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Category: Speeches

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what timetable is proposed to ensure that their promise to welcome 20,000 refugees by 2020 is fulfilled.

    Lord Bates

    The Government is working closely with local authorities, international delivery partners and the voluntary sector, putting in place the plans and structures to deliver this and ensuring the system is scaled up in a way that protects the interests of all concerned. The number resettled in a particular period will depend on a range of factors. This includes the number of referrals we have received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the number of confirmed places we have received from local authorities that are suitable for the specific needs of those who have been accepted for resettlement. Progress on resettlement will be indicated in quarterly immigration statistics – the last set were published in February 2016 and showed 1,085 people resettled between October and December 2015.

    The Government remains on track to resettle 20,000 refugees by the end of the Parliament.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2016 on Question 30222, when he expects that data on secondary breast cancer will be complete.

    Jane Ellison

    Data on breast cancer recurrence has been mandated in the Cancer Services and Outcomes Dataset (COSD) for diagnoses from 1 January 2013. The National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) in Public Health England (PHE) estimates about one-quarter of recurrences are currently submitted. NCRAS will support trusts to improve their submission of data by producing reports on the number of recurrences submitted by each National Health Service trust. These will enable the identification of best practise to be shared, and enable us to engage with trusts that are not submitting data.

    Data on all cancer recurrence has been mandated in COSD since 31 July 2015.

    In addition further work is being scoped by NHS England and PHE based on the recommendation in the recent Independent Cancer Taskforce report to establish robust surveillance systems to collect relapse and recurrence data on all cancers.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Attorney General, (a) how much funding he has allocated to and (b) how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the CPS’s Proceeds of Crime Unit in each year since 2009.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) allocated the following funding to its Proceeds of Crime Unit since 2009.

    2008/09 £ 2,556,535

    2009/10 £ 4,339,422

    2010/11 £ 7,311,688

    2011/12 £ 6,096,729

    2012/13 £ 5,967,226

    2013/14 £ 6,125,024

    2014/15 £ 8,378,651

    2015/16 £10,035,821

    The following average full-time equivalent staff in post for Proceeds of Crime Unit since 2009 were:-

    2008/09 41.9

    2009/10 60.0

    2010/11 73.1

    2011/12 65.1

    2012/13 77.3

    2013/14 77.7

    2014/15 124.4

    2015/16 140.4

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the findings of the report of the International Development Committee, UK implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, HC103, published on 8 June 2016, on the need for a cross-government approach in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on those goals.

    Justine Greening

    I have discussed the government’s approach to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This will be a cross-government effort with individual Secretaries of State accountable through their Single Departmental Plans. There will continue to be regular discussions involving all relevant departments across Government. The Government will respond to the IDC report.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the level of take-up by (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized enterprises has been of the Cyber Essentials programme.

    Matt Hancock

    Of the Cyber Essentials certificates issued, around 80% have been to micro, small and medium-sized businesses.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the process is by which unaccompanied child refugees are considered for transfer to the UK from refugee camps in Europe; and what the verification process is for confirming the identity and date of birth of an unaccompanied child refugee.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Under the Dublin Regulation, where an unaccompanied asylum seeking child has close family members in the UK, another Member State may make a transfer request for the UK to consider their asylum claim, which is then considered and if verified, accepted by the UK. In addition, we are working closely with the French, Greek and Italian authorities as well as UNHCR, Unicef and NGOs to identify unaccompanied refugee children who do not have family in the UK but who may qualify for transfer under the provisions of S67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

    All individuals being considered for transfer will be assessed for age. Where credible and clear documentary evidence of age is not available, criteria including physical appearance and demeanour are used as part of the interview process to assess age. Once in the UK there is also the option of requesting a further local authority age assessment, which must be case law compliant and approved by two social workers. Basic security checks are conducted on all individuals prior to arrival, with further verification carried out once in the UK.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are investigating whether price-dumping contributed to the closure of UK steelworks.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Imports of low cost steel are one of the major challenges facing the steel industry. Formal responsibility for investigation of – and implementing measures against – dumped imports lies with the European Commission, based on complaints made to them by industry. The Government is keepingin close contact with the industry and the Commission to help ensure claims of dumping are investigated promptly and any justified measures against dumping are implemented as soon as possible.

    In response to global issues with over-supply we secured an emergency EU Council meeting which took place on 9th November to discussdumping and other issues affecting the steel industry.We will continue to press for firmer faster action against unfair trade practices affecting the industry.

  • Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average response time to dwelling fires was for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

    Mike Penning

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

    Information on average response times to dwelling fires for each fire and rescue service and for each year is available in Table 3b of the Department’s Fire incidents response times: England publication at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-incidents-response-times-england-2014-to-2015

    “

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what contingency arrangements the House of Commons Commission has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

    Tom Brake

    The House of Commons Commission has made no contingency arrangements in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to improve support for children and young people with mental health problems.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Children and young people’s mental health is a priority area for this Government and it is committed to delivering the vision set out in Future in Mind, the report published jointly by the Department and NHS England in March 2015. This is supported by an additional investment of £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament. A copy of Future in Mind is attached.

    Progress has been made on many of the key ambitions set out in Future in Mind. One significant development being that Local Transformation Plans (LTPs) for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing have been produced covering the full spectrum of mental health issues, from prevention to intervention for emerging or existing mental health problems. LTPs also address the full spectrum of need, for every clinical commissioning group (CCG) in the country. The Local Government Association have produced a spreadsheet giving details of LTPs. A copy of this spreadsheet is attached.

    Work is in progress to strengthen the capacity and capability of the workforce and to improve data and information in order to deliver the vision set out in Future in Mind by 2020. In addition, the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is continuing to be rolled out across the country.

    Progress has also been made on making help and support to children and young people available online through the launch of an online hub for children and young people on the NHS Choices website and further investment made into a campaign to reduce stigma and discrimination as proposed in Future in Mind.

    All CCGs, working closely with their partners, have developed and submitted LTPs to transform their local offer for children and young people’s mental health. Plans cover the whole spectrum of services from prevention to intervention for emerging or existing mental health problems and address the full spectrum of need.