Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Venezuela.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The British Government is concerned by the latest developments in Venezuela, in particular the political, economic and security challenges, which are having a serious impact on the human rights of ordinary Venezuelans. I discussed those concerns with Venezuelan Minister for Europe, Samuel Moncada, on 26 October and urged the Venezuela Government to respect the human rights of its citizens.
The United Kingdom co-signed a Joint Statement at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 29 September, expressing international community concern over developments in Venezuela. This Joint Statement was supported by 28 other countries. We have played an active role in preparations for Venezuela's upcoming Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council, submitting a statement of recommendations and posing questions to the Venezuelan Government regarding their human rights record.
Venezuela has been designated a Foreign and Commonwealth Office 'Human Rights Priority Country' for 2016/17. Designation allows us expand our work on human rights and democracy in Venezuela, through bilateral projects supporting political dialogue, women's rights and good governance.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage changes from diesel to electric vehicles.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government is spending more than £600 million by 2020 to support the development, manufacture and uptake of electric ultra low emission vehicles in the UK. This programme includes grant incentives for motorists to purchases vehicles, and funding for the installation of chargepoints at home and at work. Our aim is that all new cars and vans should be zero emission by 2040. This will mean that almost all cars and vans on our roads are zero emission by 2050.
The tax system also supports the transition to cleaner vehicles, for example pure electric vehicles are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty. At Autumn Statement 2015 the Chancellor confirmed that the diesel supplement would be retained in company car tax until 2021. HM Treasury has recently consulted on how company car tax can best incentivise ultra low emission vehicles.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to the Referred Casework Unit on how to process compassionate compelling cases; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Guidance available to Entry Clearance Officers and the Referred Casework Unit on exceptional circumstances and compassionate factors when considering family migration applications is available in the ' Family Life (as a Partner or Parent): 5-Year Routes' guidance which is published on Gov.uk at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members
The referred Casework Unit also consider ad hoc applications in other visa categories when referred by an Entry Clearance Manager overseas where there are compelling and compassionate circumstances and where there may be consideration given to a grant of leave to enter outside the rules.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken for her Department's Referred Casework Unit to review decisions of the Entry Clearance Manager in the last year; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
It is not a function of the Referred Casework Unit to review the decisions of Entry Clearance Managers. Where an Entry Clearance Manager refers an application to the Referred Casework Unit for decision, the Referred Casework Unit aims to provide a full response within an internal 15 working day service level agreement, unless further enquiries are needed. The requested data on performance against this service level agreement is not available through published statistics. However, locally held management information confirms that from the 1st April 2014 to 30th September 2014 over 99% of referrals were responded to within 15 working days.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Depatment's press release of 3 July 2013, entitled Government removes volunteering tax on councillors, what progress his Department has made in implementing the proposal set out in that press release.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
My Department has been working with the Ministry of Justice, who in turn have been working with the Information Commissioner, on changes to the rules about local authority members' notifying the Information Commissioner's Office that they are data controllers, to ensure that any new rules both remove bureaucratic burdens whilst ensuring that local authority members who are data controllers remain aware of their duties and obligations as data controllers.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to ensure more effective regulation of providers of cosmetic laser treatments; and whether it is his policy to introdude a register of such providers.
Answered by Dan Poulter
On 24 April 2013, the independent Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions, chaired by Sir Bruce Keogh, was published. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
The Government Response to the Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions, was published on 13 February. A copy of the response has already been placed in the Library. We fully accept the principles of the Keogh review and the overwhelming majority of the recommendations.
The Government has undertaken to strengthen standards through better training and robust qualifications, and explore how far supervision from regulated professionals might support self-regulation of the sector.
The Royal College of Surgeons has set up an inter-specialty committee to ensure standards for cosmetic surgery and will work with the General Medical Council on a code of ethical conduct. Health Education England (HEE) is leading on a review of training and qualifications for providers of non-surgical cosmetic interventions, including lasers. On 11 September, HEE published a phase 1 report Review of qualifications required for delivery of non-surgical cosmetic interventions. A copy of the report is attached.
The Care Quality Commission has developed a new inspection methodology to cover independent health providers, reflecting the protocols used for National Health Service hospitals. The inspections will be conducted with relevant specialists within the inspection teams, including those with experience in cosmetic interventions.
The Department is also taking steps to meet relevant stakeholders to discuss cosmetic procedures and the necessity and form of any further regulation to protect the public. There are no current plans to introduce a statutory register of providers of cosmetic laser treatments.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the representations of the hon. Member for Ilford South of 6 October 2014 on a constituency case, for what reason the Minister of State for Immigration did not reply to those representations; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Home Office apologises that the Honourable Gentleman did not receive a Ministerial response to his representations dated 6 October.
This was due to a Home Office administrative error. Officials have beenreminded of the correct procedure to follow when a MP makes personal
representations to the Minister. A response from the Minister has now been sent to the Honourable Gentleman.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to officials in her Department on dealing with correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers when the correspondence is clearly marked for the Minister's personal attention; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Cabinet Office sets guidance for officials dealing with correspondence from MPs. Details of this guidance can be found on the Home Office website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-mps-correspondences
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken for the Director General, UK Visas and Immigration to reply to hon. Members in (a) all and (b) urgent visit visa cases was in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
For 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014, UK Visas and Immigration replied to
correspondence from hon. Members within an average of 26 days. Information on
the average time taken to reply to urgent visa cases is not recorded centrally
and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Mike Gapes (The Independent Group for Change - Ilford South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to UK Visas and Immigration Directorate on responding to hon. Members' representations on visit visa cases.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Guidance is available to all staff involved in responding to correspondence from hon. Members. This guidance explains when it is appropriate for staff to contact the business unit dealing with the case.
Additionally, the Home Office have issued an Information Fact Sheet – ‘Family Visit Visa Information Fact Sheet for Members of Parliament acting on behalf of their constituents’ to hon. Members. The Information Fact Sheet is available on the Home Office MP website.