Category: Speeches

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on LGBT rights in Bangladesh of the murder of Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. On Monday 25 April I said publicly that I was deeply saddened by the senseless murders of Xulhaz Mannan and Tanay Fahim and called for the killers to be brought to justice. Same sex relations in Bangladesh are illegal, however the Foreign and Commonwealth Office work to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBT people in all circumstances. In 2015 we funded a project promoting social justice and dignity for LGBT groups in Bangladesh.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to improve end-of-life care over the next five years.

    Ben Gummer

    We are committed to ensuring that everyone at the end of life receives high quality, compassionate care that is tailored to their needs and preferences.

    The Government will shortly publish its response to the independent Review of Choice in End of Life Care which will set out actions to improve quality, choice and personalisation of end of life care in the context of delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View throughout this Parliament.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when her Department plans to consult on Government proposals to increase the Small Claims Track limit to £5,000 for low value personal injury claims.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    We are currently looking at the whiplash proposals and will set out our plans in due course.

  • 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 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has responsibilities for the Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

    Margot James

    I can confirm that the department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has responsibility for Land Registry. As Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility, Land Registry forms part of my portfolio.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in devolved administrations on the merger of income tax and national insurance.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Scotland Bill introduces significant new powers for the Scottish Government to set income tax rates and thresholds. As recommended by the Smith Commission, National Insurance remains a UK wide contributory system.

    The Government is committed to simplifying the tax system. We have asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to look at alignment of income tax and National Insurance. The terms of reference for the OTS review can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ots-review-of-income-tax-and-national-insurance-tor. The focus is on looking to simplifying the underlying rules in the way the two charges operate which remain a reserved matter.

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  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Justin Tomlinson

    There have been 4 occasions since May 2015, where a DWP Special Adviser has accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In the Department for Transport itself, no posts have been based in Stoke-on-Trent since 2010.

    The Department’s Executive Agencies (Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Vehicle Certification Agency and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) have had no posts based in Stoke-on-Trent since 2010, other than the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, who respond as follows:

    As part of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) testing transformation programme, which has the aim of taking testing closer to the customer, DVSA’s Goods Vehicle Testing Station (GVTS) in Stoke-on-Trent was closed in April 2015. Twenty nine roles were based at this testing station. The staff previously based at the station are still working for DVSA in the area; twenty four of these roles are now based at other DVSA sites and the remaining five staff are being redeployed to other roles in DVSA. There are currently no plans to close any further DVSA Good Vehicle Testing Stations (GVTS) or Driving Test Centres (DTC) in the Stoke-on-Trent area between now and 2020.

    We are not aware of any jobs being based in Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 in the wider accountable statutory bodies.

  • John Stevenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    John Stevenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Stevenson on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with local authorities in Scotland on City Deals.

    David Mundell

    I have had very useful discussions with almost every local authority in Scotland since last May, where I have discussed a range of matters, including City Deals and their equivalents.

    My officials also work closely with bidding authorities to refine proposals and I was delighted to sign the £250 million Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire deal on 28 January.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU returns to the UK Parliament any competences that are presently conferred on the EU by Title 1 of Part One of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The deal agreed at the February European Council delivers a binding commitment that the Treaties will be changed in the future so that the UK is carved out of ‘ever closer union’. It ensures that the UK will not be liable for eurozone bailouts or discriminated against in the Single Market, and that the Treaties will be changed to reflect that. It establishes a new mechanism for the European Council to review EU legislation every year to see what can be done better at the national level and what can be dropped altogether. It ensures that Parliament will be able, acting with others in Europe, to block unwanted new EU laws. The deal also secures new powers to tackle the abuse of free movement and reduce the unnatural draw of our benefits system, to meet our aim of reducing immigration, by creating fairer rules, while protecting our open economy.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to what her Department allocated spending on malaria in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how that spending was disbursed between multilateral and bilateral channels.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In 2013-14 DFID malaria spend was approximately £536 million, of which 66 per cent was provided bilaterally and 34 per cent multilaterally. In 2014-15 DFID malaria spend was approximately £428 million, of which 75 per cent was provided bilaterally and 25% multilaterally.

    The methodology is detailed in the Malaria Framework of Results. This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67642/malaria-framework-for-results.pdf.

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