Category: Speeches

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has met officials of the Cabinet Office to discuss improving diversity in the Senior Civil Service in the last six months.

    Matthew Hancock

    Promoting diversity in the Senior Civil Service is a ministerial responsibility of the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Details of my Ministers meetings with external organisations are published routinely and can be found on Gov.uk. Details of internal meetings are not disclosed.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many days it took his Department to answer hon. Members’ correspondence on average in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015 and (d) 2016.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Cabinet Office publishes information on the performance of Departments and agencies on handling correspondence from hon. Members and peers annually by way of a written statement.

    The information for the years that is available, 2013 and 2014, are in the Official Record (13 May 2014: Column 17WS and 3 Jun 2015: Column 15WS, respectively).

  • Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the fairness of the (a) licence fee and (b) initial overcharge for those paying the licence fee by direct debit.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The BBC’s funding has been a central issue in the Charter Review process, and this has included consideration of the fairness and affordability of the licence fee, and the ways in which it can be paid. David Perry QC’s independent report on TV Licence Fee Enforcement highlighted that current payment plans, set out in regulations, inhibit the ability of TV Licensing to help those on lower incomes by offering alternative, more manageable payment schemes. The conclusions of his report have been considered as part of the wider Charter Review process, and the government’s position on these issues will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects Capita to respond to the right hon. Member for Delyn in relation to correspondence dated 1 February, 14 April and 10 June 2016 relating to Mrs M. of Flint.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The letters to which you refer were received by Capita but not processed in line with their standard procedures. Capita apologises for the delay and any inconvenience caused and are investigating why their procedures were not followed.

    Capita sent their reply to the honourable Member on Friday, 17 June.

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s policy is on future funding of the LEADER and Countryside Stewardship schemes; what discussions she has had with her Ministerial colleagues on the funding of those schemes; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe, Nic Dakin, on 8 September 2016, PQ UIN44637. The Government’s announcement ahead of the Autumn Statement will also cover LEADER.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2016 to Question 905556, when he plans to publish the results of the Government consultation seeking views on options to move Land Registry operations to the private sector.

    Margot James

    Following the close of the consultation on moving operations of Land Registry to the private sector Government is carefully considering its response, taking into account consultation responses received. It is only right that new ministers take the time to look at all the options before making a decision on the best way to proceed and no decision on the future of Land Registry has yet been taken. Government will publish a response in due course.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has received on support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no representations.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK plans to be represented before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Philippines v. China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The UK is not party to the case of Philippines v China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is therefore not entitled to be formally represented before the PCA in this case.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2016 to 21399, what steps she has taken related to migrants in France who wish to seek international protection in the UK and not in France.

    James Brokenshire

    As informed in the response to 21399 the Government continues to work closely with France on a range of migration and security issues and we have no plans to change this constructive approach. The French Government remains committed to meeting its EU and international obligations and the opening of new places in its asylum system for those that claim asylum in Calais demonstrates this. The UK and French Governments are unified in their response to the migratory phenomenon and both governments recognise the importance of close partnership and collaboration to reach a long-term solution.

    A person requiring international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country that they reach, a principle which is reflected in the Dublin Regulation. Any migrant currently in France who wishes to seek international protection should do so in France. The UK will consider a request from France to take responsibility of an asylum applicant on the basis of the family unity provisions contained in the Dublin Regulation if there are grounds to do so. A person must claim asylum in France before a responsibility request can be made and considered.

  • Baroness Quin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Quin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Quin on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what ways they are currently supporting the education and advancement of women in Afghanistan.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK has prioritised education for girls as part of its development support to Afghanistan. The UK provides £58 million through its Girls Education Challenge Fund, which supports over 180,000 girls in some of the poorest rural and hard to reach areas of Afghanistan to have better access to a quality education. In addition the UK supports the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a World-Bank managed multi-donor fund. A proportion of this is used to support education and as a result, in 2015 there were more than 3.2 million Afghan girls attending school compared to virtually none in 2001.

    The UK also supports programmes to protect women from violence, promote women’s economic empowerment, and strengthen political participation – all necessary to achieve lasting and transformative change for women in Afghanistan.