Category: Speeches

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many families have been assisted by the Troubled Families programme in Southampton.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    In Southampton, the local authority achieved significant outcomes with 685 families under the first Troubled Families Programme (2012 – 2015).

    In the new Troubled Families Programme (2015 – 2020), they have so far engaged 1,065 families. This means that each of these families has a named key worker or lead worker, a full assessment of the problems they face and an agreed plan with stretching goals to tackle all of these problems.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy plans to adhere to the 12-nautical mile territorial limit proclaimed by China around the Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    In accordance with international law as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Royal Navy warships exercise the right of innocent passage whenever transiting in another States’ recognised territorial seas. The exercise of the right of innocent passage requires neither prior authorization nor authorization from the coastal State. When operating in the Exclusive Economic Zone of a coastal State, RN warships will exercise full freedom of navigation and overflight whilst respecting any established safety zones, up to 500 meters, around an artificial island, installation or structure.

    In the South China Sea the UK has a strong interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, which is underpinned by respect for, and adherence to, international law. The UK strongly supports its right, and that of all States, to exercise freedom of navigation in accordance with UNCLOS. We urge all States to respect these very important rights.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken since the Jobseeker’s Allowance (Homeless Claimants) Amendment Regulations 2014 came into force to increase awareness of the easement of conditionality rules among Jobcentre Plus staff.

    Priti Patel

    All Jobcentre Plus staff have access to comprehensive and clear procedures, instructions and learning which equips them to advise customers appropriately. These products were updated to reflect the implementation of the conditionality easement for homeless claimants.

    In addition, the homeless easement was communicated separately through internal staff memos and on the Department’s internal Intranet site. More recently, an internal Homelessness ‘Ask the Expert’ telephone conference was hosted for managers and staff. The event was aimed at improving services to homeless customers and covered the conditionality easement introduced in 2014.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the financial aid commitments made by them to foreign countries at the Paris Climate Summit will be met from the overseas aid budget, or from which other sources; and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the funds provided are used exclusively for the purpose intended.

    Baroness Verma

    The Government will provide £5.8 billion over the next five years to support developing countries using the UK’s International Climate Fund (ICF), which is channeled through DFID, the Department of Energy & Climate Change, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. All ICF support is Official Development Assistance (ODA). The UK is proud to be a 0.7% donor and is promoting climate smart development across the aid portfolio.

    We have rigorous programme design processes and robust monitoring and evaluation arrangements for ODA spending, including the ICF. We also use independently reviewed methodologies and key performance indicators to track impact and the value for money of ICF interventions. The Independent Commission on Aid Impact gave the ICF a positive assessment in December 2014, saying it was well on the way to achieving its ambitious objectives.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to implement the conclusions of his Department’s report, entitled Future in Mind, published in March 2015, on vulnerable young people’s transitioning from the child and adolescent mental health service to the adult mental health service.

    Alistair Burt

    Future in mind, the report of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce, recognised that transition at 18 years of age is not always appropriate and that there should be flexibility around age boundaries, in which transition is based on individual circumstances, rather than absolute age, with joint working and shared practice between services to promote continuity of care.

    The Government has acknowledged that the transition for young people into adult mental health services can undoubtedly be challenging, particularly if a young person has been receiving support from children’s mental health services for some time. In January 2015, NHS England published new service specifications for commissioners, giving guidance and best practice on transition from children and adolescent mental health services to adult services (or elsewhere). These specifications intentionally do not stipulate an age threshold for transition (for example, 18) but state that transition should be built around the needs of the individual.

  • Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wasserman on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 41 persons presently employed to discharge the function of Chief Executive of the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner in police forces in England and Wales are (1) women, (2) members of the BME communities, (3) legally qualified, and (4) former police officers.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office does not hold this information.

    The Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are statutorily required to recruit a Chief of Staff (Chief Executive) and a Chief Financial Officer. However, it is then for the PCC to determine what further staff they require to support them in their duties.

    Under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 of the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011, PCCs are obliged to publish certain staffing information, including an organisational chart showing the structure of their office.

    This level of transparency enables the public to effectively hold them to account in a way that was not possible under the police authority governance model.

    The Home Office does not hold further information centrally.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many individual injunction cases the Planning Enforcement Fund helped finance in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department received six applications for enforcement grants before the deadline for submitting applications and all were successful.

    Two grants were made in the financial year 2014-15 to Staffordshire County Council (£8,010) and Stratford-on-Avon District Council (£3,200).

    Four grants were made in the financial year 2015-16 to Bath and North East Somerset Council (£7,993.75), London Borough of Camden (£8,184.50), Chelmsford City Council (£2,755) and South Gloucestershire Council (£3,291.66).

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions officials of his Department have had with external bodies on reintroducing a national clinical director for liver disease.

    Jane Ellison

    The appointment of national clinical directors (NCDs) is a matter for NHS England. It has recently reviewed these roles and is now supported by 18 NCDs, although there is no specific NCD for liver disease. However, NHS England advises that clinical advice relating to gastrointestinal and liver disease will be sought from a variety of sources, including: experts at Public Health England for alcohol related issues; the NCD for obesity and diabetes for issues relating to obesity induced fatty liver disease; and through the Clinical Reference Group for Hepatitis C and the Medical Royal Colleges.

    The full list of NCDs can be found at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/whos-who/ncd/

    “

  • Simon Hoare – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Simon Hoare – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Hoare on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Public Health England on the effect of the revised Eatwell Guide on milk and dairy consumption by children.

    Jane Ellison

    The Eatwell Guide is suitable for everyone over the age of five years to follow and intends to assist the population in choosing a varied and balanced diet to meet government dietary recommendations (such as those for calcium).

    Departmental officials were observers on the External Reference Group that advised Public Health England on methodological approaches to refreshing the Eatwelll Guide. Government advice continues to encourage consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet for all age groups.

    An external reference group was convened to consult with stakeholders during the development of the Eatwell Guide. This group comprised representatives from health, dietetic and nutrition professions (including those with expertise in child nutrition). It also included the voluntary sector and industry (including the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board who represented the dairy industry). The group advised on potential methodologies to inform the sizes of the food group segments in the new Eatwell Guide whilst also providing routes for wider engagement.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the Government’s discussions with the German government on (a) the proposed compensation scheme for UK thalidomide survivors and (b) proposals for UK Thalidomide Trust to submit collective compensation applications.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 2 August 2016 (42407).