Category: Speeches

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps his Department plans to take in the remainder of 2016.

    David Mundell

    The Department for Exiting the European Union has responsibility for overseeing preparations for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and conducting these withdrawal negotiations in support of the Prime Minister.

    In doing this, it is working very closely with other government departments, including the Scotland Office, the devolved administrations and a wide range of other interested parties.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of comments by Kristin Forbes, a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, on possible over-counting of the economic effects of Brexit, what assessment they have made of the Bank of England’s growth forecasts.

    Lord Young of Cookham

    The government has produced no such assessment of the independent Monetary Policy Committee’s forecasts for the UK economy.

    The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has the responsibility to produce detailed forecasts for the economy and public finances twice a year. The OBR will produce forecasts to accompany the Autumn Statement on 23 November.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the process will be for the cancellation of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections due to take place in May 2016 for areas now to form part of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

    Mike Penning

    The West Midlands devolution agreement, published on 17 November 2015, stated that: ‘Proposals for an appropriate relationship between the functions of a Mayor and future role of the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), including in relation to fire services, to be developed, subject to local consent and a business case developed jointly by the PCC and council leaders, and in consultation with the Fire and Rescue Authorities.’

    At this stage, there has been no decision to transfer PCC functions to an elected Mayor for the West Midlands and there are no plans to cancel the 2016 PCC election in the West Midlands.

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the apprenticeship levy will apply to charities who employ more than 250 people.

    Nick Boles

    The apprenticeships levy will apply to all UK employers but will only be paid by those with a pay bill of more than £3 million. We will continue to engage with employers, including the charity sector, in the development and implementation of the apprenticeship levy.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Russian government following the Russian airstrike in Hazzano, Syria, which damaged the bakery funded by the Department for International Development.

    Mr David Lidington

    We have repeatedly made clear to the Russian Government our serious concerns about its bombing campaign in Syria. We have consistently called on Russia to focus its targeting on Daesh and to cease the targeting of moderate opposition groups. We have also expressed concern over the numbers of civilian casualties being reported as a result of Russian strikes.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised our concerns about Russia’s approach with Foreign Minister Lavrov, including at meetings of the International Syria Support Group. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed Syria with President Putin at the G20 Summit in Antalya, and in a telephone conversation on 9 December following Parliament’s vote to support military action against Daesh in Syria.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for the policies of the Cabinet Office of the recommendations of the Mental Health Taskforce report, published in February 2016.

    Alistair Burt

    We welcome the recommendations for government in the report and will be considering how best to integrate them into our work programme. There will be an impact on policies across Government in this period and, more importantly, a positive impact on people using mental health services.

    The Mental Health Five Year Forward View Taskforce Report proposes, and we accept, investing over £1 billion of additional funding by 2020/21 to reach one million more people. There are a number of recommendations in the report which will have an impact on crisis care services, accident and emergency departments, mothers suffering from mental health problems, suicide prevention, children and young people’s mental health services, access to psychological therapies and the physical health of people with mental health problems. The £1 billion announced with the Taskforce report is the total annual cost for all areas in 2020/21.

    Announcements on the development of policies, including those with reference to implementing the Mental Health Taskforce will be made in due course.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 29818, what assessment he has made of the effect of a four-year freeze in local housing allowance (LHA) rates on people that rely on LHA if the cost of renting in the private rented sector continues to rise; and whether the four-year freeze will disproportionally affect those living in houses with more than four bedrooms.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available. However there will be Targeted Affordability Funding available to support areas where higher rent increases are causing a shortage of affordable accommodation.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether an equality impact assessment has been undertaken in respect of the policy of including an anti-lobbying clause in government grant agreements.

    Matthew Hancock

    Departments are currently working with grant recipients on the implementation of the guidance, in relation to the new grants clause. This will include a consideration of equality impact issues, which will be reported centrally to the Cabinet Office for assessment, with regards to finalising the central policy by 1 May 2016.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the future of the Chagos Islanders.

    James Duddridge

    The Government concluded an independent feasibility study in February 2015, and carried out a twelve week public consultation, the results of which we published in January this year. The Government is still considering its policy in this area and will announce developments to Parliament and the public in due course.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support the installation of hydrogen refuelling stations.

    Mr John Hayes

    In March 2015 the Government announced a £6.6m investment to help develop a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. Seven successful projects are now underway to install an initial network of 12 hydrogen refuelling stations. These will support the early take-up of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the UK.