Tag: Robert Flello

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) security situation and (b) incidence of terrorism in Kashmir.

Mr Hugo Swire

We assess that there is a high threat of terrorism throughout India and Pakistan.

Officials in our High Commissions in Delhi and Islamabad continuously monitor the security situation in Kashmir. I discussed this issue with the Indian Foreign Secretary and the Deputy Foreign Minister in Delhi on 30.05.16. Our Deputy High Commissioner to India visited Indian administered Kashmir from 23 to 29 May.

We advise against all travel to Indian administered Kashmir with the exception of (i) travel within the cities of Jammu and Srinagar (ii) travel by air to the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, (iii) travel between these two cities on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, and (iv) travel within the region of Ladakh.

We advise against travel on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan administered Kashmir as far as Gilgit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-10-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from the Road Haulage Association on lorry drivers setting up personal service companies for tax purposes; and what steps his Department is taking to promote tax compliance among road hauliers.

Jane Ellison

The Road Haulage Association wrote to the Government on the 18th March 2016 to raise their concerns about this issue. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has worked with the Road Haulage Association and others to highlight the managed service company and employment intermediaries rules which are designed to ensure that people who provide their services through their own limited companies pay the appropriate employment taxes. HMRC robustly enforces compliance with these rules, including in the road haulage sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the responses received to his Department’s pre-consultation on reducing legal costs in clinical negligence claims.

Ben Gummer

Feedback from the pre-consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs (FRC) in clinical negligence claims has been used to inform the development of the FRC policy. We intend to publish a summary of the feedback within the consultation document in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on rail freight movements of the re-opening of the Carno station in Powys.

Claire Perry

The case for re-opening Carno station is one of a number of possibilities that the Welsh Government is discussing. The interests of all users of the rail network, including freight operators, are protected through the contractual access regime overseen by the Office of Rail and Road.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on the specific role and responsibilities of the UN Special Advisor on Genocide; whether he holds any information on the work undertaken by the Special Advisor in relation to the genocide being perpetrated against Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Adama Dieng was appointed UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on 17 July 2012. His role is to: raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide; to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide; and to advocate and mobilise for appropriate action. The Office of the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect has made a number of statements in relation to the situation in Iraq and Syria. These statements can be found on the UN website, and cover a range of issues including: incitement to violence in Syria on religious grounds; expressing concern about the on-going threat to the safety of minority groups in Syria; and expressing alarm at reports of the abduction of 1,500 Yezidi, Christian and Shabak women and girls.

Any judgement on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. Our approach is to seek an end to all violations, and to prevent their further escalation, irrespective of whether these violations fit the definition of specific international crimes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about concerns identified by the Care Quality Commission at a British Pregnancy Advisory Service abortion clinic in Richmond; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

One representation has been received in relation to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) inspection of BPAS Richmond. The CQC is responsible for ensuring that requirements under the Health and Social Care (HSC) Act 2008 are met by the providers of termination of pregnancy services including meeting the fundamental standards of quality and safety as set out in Part 3 to the 2014 Regulations, and Regulation 20 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009, which is specific to independent sector termination of pregnancy providers. The CQC is responsible for ensuring that the requirements under the HSC Act 2008 are maintained through a system of monitoring and, where appropriate, inspection visits. It is for the CQC and the provider to address required and recommended actions identified following an inspection.

Independent sector providers are also required to comply with the Department of Health’s Required Standard Operating Procedures.

Departmental officials meet regularly with representatives from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) but have not met since the CQC report on BPAS Richmond was published.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had on Kashmir with the governments of India and Pakistan in the last six months.

Mr Hugo Swire

Our Deputy High Commissioner to India visited Indian administered Kashmir from 23 to 29 May and met with representatives from the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Officials from our High Commission in Islamabad met with representatives from the Government of Pakistan Administered Kashmir in February. I discussed this issue with India’s Foreign Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister in Delhi on 31.05.16.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make representations to the BBC as part of the Charter renewal process on the level of coverage of (a) World Youth Day 2016 and (b) the canonisation of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Matt Hancock

Under the terms of the BBC’s Charter and Agreement, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the Corporation’s day-to-day operations

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what analysis his Department has undertaken of the effect of a new rail freight depot near Northampton on the local economy.

Claire Perry

The development of proposals for rail freight interchanges is a matter for the private sector and therefore the Department has not undertaken any such analysis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on an exemption from the European Commission on the Directive 2006/125/EC on driving licences to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a B licence.

Andrew Jones

The UK has not sought an exemption from Directive 2006/126/EC to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a Category B licence. Any driver that holds a full category B licence issued before 1 January 1997 has a “grandfather right” to drive vehicles in category C1 – not for hire and reward. We will continue to monitor the situation.