Tag: Tom Brake

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requests for information his Department made regarding the cutting to 15 minutes the length of delay after which compensation for train passengers will kick in.

Claire Perry

In our manifesto we committed to improve compensation for delayed rail passengers and the Spending Review reiterated this. We have already changed the system to get compensation paid in cash, not travel vouchers, and we are putting new compensation obligations like automatic delay/repay into future franchise specifications.

We will negotiate hard with rail operators to get even better compensation arrangements for passengers and are considering options on this at the moment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to promote a global goal on adaptation to climate change.

Andrea Leadsom

Adaptation is a core component of the Paris Agreement, adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December last year. The Agreement includes a new long-term goal to strengthen adaptation and resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. This goal is aligned with the new Global Goals for sustainable development, particularly Goal 13 on climate action. Alongside this, the Paris Agreement includes commitments for each country to take action to adapt according to national circumstances, to share their adaptation planning and to cooperate to help those developing countries who need help to adapt to climate change.

The UK has been and remains committed to leading calls to increase support for adaptation, and we aim to use 50 per cent of our International Climate Fund (ICF) to support adaptation in developing countries. The UK has already taken significant action to support vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change and cope with climate-related events. For example, we have increased our support for climate risk insurance initiatives, such as the Africa Risk Capacity Initiative and the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative. We are also funding actions that help build communities’ resilience, including through support for climate services and early warning systems which have an important role to play in helping poor and vulnerable communities be better prepared and more resilient to climate-related risks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the number of people employed by ambulance services who are from non-EU countries of the salary threshold increase for Tier 2 visa applications to £35,000.

Ben Gummer

Data from the Home Office shows that no visas were issued to people employed by ambulance services in the last five years for roles other than paramedics. Paramedics were placed on the United Kingdom’s shortage occupation list in April 2015 and are therefore exempt from the requirement to earn £35,000 whilst the role is on the shortage occupation list.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK was party to the US collateral damage assessment relating to airstrikes in Libya carried out by US forces operating from RAF Lakenheath; and whether that collateral damage assessment conformed to UK Rules of Engagement and the Targeting Directive.

Michael Fallon

I only grant permission to use UK bases to launch an airstrike after the Ministry of Defence has verified the legality of the operation and where we have assurances that collateral damage would be minimised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has established a civilian casualties tracking cell to investigate reports of alleged incidents involving RAF aeroplanes in Syria and Iraq.

Penny Mordaunt

As you know, I am committed to review all claims of civilian casualties, which we take very seriously. The Ministry of Defence has robust processes in place to review reports of alleged incidents. An assessment is carried out after every British strike; we determine the scale of the damage that has been caused and review very carefully whether there are likely to have been civilian casualties. Investigations are launched where appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of UK firms based in Yorkshire and the Humber that trade with other EU member states; and how many people are employed by each such firm.

Anna Soubry

HMRC Regional Trade Statistics on the number of firms trading with the EU are publically available through the UKTradeInfo website.

HM Treasury has published estimates of the number of UK jobs linked to EU exports broken down by region. These are available through the GOV.UK website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the contribution of the arms export industry to the UK economy in 2014.

Anna Soubry

The Department does not collate data on the value of the total contribution that arms exports make to the UK economy. However, we do publish official statistics on defence exports, which show that the UK’s defence export total in 2014 was an estimated £8.5bn. Further details of defence exports can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-defence-and-security-export-figures-2014

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the British Ambassador in Egypt has had with the Egyptian authorities on the planned asset freeze trial in Egypt which could affect the activities of non-governmental organisations working in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We are deeply concerned by growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, including a proposed asset freeze against investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat and human rights defender Gamal Eid. The British Embassy in Cairo has been following the proposed asset freeze closely. Representatives of the British Embassy in Cairo observed the most recent hearing in the asset freeze trial on 24 March. The Ambassador raised concerns over restrictions on civil society with the Minister of Health and with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the introduction of citizenship-for-investment schemes by EU member states; and what assessment she has made of the need for increased transparency of such schemes.

James Brokenshire

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 22 March to Questions 31324 and 31325 from my Hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) and the answers I gave on 9 March to Question 29833 from the Hon. Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter) and to Question 29873 from my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochester and Strood (Kelly Tolhurst).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what benefits for Tibet have been achieved by the change of the Government’s position on its status.

Mr Hugo Swire

On 29 October 2008, the then Foreign Secretary (David Miliband) clarified the Government’s position on Tibet to the House, stating that: ‘our interest is in long-term stability, which can only be achieved through respect for human rights and greater autonomy for the Tibetans’. That remains the view of this Government. For our assessment of the current human rights situation in China, including Tibet, I refer the Hon. Member to the 2015 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy, published on 21 April.