Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage the Iraq government to sign the Ministry of Justice's draft Prison Transfer Agreement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Officials at our Embassy in Baghdad remain in discussion with the Government of Iraq about a UK-Iraq prisoner transfer agreement. Negotiations are at an advanced stage and we continue to work to conclude these as soon as possible.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that Green Deal companies employed by the Government are not making nuisance calls under the contract.
Answered by Amber Rudd
The Government does not employ Green Deal companies.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that British Embassy staff in Iraq make contact with Danny Fitzsimon, who is held prisoner in that country.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Embassy staff have visited Mr Fitzsimons and continue to attempt to do so despite the security situation in the area of Iraq where Mr Fitzsimons is detained. When they have been unable to visit, staff have had contact by phone or in writing. We will continue to provide consular support, taking into account the local conditions. The British Government remains in regular discussions with the Iraqi Authorities about Mr Fitzsimons’ case.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the effect of data breaches of sensitive immigration information on people whose details have been accidentally published online.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Home Office takes data breaches of any type extremely seriously and they will be subject to our established procedure for managing data-related incidents. This entails a detailed risk-assessment exercise to determine the impact on the Data Subject together with actions designed to reduce the level of exposure wherever it is practical to do so.
Subject to the outcome of the risk assessment the Department may choose to inform the Data Subjects and the primary factor in this decision is the personal safety and security of those concerned. Regardless of whether the decision is taken to inform Data Subjects or not, every effort is made to remove the material in question from all platforms visible to the public.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 9 July 2014, Official Report, column 313W, on ovarian cancer and 24 June 2014, Official Report, columns 156-7W, on ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, if his Department will collect data on the number of women admitted to hospital with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS); if he will take steps to ensure systematic reporting of OHSS from egg sharing and egg donation; if he will make it his policy that ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome be notifiable; and if he will take steps to ensure that women are accurately informed of the risk of hospitalisation from OHSS when considering egg donation or egg sharing procedures.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Collection of data relating to treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, and the recording of serious adverse clinical reactions come within the statutory duties of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
At its meeting on 9 July 2014, the HFEA agreed a new strategy for 2014-2017, which sets out its regulatory focus. Also at that meeting, the Authority members agreed to give consideration to the collection of additional data when a case of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is reported. The HFEA will take expert scientific and medical advice on whether such data collection would be of value and on the feasibility of collecting reliable information.
The papers for the meeting and an audio record of the discussions can be found on HFEA’s website at:
www.hfea.gov.uk/Authority-July-2014.html
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Answer of 11 December 2013, Official Report, column 247W, on students: loans, how many complaints (a) he and (b) the Office of Fair Trading has received about changes to the conditions of student loans sold to Erudio Student Loans Limited for loan holders (i) nationally and (ii) in Greater Manchester; what steps he has taken to remind Erudio of its responsibility to uphold the original conditions of the loan; what guidance he has issued to purchasers of the student loan book on how student loans impact credit ratings; and if he will place in the Library a copy of that guidance.
Answered by Greg Clark
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills had received complaints about Erudio Student Loans Limited from 38 loan holders (or their elected representatives) as at 31st July 2014.
The Office of Fair Trading was closed on 1st April 2014 and its responsibilities in relation to consumer credit passed to the Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Conduct Authority does not investigate individual complaints. The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial services firms and their customers, which can deal with complaints about a wide range of financial matters.
Erudio has been notified of five complaints received by the Financial Ombudsman Service as at 31st July 2014. None of these was from loan holders in Greater Manchester.
Mortgage style student loans are regulated loans under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (as amended). Terms and conditions are specified in the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1998 and in borrowers’ loan credit agreements. Erudio Student Loans Limited is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for accounts formed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (as amended) and must act in compliance with the terms and conditions of the loans, relevant regulatory requirements, industry guidance and all applicable laws.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not issued guidance to Erudio Student Loans Limited in relation to how mortgage style student loans impact on borrowers’ credit scores, as the Department has no involvement in the credit scoring process.
The leaflet ‘Credit explained’ published by the Information Commissioner’s Office explains this in more detail and is available at