Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK is deeply concerned about the recent upsurge in fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact. I issued a statement on 2 April calling for the sides to halt the fighting and to exercise restraint. After four days of intense fighting, a ceasefire was announced on 5 April; although the situation remains tense. While the UK has no direct role in negotiations, we strongly support the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who have recently visited the region. We will continue to urge the sides to work with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to reach a negotiated peace settlement.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment the Government has made of the auditing sector’s contribution to economic productivity.

    Anna Soubry

    No such assessment has been made.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to upgrade the Skynet A5 satellite system.

    Harriett Baldwin

    We currently have no plans to upgrade the specific SKYNET 5A satellite. The Ministry of Defence is currently examining options to sustain the capability currently provided by the Skynet constellation.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were prosecuted in their absence for (a) serious sexual offences, (b) class A drug use and (c) manslaughter in each year since 2010.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Information on whether or not a defendant is in attendance at their hearing is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise the welfare standards of animals in battery cages.

    George Eustice

    All animals are protected by comprehensive animal welfare legislation, including the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The UK also has species specific legal requirements which protect the welfare of all farm animals in whatever system they are kept. Battery cages for laying hens were banned in 2012 as there was clear evidence that these cages were detrimental to laying hen welfare. A statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sport Shooting provides rearers of gamebirds with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their livestock as required by the Animal Welfare Act including in cage rearing systems.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to respond to the report of the Independent Cancer Taskforce; and what the timetable is for implementation of the recommendations of that report.

    Jane Ellison

    The independent Cancer Taskforce’s five-year strategy for cancer, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, published in July 2015, recommends improvements across the cancer pathway with the aim of improving survival rates. NHS England has appointed Cally Palmer as NHS National Cancer Director. She will lead on the implementation of the strategy, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience.

    She is currently setting up a new Cancer Transformation Board to lead the roll-out of the recommendations of the new strategy, and a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Dr Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, will oversee and scrutinise their work. Timeframes and phasing for implementation will be dependent on the final financial settlement reached as a result of the spending review.

    We announced in September 2015 that Health Education England (HEE) is developing a new national training programme for an additional 200 staff to get the skills and expertise to carry out endoscopies by 2018. The content of the next mandate from the Government to HEE is currently being determined.

    A commitment to whole-person care for patients, including those living with and beyond cancer, is embedded throughout the cancer taskforce report. In addition, the cancer vanguards have been established to explore new models of care, with a focus on delivering more person-centred care.

    Ensuring the National Health Service is able to support the availability and use of effective treatments and medicines for rare cancers is a key priority. Cancer 52, an organisation which specifically represents patients with rarer cancers, was represented on the independent Cancer Taskforce. The Taskforce’s report made many recommendations relevant to rarer cancers, focussing in particular on improving access to diagnostic testing, including fast, direct general practitioner access to key blood tests, and increasing patient access to the most advanced treatments.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22034, whether he plans that any further investment will take place at RAF Northolt (a) on the proposed Engineered Material Arresting System and (b) otherwise until after the Government has responded to the Davies Commission on Aviation Capacity in the South East; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) is being scoped as a military infrastructure requirement commensurate with safety cases for military aircraft operating at RAF Northolt and the associated military aerodrome design standards utilised at the Station. I am withholding estimated costs for the EMAS project as it is at the pre-tender stage and disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests.

    The Mott McDonald report has no opinion or relevance against the military aerodrome design criteria and safety cases in place at the Station or the current operation of RAF Northolt. Any infrastructure investment for military operational requirements will continue to be undertaken as necessary to support military and Government outputs.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what work his Department is doing in relation to its responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund.

    James Wharton

    My Department will continue carrying out its responsibilities as Managing Authority of the England European Regional Development Fund programmes.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 78 in the Autumn Statement 2015 and page 91 of the Budget 2016, for what reason the estimate of his Resource DEL budget for 2015-16 has changed from £1.1 billion to £1.2 billion.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Resource DEL budget (excluding depreciation) for 2015-16 in the Autumn Statement 2015 reflected the Main Estimate cover of £1,140m; the Resource DEL budget (excluding depreciation) for 2015-16 in the Budget 2016 reflected the Supplementary Estimate cover of £1,166m. The movements that make up the change of £25,899,000 are scheduled on pages 507-508 of the Supplementary Estimate 2015-16.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust, working with a clinical commissioning group, has asked every GP in Lancashire if it can help cover the staff shortfall in that trust.

    Ben Gummer

    These are operational matters for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and we have written to Stuart Heys, Chair of the Trust informing him of the hon. Member’s questions. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.