Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
We are clear that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) must operate in a manner that meets international fair trials standards. This is a message that we give consistently, both publicly and privately, for example at Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 29 April 2013.
The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the Right Hon. Baroness Warsi raised this at length with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her last visit to Dhaka in December 2013, and also made clear our absolute opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances in all countries.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding will be put in place to support local discretionary welfare provision after 2015.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
[Holding Reply: Thursday 16 January 2014]
The nationally run Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans were poorly targeted and failed to help those most in need. So, in 2012 as part of wider welfare reform, the Department for Work and Pensions abolished these national discretionary schemes and transferred responsibility to local authorities so they could deliver and tailor new local support as part of their existing services to their communities.
Councils can continue to provide support to those in their community who face financial difficulties or who find themselves in unavoidable circumstances, but there is no requirement to replicate the previous approach adopted by central government.
In contrast to a centralised grant system that was poorly targeted, under the Department for Work and Pensions' reforms, councils can now choose how best to support local welfare needs within their areas – what is right for, say, Rochdale may not be for other authorities. Some councils have already chosen to wind down their dedicated schemes following underspends.
In the next Spending Round period, from April 2015, central government continues to provide support to local authorities through general funds as part of the Coalition Government's commitment to reducing ring-fencing and ending top-down Whitehall control.
The Department for Work and Pensions provided a separate fund for 2013-2015 and are carrying out a review of the provision to date.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the Government plans to increase the 15 year out-of-country voting limit for British expatriates.
Answered by Greg Clark
The Government will keep the 15 year time limit under consideration, but is not minded to change the law at the present time.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking in support of Action 12 of the EU Citizenship Report 2013, com (2013) 269.
Answered by Greg Clark
The issue of voting in domestic elections is a matter for national governments and we do not accept the Commission's view of a European Public Space.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to incentivise the sale of alcohol-free beers and ciders.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
Beers and ciders below 1.2 per cent alcohol by volume are exempt from alcohol duties.