartame has been banned; and for what reason each such ban has been enacted.

Jane Ellison

We are advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that aspartame is permitted in all European Union Member States. It is also permitted in those countries aligned to EU legislation participating in the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association.

Aspartame has also been evaluated for safety by The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and provisions for its use are included in the international Codex Alimentarius General Standard on Food Additives.

Whilst the FSA is not aware of any countries where aspartame is banned, it is possible there are countries which do not have legislation regulating the use of aspartame or other food additives.