Category: Speeches

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for proposals for a tunnel on the A303 near Stonehenge of the UNESCO Advisory Mission to Stonehenge October 2015 Report.

    Andrew Jones

    A report from the cultural heritage advisors to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee completed in October 2015 recognised the on-going and constructive engagement that is taking place between the Department of Transport, Highways England, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Historic England, English Heritage, National Trust and Wiltshire County Council.

    The Department for Transport also shares the report’s view that the design and location of a road improvement for this section of the A303 needs to be carefully considered in order to protect and enhance the World Heritage Site.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the mechanisms in place for patients to pursue complaints against dentists who leave the country before the General Dental Council can investigate.

    Ben Gummer

    The General Dental Council (GDC) is an independent statutory body. As the regulator of all registered dentists it has the power to take fitness to practise action, and investigate any complaints made against a dentist who is currently registered with the GDC. The Professional Standards Authority conducts annual reviews of the GDC’s fitness to practise process, to ensure it meets the set professional standards. The Dental Complaints Service, run by the GDC, can assist in resolving complaints raised about private dental treatment provided by all GDC registered dentists in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, if a dentist is registered with the GDC, the GDC has the power to investigate that dentist, whether they are in the UK or not. Therefore, if a dentist is registered with the GDC and was working in the UK but returned to their home country, the GDC would be able to take action. If the dentist does not hold a current registration with the GDC, the GDC cannot investigate further, but an unregistered dentist, whether they have a complaint against them or not, cannot practise in the UK, which ensures UK patient safety, and maintains professional standards.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the potential cost to Scottish businesses of leaving the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The United Kingdom will leave the European Union and we are going to make a success of it. While it is clear that we do now face some economic challenges as a result of the referendum decision, the UK economy does so from a position of strength.

    HM Government is monitoring economic developments closely and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility will produce an updated economic forecast alongside Autumn Statement 2016.

  • Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effect on the preparedness of complainants to report rape of the use of complainants’ previous sexual history in evidence in rape trials; and if she will make a statement.

    Sarah Newton

    This Government has made protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence a key priority.

    The most recent Crime Statistics published on 20 October by the Office for National Statistics show that police recorded rape increased by 16% (to 36,438) in the year ending July 2016 compared with the previous year. The ONS state that the increases are believed to result from an improvement in the recording of sexual offences by the police and an increased willingness of victims to come forward and report these crimes to the police. In addition, the Crown Prosecution Service annual Violence Against Women and Girls Report, published in September 2016, shows the highest volumes ever recorded of charged defendants, prosecutions and convictions for rape.

    We welcome the fact that more victims of rape are coming forward and reporting these crimes to the police. Victims must have the confidence to report these crimes, knowing that they will get the support they need to go through the criminal justice process and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.

    Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 places a statutory restriction on introduction of evidence and questioning of complainants about their sexual history. Section 41 was introduced to protect complainants in proceedings for sexual offences, introducing a presumption that such evidence and questioning will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of households in receipt of universal credit qualify for (a) free school meals and (b) free NHS prescriptions; and how many such qualifying households are in receipt of those benefits.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available.

  • Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of housing wealth to supporting the income of pensioners.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government has created the foundation for saving for retirement via automatic enrolment and the State Pension reforms and given individuals the freedom to use their own savings and access other sources of income or capital in the way that best suits their needs. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that around 80% of pensioners hold some form of housing equity. However, people who might choose to access potential sources of income, such as equity release or flexible pension products, will need to give careful consideration to whether it best suits their needs and how it could affect their income and entitlement to welfare, both now and in the future.

    That is why the government set up Pension Wise to provide information and guidance on how people can access their pension saving flexibly. Information is widely available in terms of how income and capital are treated in the means-tested benefits. Officials have held discussions with the equity release industry in May 2014 and February 2015 to explain the interactions between equity release and means tested benefits.

  • Pauline Latham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Pauline Latham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pauline Latham on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2015 to Question 18808, what assessment he made of the conclusion by the Independent Cancer Taskforce in its 2015 report entitled Achieving world class outcomes for cancer: A strategy for England 2015-2020 that faecal immunochemical testing has extremely poor rates of detection for precancerous polyps.

    Jane Ellison

    The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recently consulted on the use of Faecal Immunochemical testing (FIT) as an alternative screen test for bowel cancer. Both the UK NSC and the Independent Cancer Taskforce are supportive of the initial results of the FIT pilot, which indicates that this test is more acceptable to the screened population with a significant increase in participation (10%). The UK NSC has published its minutes from the November meeting and recommends a change to use FIT as the primary test to be used in the National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.

    We are considering the UK NSC’s recommendation.

  • Baroness Massey of Darwen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Massey of Darwen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Massey of Darwen on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether proposed changes to who can object to school admissions arrangements will have a disproportionate impact on parents from low income backgrounds.

    Lord Nash

    Our proposed changes are intended to ensure that the Adjudicator is able to focus on the concerns parents may have about the fairness of the admission arrangements of their local school. We do not want parents’ objections to be held up by the need to also consider objections referred by interest groups from outside the area.

    It will remain open for local authorities to object to the Adjudicator about schools’ admission arrangements as the champion of local parents. Preventing interest groups from submitting objections will not have a detrimental impact on lower income families.

    We will conduct a full public consultation in due course and will give careful consideration to all the views expressed in that consultation.

  • Biography information for Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Biography information for Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Rennard on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Electoral Commission’s conclusion in its report UK Parliamentary General Election 2015: Campaign spending report, that in principle

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Electoral Commission published its “UK Parliamentary General Election 2015: Campaign spending report” on 29 February 2016. The Government is considering the report and will respond in due course.

  • Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department provides to NHS England and clinical commissioning groups on the account they should take of future residential developments with regard to GP service provision.

    George Freeman

    Commissioning of general practitioner (GP) services is a responsibility of NHS England and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with delegated authority. Currently around half of CCGs have delegated authority. As part of these arrangements, NHS England and CCGs are responsible for planning GP services to ensure they are appropriate for the local population. This should take into account a number of factors, including information about known future residential developments and implications for requirements for healthcare provision, including GP services. Based on this information, the commissioners should engage with the local planning authority to enable decisions to be made on the appropriate funding arrangements for the required health infrastructure resulting from the new development.

    Departmental guidance on planning matters for National Health Service organisations is available in Part B of the Department publication Health Building Note 00-08 The efficient management of healthcare estates and facilities and Health Building Note 00-08 Addendum 2 – A guide to town planning for health organisations. These publications are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-efficient-management-of-healthcare-estates-and-facilities-health-building-note-00-08

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