Tag: Tommy Sheppard

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UN assesses that the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) is a protracted protection crisis with humanitarian consequences. According to the UN, Palestinians in the OPTs face a range of serious threats including threats to life, liberty and security, destruction of homes and other property, forced displacement, and restrictions on freedom of movement and access to livelihoods.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government on that country’s use of the courts to obtain information on the identities of soldiers who have served in Operation Protective Edge and testified about their experience with Breaking the Silence.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time a person waited after applying to a hardship fund to receive funding was in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Edinburgh in the last 12 months.

Priti Patel

The information is not available at the level requested and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

The Department has, however, published information on the number of hardship applications and awards for Jobseekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance which can be accessed via the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 2.1(5) of the Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom, published in March 2015, what mechanism would be used to resolve or arbitrate on a disagreement between local authorities relating to the moving of an adult’s care package from one UK country to another.

Alistair Burt

The “Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom” provide a framework for local authorities to support adults with care and support who move between countries in the United Kingdom without having their care interrupted.

Adhering to the principles should reduce the potential for disagreement, however, where disagreements do arise, the Department and the Devolved Administrations would expect the parties to act reasonably and to make full efforts to resolve the dispute between themselves through constructive dialogue, cooperation and communication, including the timely sharing of information, and focussing on the well-being of the adult. The timely and effective resolution of disputes is in the interest of all parties, not least, the adult in question.

It is not possible to be definitive about which authority a cross-border continuity of care matter should be pursued with because it will depend on the facts and the nature of the issue. The adult may wish to approach their own local authority in the first instance. However where an issue raised with an authority falls within the remit of the other, the principle that the authorities should work together and share information should apply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-01-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people subject to benefit sanctions applied to a hardship fund in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Edinburgh in 2015.

Priti Patel

The information is not available at the level requested and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

The Department has, however, published information on the number of hardship applications and awards for Jobseekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance which can be accessed via the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/jsa-and-esa-hardship-applications-and-awards-apr-2012-to-jun-2015

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom, published in March 2015, whether an adult with a care package who needs to raise a cross-border moving issue should raise that issue with the local authority they are leaving or the one they are moving to.

Alistair Burt

The “Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom” provide a framework for local authorities to support adults with care and support who move between countries in the United Kingdom without having their care interrupted.

Adhering to the principles should reduce the potential for disagreement, however, where disagreements do arise, the Department and the Devolved Administrations would expect the parties to act reasonably and to make full efforts to resolve the dispute between themselves through constructive dialogue, cooperation and communication, including the timely sharing of information, and focussing on the well-being of the adult. The timely and effective resolution of disputes is in the interest of all parties, not least, the adult in question.

It is not possible to be definitive about which authority a cross-border continuity of care matter should be pursued with because it will depend on the facts and the nature of the issue. The adult may wish to approach their own local authority in the first instance. However where an issue raised with an authority falls within the remit of the other, the principle that the authorities should work together and share information should apply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to deploy (a) Fijian soldiers serving in the British Army and (b) other Army resources for humanitarian purposes in Fiji in response to the recent cyclone.

Penny Mordaunt

The Ministry of Defence’s humanitarian relief deployments are typically in response to either a request from the Department for International Development or directly from the government affected. The UK did not receive a request for assistance from the Fijian government and so currently has no plans to deploy personnel or assets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-07-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to process tax credits claims for terminally ill people; and if he will consider introducing a fast track system as applied to claims for other allowances.

Mr David Gauke

HMRC provide a tailored support service for vulnerable customers. If a customer who is terminally ill advises HMRC that they require extra help, HMRC’s ‘Needs Enhanced Support’ team will help the customer throughout the claims procedure, accelerating the process where appropriate.

There are no current plans for HMRC to introduce a specific fast track service for tax credit customers who are terminally ill.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department plans to spend on emergency aid relief in Fiji in response to the recent cyclone in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK is assisting Fiji in response to Tropical Cyclone Winston. We are contributing technical support to strengthen United Nations Children’s Fund capacity with water, sanitation and hygiene coordination and are ready to consider further requests for humanitarian experts should it be required. DFID has also offered to provide support to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordinations team and will remain in contact with Agencies in the region.

The UK is also funding MapAction, a UK-based NGO. Two of their volunteers have now deployed to Fiji to provide GIS and Mapping capability. The UK also makes core contributions to the UN Agencies, the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department and the Red Cross, all of whom are contributing to the response. Stephen O’Brien, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has recently announced US $8 million for Fiji from the Central Emergency Response Fund, to which the UK is biggest contributor, having donated in excess of $855m in the last 10 years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who was principally responsible for the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster between November 2005 and May 2006.

Sir Patrick McLoughlin

Between November 2005 and May 2006 the role of the Chancellor was vacant. During that period the Duchy was administered by the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council, along with the Duchy Council.

Since I have taken up the role, I have been carrying out a number of duties related to the Duchy, including meetings with Duchy staff, a visit to a Duchy property and various appointments and responsibilities associated with the office.