Category: Speeches

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that primary and secondary ticket companies that are based abroad comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when selling tickets in the UK.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    When selling to UK customers, primary and secondary ticketing platforms, whether based in or outside the UK, are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and mandatory UK consumer law protections.

    Her Majesty’s Government issued guidance to business when the new ticketing provisions, contained in the CRA, came into force.

    Trading Standards Services are responsible for enforcing the secondary ticketing provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and other relevant consumer protection legislation. Suspected or actual breaches of such legislation should first be reported via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, following which Citizens Advice may refer cases to Trading Standards Services for appropriate action.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment (PIP) claimants in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area will be affected by his Department’s proposed changes to aids and appliances points; and what the average reduction in PIP payment per person will be.

    Justin Tomlinson

    As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to PIP will not be going ahead.

    We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 April (HL7482), whether views have been expressed by non-executive members of any Service Boards to the Permanent Secretary about rebalancing funds between the fighting environments.

    Earl Howe

    Non-executive members of Service Boards are able to offer their views on defence matters to the Permanent Secretary. We do not comment on the detail of internal discussions.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the coastguard response time was to the incident off Portobello in Edinburgh in the early hours of 15 May 2016.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HM Coastguard were notified by the Scottish Ambulance Service of two persons in the water off Portobello in Edinburgh at 0237 GMT on 15 May 2016. The Coastguard Rescue Teams from Fisherrow and Queensferry were tasked at 0241 GMT and were on scene at 0257 GMT. The two persons in the water were recovered to dry land by the Police at 0304 GMT.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on the role of unabated coal-fired power generation over the next decade.

    Jesse Norman

    Coal currently plays an important role in our energy mix, helping to ensure security of supply. However the level of coal generation has declined significantly in recent years as cleaner, lower-carbon alternative forms of generation come onto the system. I would expect this decline to continue as part of our plans for a cleaner energy future.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation have been employed to deal with applications for adapted housing in each year since 2000.

    Mark Lancaster

    This information is not held.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Questions 11484, on Army: Scotland, for what reasons the figures cited for 6 SCOTS and 7 SCOTS do not reflect the general increase in reserve numbers forecast in the Future Reserves 2020 programme.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    It is assumed that the question relates to the reduction in the establishment figures for 6 and 7 SCOTS. These changes reflect the move to a standard structure for all reserve infantry battalions with three companies rather than four as part of the Future Reserves 2020 programme.

    In practice Army Reserve manning levels have been historically below establishment. Actual numbers are now increasing in 6 and 7 SCOTS, as they are across the Army Reserve.

    The following table shows the manning levels of the reserve battalions of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, complete with establishment and strength as at April of each year between 2004 and 2014.

    2004

    2005

    2006

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    52nd Lowland Regiment/6 SCOTS

    392

    452

    406

    406

    406

    406

    406

    406

    406

    406

    367

    273

    278

    280

    182

    216

    190

    196

    186

    155

    160

    188

    51st Highland Regiment/7 SCOTS

    557

    656

    627

    471

    472

    471

    472

    472

    472

    472

    367

    390

    425

    425

    338

    294

    253

    262

    191

    237

    205

    270

    Unit details are single service estimates only and have not been produced by Defence Statistics.

  • Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what vulnerability criteria are being used by the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.

    Lord Bates

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) identifies people most in need of resettlement under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme based on the following criteria: women and girls at risk; survivors of violence and/or torture; refugees with legal and/or physical protection needs; refugees with medical needs or disabilities; children and adolescents at risk; persons at risk due to their sexual orientation or gender identity; and refugees with family links in resettlement countries.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in England were registered to vote at the end of (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Sierra Leone regarding the Safe Abortion Act 2015.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government was encouraged by the successful passage of the Safe Abortion Bill through the Sierra Leone Parliament last December. We are disappointed that interventions from stakeholders outside Parliament meant that the Bill was not signed into law and is undergoing further consultation.