Category: Speeches

  • Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of young people from Dartford who went to university in the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publishes data on the entry rates for full-time undergraduate courses by parliamentary constituency. UCAS does not publish data on the number of entrants by parliamentary constituency, only entry rates.

    Latest statistics from the 2015 UCAS End of Cycle Report for the Dartford constituency are provided in the table. The entry rate is given as the proportion of 18 year olds that accepted a place during a UCAS application cycle.

    Table: Higher Education entry rates for 18 year olds from the Dartford Constituency

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    28.6%

    23.2%

    29.9%

    27.3%

    32.5%

    “

  • Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Will Quince on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has analysed the potential economic effect of the soft drinks levy on the British soft drinks manufacturing industry.

    Damian Hinds

    The government will shortly be consulting on the detail of the soft drinks industry levy, and we will publish an initial impact assessment alongside the consultation. This assessment will be updated and refined when the policy detail is finalised.

    For Finance Bill measures, HMRC provide a Tax Impact Information Note alongside the draft Finance Bill legislation, which we expect to publish in the winter.

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the UK’s allies has aircraft which are capable of refuelling P-8 Poseidon aircraft to be procured by the UK.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The P-8 Poseidon is currently undertaking air-to-air refuelling trials in the United States to clear the aircraft to receive fuel in flight. The initial clearance will be against the Boeing KC-135 operated by the United States Air Force. In addition, the Royal Australian Air Force is expected to conduct trials using their Airbus KC-30A multirole tanker aircraft in 2017.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what modifications are needed to the two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers in order for them to deploy Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey aircraft.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Bell-Boeing MV-22 is not part of the resourced plan to deliver the UK Carrier Strike capability. However, in aspiring to high levels of interoperability between UK and US carriers, the Ministry of Defence will continue to explore the options and implications of operating US aircraft from the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers, potentially including MV-22 on an opportunity basis.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with his counterparts in (a) China, (b) Vietnam and (c) South Korea about the dog meat trade in those countries.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Government is committed to raising the standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. Whilst there are no international norms, laws or agreements governing the trade and consumption of dog meat, we believe it is necessary to work with governments to gain agreement on animal welfare standards and phase out cruel and inhuman farming practices.

    I raised the importance of animal welfare with the Vietnamese government during my visit in February. Our Ambassador in Seoul has raised the issue of cruelty related to the dog meat trade with the South Korean authorities, explaining that UK Parliamentarians and the public would like to see regulation that would bring this to an end. Ministers have also raised the issue with Chinese counterparts, and we continue to work alongside the authorities there to help protect the welfare of stray animals.

    I will be writing to all relevant Ambassadors about this issue in due course and the Government will consider a review of how we interact with various international organisations on dog meat consumption, specifically on the issue of health.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with Bombardier about that company’s plans for the number of jobs it provides in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Northern Ireland Office Ministers regularly meet a range of businesses and business organisations from across Northern Ireland.

    The Northern Ireland economic pact recognised the importance of Bombardier as one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employers. The Government continues to work with Invest NI to deliver on the commitments contained in the economic pact which included providing research and development funding to Bombardier.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) total research and development spend by his Department in each of the last five years and (b) forecast research and development spend by his Department in the next five years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Ministry of Defence (MOD) research and development expenditure is published in "Departmental Resources Statistical bulletin" (Excel Table 5), which is available at the following website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/defence-departmental-resources-2015

    There is no fixed forward budget for research and development because development expenditure is mostly part of the equipment programme applied as needed against the development requirements of individual projects. The government will dedicate 1.2% of its growing Defence budget to the Defence Science and Technology Programme, the centralised research budget, under the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser.

  • Dame Angela Watkinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Dame Angela Watkinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dame Angela Watkinson on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information he holds on the reasons why the Financial Conduct Authority has not sought a restitution order against (a) Capita, (b) Blue Gate and (c) the directors of Tinta plc in relation to the Connaught Income Fund.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are operationally independent from Government.

    The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will provide additional financial support for workers with disabilities who will be subject to a reduction in income as a result of the universal credit changes to be introduced in April 2016.

    Priti Patel

    Changes to the Universal Credit work allowances are part of a wider package of measures announced in the Summer Budget. This also includes the increase to the personal tax allowance, introduction of the national living wage, and an increase in childcare support to provide for an additional 15 hours free childcare for working parents of three and four year olds from September 2017. In addition, from April 2016, we are increasing childcare support under Universal Credit from 70% to 85% of eligible childcare costs paid, up to a maximum cap.

    We will be contacting Universal Credit claimants directly affected by the work allowance changes in advance to prepare them and let them know how they can access further advice and support. As well as additional work coach support, affected claimants may qualify for help from the Flexible Support Fund to help them retain work and increase their earnings.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of removing student number controls for alternative providers of degree-level courses on national levels of student debt.

    Joseph Johnson

    The majority of Alternative Providers remain subject to student number controls, with the exception of nine (as at 12th April 2016) alternative providers that have their own degree awarding powers. It is not possible to determine the impact on national levels of student debt – as any students recruited by these 9 providers may instead have been recruited by providers in the publicly funded sector, none of which are subject to student number controls.