Category: Speeches

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils (a) in each age group were enrolled at each university technical college (UTC) in the 2014-15 academic year and (b) were enrolled in each UTC in September 2015.

    Nick Boles

    Figures for the number of pupils enrolled in each UTC by age group are available in the underlying data of the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2015 statistics’, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015

    The figures for the numbers of pupils enrolled in each UTC for the academic year 2015/16 are not yet available.

    “

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Table 7.1 of the Final Report of the Airports Commission, published in July 2015, if he will commission an assessment of the effect on the data in that table under the Commission’s (a) global growth, (b) relative decline of Europe, (c) low-cost is king and (d) global fragmentation scenarios.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from businesses on the enforcement of minor breaches of the Advertising Codes by the Advertising Standards Authority; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have received no representations from businesses on this issue.

    This Government supports the system of co-regulation and self-regulation, overseen by the independent Advertising Standards Authority and underpinned by consumer protection legislation. This regulatory system is independent of the Government and is ultimately responsible for setting the standards in advertising, ensuring that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the recorded interest rates of all PFI-financed projects in operation and commissioned by the NHS.

    Alistair Burt

    The great majority of funding for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes (usually 90%) comes in the form of two types of senior debt – a loan from a bank or a bond raised in the capital markets.

    The remaining cost of the project (10%) is paid in as equity share capital or equity-like loans (subordinated debt) from specialist investors. This enables projects to be financed where there are risks which the bank lenders are unwilling to bear (akin to a deposit when arranging a mortgage). Given these risks, the costs of raising this equity finance are higher.

    The combination of these two types of finance and therefore the overall cost of raising all the finance for the project can then be ascribed an annual percentage rate which is known as the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) or more commonly the Project Internal Rate of Return (Project IRR).

    The pre and post-tax nominal and real IRRs for equity and the WACC for all NHS hospital PFI schemes which had reached financial close from 1997 (the first) to 2009 were published as part of the Department’s evidence to the House of Commons Health Select Committee (HSC) Public Expenditure Inquiry 2009. The link is below and the information can be found at Tables 12A and 12B:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmhealth/269/269i.pdf

    Another four hospital PFI schemes have reached financial close since 2009. The information related to them is not held in the form requested; to identify and collate it would incur disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS England is working with (a) clinical commissioning groups, (b) local authorities and (c) other partners to develop and trial a new model of acute in-patient care for young adults aged 16 to 25.

    Alistair Burt

    Trialling acute inpatient care models for 16-25 year olds was a specific recommendation from Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (FYFV for Mental Health), a report from the independent Mental Health Taskforce to the NHS in England, published in February 2016. NHS England has accepted in full the recommendations of the Taskforce and is considering how to take each of the recommendations forward.

    The FYFV for Mental Health states:

    “NHS England should work with CCGs, local authorities and other partners to develop and trial a new model of acute inpatient care for young adults aged 16–25 in 2016, working with Vanguard sites. This should evaluate: developmentally and age-appropriate inpatient services for this group; supporting young people in an environment that maximises opportunities for rehabilitation and return to education, training or employment; viewing the young person within their social context; and enlisting the support of families or carers. This should build on the existing trials of new models of ‘transitional’ services for those aged 0–25.”

  • 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 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his plans are for the trialling of driverless HGV platoons.

    Andrew Jones

    There are no plans for trialling driverless HGV platoons. The trials under consideration would have drivers in each vehicle, who will be required to stay alert and remain able to control the vehicle. The Department for Transport is expecting to publish an invitation to tender later this year.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department has taken to assist the Kurdistan region.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has committed £79.5 million of humanitarian assistance to Iraq since summer 2014. This includes cash assistance, access to clean water, food, medicines and other life-saving assistance for the most vulnerable. Our partners distribute our aid on the basis of need across Iraq, including to internally displaced persons in northern Iraq.

    Given the importance of a coordinated response, we are providing funding to UNDP to support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Joint Crisis Centre (JCC), as well as its equivalent for the Government of Iraq, the Joint Crisis and Monitoring Centre (JCMC). In close collaboration with the JCMC, UN, donors and NGOs, the JCC is leading humanitarian efforts for the KRG.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which Jobcentre Plus offices he has contacted on the use of their own locally-developed claimant communications rather than using those produced by his Department.

    Priti Patel

    The Department has guidelines on its intranet for all Jobcentre Plus offices about the use of locally-developed claimant communications. These guidelines make it clear what can and cannot be produced locally.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess the potential merits of giving protected name status to Morecambe Bay shrimps.

    George Eustice

    We recognise the benefits of protecting our traditional and geographical food products and continue to work with producers to encourage protected food name (PFN) applications. Each application is assessed on its own merits and eligibility under the scheme. We would encourage producers to make applications for PFNs in order to promote high quality products such as Morecambe Bay shrimps.

    The Protected Food Name (PFN) scheme enables producers to add value to their product and helps consumers to identify foods with a clear regional provenance.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions with local authorities he is having on possible devolution deals; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Percy

    The Government is committed to supporting growth up and down the country through the devolution of power away from Whitehall and is engaged in on-going discussions with a range of areas. As a government we are open to discussing any devolution proposals that include strong, accountable governance arrangements so that we can provide local areas with the powers and tools they need to build an economy that works for everyone.