Tag: Thangam Debbonaire

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the value for money of its contracts with the private sector.

Mike Penning

As part of improving the MoJ’s overall commercial capability a Contract Management Improvement Programme has been running across the department since early 2014, in order to implement and embed best practices in contract management. As part of this programme we have established new governance committees to strengthen our assurance of major contracts.

We have also renegotiated or retendered a number of our significant contracts to improve value for money from our private sector contractors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of people who do not receive a national insurance number within 28 days of being granted refugee status.

Priti Patel

No assessment has been made of the number of people who do not receive a National Insurance number (NINo) within 28 days of being granted refugee status.

For those granted leave to remain as a result of a successful asylum claim, a joint fast track NINo application process operates between DWP and the Home Office. This process is applicable to the principal family member and the NINo is allocated 2 days after the receipt of the application; this process has been in place since 2005.

The current year to date processing time for all NINo applications is 11.3 days.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many transit visas for Syrian nationals have been (a) granted and (b) refused in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire

The information requested is shown in the attached table.

The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, April-June 2015’, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons her Department did not renew the Choices contract in detention centres; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect of that decision on the number of people in detention taking up voluntary return and being removed from the UK.

James Brokenshire

Additional packages of assistance for those detained pending removal to depart the UK were stopped in March 2014. This reflects the need for those who are here illegally to make a voluntary return at the earliest stage. This should occur before enforcement action and detention is required. Since this change, the overall number of illegal migrants whose voluntary departure is facilitated by the Home Office and its partners has continued to increase.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the Government continuing to sign off arms export licenses for those countries identified as a cause for concern by the Committees on Arms Export Controls and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

The Government takes its export responsibilities very seriously and aims to operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. Government policy is enshrined in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. We rigorously examine every application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated Criteria and will only issue an export licence where to do so would be consistent with these criteria.

We undertake appropriate checks using both open and other sources when considering licence applications. To ensure a comprehensive and consistent approach, this will involve Desk and Post in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and relevant experts from other Departments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the consistency of its policies on subsidies for renewable energy and for fossil fuels with current and proposed international climate change targets.

Andrea Leadsom

This Government remains committed to meeting the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80%, on 1990 levels, by 2050. This remains in line with our contribution to the international effort to limit global warming to below 2 degrees.

We, also, continue to make progress towards our EU 2020 Renewable Target with provisional figures showing that 7.0% of final energy consumption was met from renewable sources in 2014. We are also on track to meet our EU 2020 energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

We continue to support the deployment of renewable energy in our future energy mix:

• Electricity: The introduction of Contracts for Difference will give companies long term revenue certainty whilst driving down the cost for consumers through competition.
• Heat: Under existing renewable heat schemes, the Government has supported around 40,000 homes and 12,000 businesses, schools, farms and other organisations with new renewable heating systems.
• Transport: The Government is investing £500million over the next 5 years in making ultra-low emission vehicles more accessible to families and businesses across the country.

It is vital to ensure security of supply and that the lights stay on, therefore fossil fuels will continue to play an important part in our future energy mix. The 2012 Carbon Plan noted that we will still need significant oil and gas supplies while we decarbonise our economy and transition to a low carbon economy, with projections showing that in 2030 oil and gas will remain a vital part of the energy mix, providing around 70% of the UK’s primary energy requirements.

The Government is seeking an ambitious, legally binding,global climate change deal in Paris in December that keeps the goal of limiting average global emissions to limit global warming to below 2 degrees within reach.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make it her policy to commit her Department to a long-term energy efficiency programme for buildings including the provision of solid wall insulation during this Parliament in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change set out in its 2015 Progress Report to Parliament.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. Alongside its specific manifesto commitment of supporting low cost measures on energy efficiency with the goal of insulating a million more homes over the next five years, supporting our commitment to tackle fuel poverty, this Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. That framework, which will take full account of our legally binding commitments on climate change and on fuel poverty, will focus on enabling consumers to take up the measures that are right for them and their home, whether solid wall insulation or other measures. We are soon to see Peter Hansford’s Review on Solid Wall Insulation for the Green Construction Board and that will help inform policy affecting the technology as will the recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on jobs and income in the solar power industry of the recent change in policy on subsidies for that industry.

Andrea Leadsom

BIS’s report “The Size and Performance of the UK Low Carbon Economy” estimated that in 2013 there were over 34,000 jobs in the UK solar sector.

Our consultation on the feed-in tariff review reflects the need to balance sector support whilst keeping bills down for consumers.

We strongly welcome evidence from the sector during this review consultation, which ends on 23 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2015 to Question 6862 on Yemen: armed conflict, whether it remains the case that the UK Government has seen no credible evidence that the Saudi-led coalition has breached international humanitarian law in its campaign in Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are aware of reports on alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) by all sides to the conflict in Yemen, and take them very seriously. We have raised our concerns over alleged IHL violations with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition, and in return have received repeated assurances of their compliance. We have also raised our concerns over alleged IHL and international human rights law violations by the Houthis, and again stressed the importance of compliance.