Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of supply of EpiPen/epinephrine; and what steps his Department takes to help ensure sufficient supply of that medication.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Epipen 300 microgram pens and Epipen 150 microgram Epipens continue to be available and alternative brands of adrenaline auto-injectors also remain available.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the consultation into parts of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the potential merits of immediately suspending the driving licences of anyone who causes death while driving.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport is currently working on the scope of the call for evidence on motoring offences.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of facilitating (a) public consultation and (b) parliamentary scrutiny prior to closing (i) Plymouth and (ii) other Insolvency Service offices; and whether he has made an assessment of the practicalities of requiring staff to relocate in the context of subsequent long commuting times.
Answered by Paul Scully
There has been engagement with a number of stakeholders to date and this will continue as the Insolvency Service transitions from 21 offices to 11 regional centres over the next three years.
Individual office business cases and impact assessments will be monitored as the project progresses. The Insolvency Service is in discussion with affected employees on a range of options, including flexible working and help with increased travel costs, to support a move to their nearest regional centre location
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the number of licences given by the Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation to British law firms in respect of Russian operations; and whether that organisation allows licensed firms to continue representing Russian state-related companies.
Answered by John Glen
Data on licences issued will be provided in OFSI’s Annual Review 2021-22 which is due to be published this year.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Solicitors Regulation Authority is taking to help ensure that (a) solicitors and (b) law firms are complying with sanctions imposed by the UK on Russia.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Under the framework established by the Legal Services Act 2007, the legal profession in England and Wales operates independently of the government. Regulation of legal services is independent of the professions and government.
Lawyers are subject to significant anti-money laundering responsibilities and duties, as well as strict procedures when transacting with sanctioned individuals. Those individuals are required to obtain a license from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation to make payments for legal services.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has put out guidance reminding solicitors of their professional obligations and legal requirements if they represent sanctioned individuals. The SRA Code of Conduct requires all regulated law firms to have appropriate policies in place to ensure compliance with sanctions legislation, including undertaking regular and appropriate checks of sanctions lists. The SRA is stepping up spot checks, focused on those firms who may be exposed to the Russian market, and investigations to monitor and enforce compliance. It has been in touch with all solicitors and firms to remind them directly of their obligations.
Breaching the financial sanctions requirements can result in potential criminal prosecution or a fine. This is also the case where there is evidence of serious or repeated breaches of money laundering regulations. In the last four years, the SRA have prosecuted more than 60 such cases at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. These have resulted in a range of fines, as well as multiple solicitors having been struck off or suspended.
Legal sector regulators are also coming together rapidly to look at what can be done to further improve the enforcement of the restrictions under the current sanction and anti-money laundering regime. The SRA has also recently consulted on increasing its internal fining powers, which could increase deterrence and enable it to resolve cases more quickly.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost was of the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday; and if he will provide a breakdown of the costs.
Answered by Conor Burns
The total cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry to the end of May 2010 is £191.2 million. These are the publicly available figures that were published following the completion of the inquiry and publication of the report in 2010.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) meetings, (b) discussions, (c) correspondence and (d) other communications took place between Baron Saville of Newdigate and former Prime Minister Blair (i) before and (ii) during the existence of the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday.
Answered by Conor Burns
The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his most recent estimate is for when applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme as of 18 February 2022 will have been processed.
Answered by James Heappey
As of 18 February 2022, over 110,000 applications have been received; many of which are found to be incomplete or duplications. We do not record metrics for the processing times of applications, and any number of factors can affect how long it takes for an applicant to progress through each stage of the process. For example: their location, access to IT, employment history verification, security checks, or family circumstances.
We continue to devote significant resources to this task; a dedicated team of caseworkers work seven days a week to process pending applications. To date, their efforts have resulted in the relocation to the UK of over 8,000 eligible applicants and dependants.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which month were the applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme being processed as of 18 February 2022 submitted.
Answered by James Heappey
As of 18 February 2022, over 110,000 applications have been received; many of which are found to be incomplete or duplications. We do not record metrics for the processing times of applications, and any number of factors can affect how long it takes for an applicant to progress through each stage of the process. For example: their location, access to IT, employment history verification, security checks, or family circumstances.
We continue to devote significant resources to this task; a dedicated team of caseworkers work seven days a week to process pending applications. To date, their efforts have resulted in the relocation to the UK of over 8,000 eligible applicants and dependants.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work has been undertaken on an application to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy for that application to be categorised as (a) pending, (b) in progress, (c) processed and (d) complete.
Answered by James Heappey
Applications that have been received but are pending a decision on eligibility are regarded as 'pending'.
Applications assessed as eligible and undergoing the casework processes necessary to facilitate relocation to the UK are regarded as 'in progress'.
Applications that have concluded the casework process are cleared for relocation but are awaiting relocation are regarded as 'processed'.
Applications where the principal applicant and any dependants have arrived in the UK and been passed into the care of the Home Office are regarded as 'complete'.
As at 22 February the Afghan Relocation & Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme has received in excess of 110,000 applications. To meet this unprecedented challenge a dedicated team of caseworkers are working 7 days a week to process these applications.