Category: Speeches

  • Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Financial Conduct Authority has made of the regulatory implications of use of the financial services messaging system Symphony.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This is an operational matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government.

    The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Rt Hon Joan Ryan by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff in his Department are working on matters related to (a) European policy, (b) the future of Europe, (c) reform of the EU, (d) the renegotiation of the UK’s relationship with the EU, (e) the EU referendum and (f) the consequences of the EU referendum; how many full-time equivalent staff are working on such matters; what the (i) staff and (ii) other cost of such work is; what proportion of that work is undertaken by such staff on (A) communications, (B) strategy and (C) policy; whether his Department has established any specific unit or units to deal with those matters; to whom such (1) staff and (2) units report; whether his Department has issued guidelines to staff on those matters; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the United Kingdom – so we can get a better deal for our country and secure our future. Departments are appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe, including the renegotiation and referendum.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been extradited from Bangladesh to the UK in each of the last five years.

    James Brokenshire

    Between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015 the UK has extradited two people from Bangladesh. These extraditions occurred in 2010 and in 2011.

  • Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department is making on helping implement the European School Milk Scheme.

    George Eustice

    If the European Parliament formally endorses the proposal for a revised School Milk Scheme in Plenary on 8 March 2016, it is likely to enter into force in spring 2016 and apply in schools from August 2017. We will use this period to consider the new requirements and consult with interested parties. Decisions about the scheme can be made at regional or national level.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the ageing HIV population, what plans are being put in place to support the preservation of long-term health in people with HIV.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Health Service continues to offer world class Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) treatment services.

    In its role as the commissioner of specialised HIV care and treatment, NHS England has a service specification which emphasises the responsibility of commissioned providers to collaborate with other health, social care and third sector organisations as appropriate to help ensure the holistic needs of patients are met. This includes ensuring people living with HIV and other comorbidities have access and referral to appropriate services.

    The effectiveness of HIV treatment means that more people will live well with HIV in old age. As people living with HIV get older, they will require access to services for the other conditions they may experience. Good communication with their HIV provider is important and this is required in the service specification.

    In line with the Five Year Forward View, NHS England will continue to work closely with HIV organisations in order to inform its commissioning responsibilities with regard to specialised HIV care and treatment as well as ensuring primary and secondary health care services respond to the wider health needs of people living with HIV.

    The Government’s Improvement Framework for Sexual Health includes the ambition that “older people with diagnosed HIV can access the additional health and social care services they need”. A copy is attached.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the proposal from the French government to convene a conference on the Israel-Palestine peace process.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are in close contact with the French about the proposed conference in Paris next month. We share the frustration at the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process. We believe that peace will ultimately only come through negotiations between the parties. Regional players, the EU and the Quartet can play a role in supporting progress.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effects on public health of changes in the number of paramedics employed by the London Ambulance Service.

    Ben Gummer

    We are advised by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (LAS) that during 2015/16 it recruited 717 frontline staff. In doing so, LAS achieved its recruitment target and filled all its available frontline posts.

    We understand that LAS has put in place a number of measures to help it support and retain staff. These measures include updating the vehicle fleet and re-launching the trust’s learning and development function. LAS has also established a new clinical team leader role, with 50% of the role devoted to supporting staff.

    Demand on the service has increased significantly over the past five years. During March 2016, demand was the highest on record for patients with serious and life threatening illnesses. LAS continues to work to improve services for patients by focusing on reducing demand, recruiting more staff and supporting staff to work more efficiently.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that energy costs are competitive to support manufacturing industries.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Government is working hard to ensure energy costs are not a barrier to growth and investment in the UK.

    We have put in place a package of measures to alleviate the impact of electricity policy costs passed through in energy intensive businesses electricity bills. Due to this action, by 2020, this Government will have reduced the impacts of energy and climate change policies passed through in energy bills for the most energy intensive businesses by 80%.

    To date, we have paid 105 companies including nine steel companies a total of £294m to address these costs. A number of energy intensive sectors are also exempted from the costs of the Climate Change Levy.

    Additionally the Government is working closely with eight key energy intensive sectors to support energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures to help reduce energy costs, improve their competitiveness and cut emissions.

  • Baroness Blood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Blood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Blood on 2016-10-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the most recent meetings they have had with the Association of Port Health Authorities.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) can confirm since June 2016, FSA officials have met for discussions with Port Health Authority officials from the following ports:

    – Belfast

    – Felixstowe

    – Southampton

    – Gatwick

    – Doncaster

    – Heathrow

    An official from the FSA will provide a presentation on imports and exports policy at the Association of Port Health Authorities (APHA) annual general meeting on Wednesday 30th November 2016. At the meeting, APHA members will be encouraged to provide their thoughts and views on the future work of Port Health Authorities in the United Kingdom.

    A number of large UK ports are no longer members of APHA. These ports have formed another group which hold regular (quarterly) ‘Major Ports Forum’ meetings. The FSA, The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and The Animal and Plant Health Agency actively participate in all of these meetings.

    The Government will continue to collaborate with Port Health Authorities going forward to ensure impacts on Port Health Authorities are fully considered in any policy making decisions.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to protect UK industry from non-tariff barriers in the event of the UK leaving the single market.

    Margot James

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is currently working closely with the Department for Exiting the EU to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on businesses, consumers and other economic actors. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain.