Tag: Vernon Coaker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress she has made on the establishment of the Joint Agency Task Force on cross-jurisdictional organised crime.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Following the Fresh Start Agreement I recently attended a tri-lateral cross-border Ministerial meeting along with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government. At the meeting we agreed new measures to enhance law enforcement co-operation aimed at tackling organised crime and criminality, including that linked to paramilitarism. In a concerted effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime, a Joint Agency Task Force has been announced by the United Kingdom Government, the Irish Government and the NI Executive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to clinical commissioning groups on the provision and availability of fertility treatments.

Jane Ellison

The level of provision of infertility treatment, as for all health services they commission, is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.

NHS England expects that all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) fertility guidelines. CCGs have a legal duty to have regard to NICE guidelines.

Following a meeting with Fertility Fairness in December 2015, officials from the Department and NHS England are considering options for addressing variation in the prices that CCGs are currently paying for in vitro fertilisation treatment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent progress she has made on the establishment of the three person panel to build a strategy to disband paramilitary groups.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Under the terms of the Fresh Start Agreement, it is for the Northern Ireland Executive to appoint the three person panel by the end of December 2015. The panel will have the task of bringing back to the Executive a report before the end of May 2016 with recommendations for a strategy to disband paramilitary groups. Before the end of June 2016, the Executive will publish an action plan including all of the above measures, together with timescales for implementation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his letter of 11 February 2016 to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, what work has been done to date to engage with legal, academic and civic society stakeholders in Northern Ireland on the Government’s proposals to reform the UK’s human rights framework.

Dominic Raab

We have already sought views and will continue to engage with stakeholders across the United Kingdom to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate he has made of the investment rate in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

Anna Soubry

The ONS only publishes investment data at a country level, for which the latest published data was in the 23^rd December Business Investment release, available on the ONS website. Investment data is unavailable on a regional basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has for consultation on proposed reforms to the UK’s human rights framework in the devolved regions; and what the form, timing and content of such consultation will be.

Dominic Raab

This Government was elected with a mandate to reform and modernise the UK human rights framework. We will fully consult on our proposals before introducing legislation for a Bill of Rights and we will set out our proposals in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent progress has been made on the remaining legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

During the talks last autumn, significant progress was made on how to implement the legacy bodies set out in the Stormont House Agreement. It was regrettable that agreement on all the legacy issues could not be reached during the talks process. I have, however, commenced a round of engagement with victims and others as we seek to achieve the consensus needed to bring forward legislation to address the outstanding legacy issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Government’s proposals to reform the UK’s human rights framework.

Dominic Raab

We continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she plans to commence talks on the remaining legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I recently met the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors and the Victims and Survivors Forum and I have commenced a round of engagement with the political parties. I will continue to meet with victims and others as we seek to achieve the consensus needed to bring forward legislation to address the outstanding legacy issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reforms to the UK’s human rights framework on policing in Northern Ireland.

Dominic Raab

We will consider the implications of a Bill of Rights on devolved matters as we develop our proposals. We will, of course, fully engage with the devolved administrations. We will set out our proposals in due course.