Category: Speeches

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent in (a) cash and (b) real terms on child and adolescent mental health services per young person in (i) England, (ii) London, (iii) each London borough and (iv) each London health trust in each year since 2010.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England is responsible for commissioning health care services in England. However, it does not currently monitor mental health spend on individual programmes such as for children and adolescents’ mental health. This level of details is being collected in financial plans for 2016-17 and NHS England has processes in place to monitor spend at this level going forward.

  • Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 28 January (HL5141), who the sixteen influential Muslim Women” were who met the Prime Minister on 14 January at a Community Engagement Forum.”

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Those who attended were:

    Sajda Mughal OBE, Managing Director at JAN Trust

    Syima Aslam, Organiser of Bradford Literary Festival

    Sara Khan, Director and co-founder of Inspire

    Diana Nammi, Executive Director of Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation

    Aysha and Kiran Iqbal Patel, Directors of Odara

    Fahma Mohamed, FGM activist and Trustee of Integrate Bristol

    Faeeza Vaid, Chair of ‘Sister 2 Sister’ in Birmingham and Executive Director of the Muslim Women’s Network

    Henna Rai, Director for the Association of British Muslims

    Yasmin Khan, Director of Staying Put and Aspire-I

    Hasina Khan, Chair and founder of Saheliyaan Asian Women’s Forum and Councillor on Chorley Council

    Nahid Rasool, Director of Shantona Women’s Centre

    Farmida Bi, Head of Islamic Finance and a partner at Norton Rose.

    Zahra Al-Alawi, Presenter of Woman’s View on Ahlulbayt TV

    Farah Mirza, TV Presenter and previous UN representative for Islamic Human Rights Commission

    Sarah Joseph OBE, Chief Executive and Editor of emel magazine

  • Paul Beresford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Beresford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Beresford on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has had with the professional photographic sector since June 2015; and if he will request that the DVLA meets representatives of the Photo Marketing Association to discuss the future provision of digital ID photographs.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has met with representatives of the professional photographic sector on six occasions since June 2015. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the minister with responsibility for the DVLA and DVLA officials are due to meet with the Photo Marketing Association on 27 April.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on which religious occasions prisoners are eligible for release on temporary licence; and how many prisoners were released on each such occasion in the last year for which information is held.

    Andrew Selous

    Faith communities can play a significant part in supporting offenders to resettle into the community. Facilities for worship are available in each establishment but, as part of restoring links between the offender and wider community, suitable, risk-assessed offenders may attend worship outside the prison to help them adjust to the climate of non-prison worship and mixing with the community. In addition, temporary release for the purpose of maintaining family ties might be timed so as to coincide with religious occasions. There is no prescription as to the nature of the religious occasion; it is for the governor, on the advice of the temporary release board, to decide whether the activity is linked to the offender’s resettlement plan.

    Records show that, in 2015, prisoners were released on temporary licence specifically in order to attend a religious service on 90 occasions.

    Releases on temporary licence (ROTL) recorded as "attend religious service", 2011-2015, England & Wales

    Attend religious service

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Incidences of ROTL

    231

    217

    139

    228

    90

    NB. This is number of occasions a prisoner was released, not number of prisoners released.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to reduce congestion on the M25 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England is developing road schemes at several locations to help reduce congestion on the M25 including:

    • Upgrade of the M25 between junction 10 (A3) and junction 16 (M40) to a smart motorway, with start of construction before the end of 2019/20.
    • A far reaching study to look into the south-west quadrant of the M25 to address the increasing demand on this section.
    • An upgrade of junctions 10, 25 and 28 to have started construction by the end of 2019/20.
  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which former Deputy Prime Ministers have claimed expenses under the Public Duty Cost Allowance after leaving office.

    Ben Gummer

    The purpose of the Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. Exceptionally, the then Prime Minister agreed that the former Deputy Prime Minister , the Rt Hon Member for Sheffield Hallam, should be able to have access to the allowance to recognise the special position he held in the Coalition Government. Other former Deputy Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance. The allowance is set at a maximum limit of £115,000 per annum. The amounts paid are a reimbursement of expenses, accounted for in the published Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. The former Deputy Prime Minister is eligible for the allowance from the date of leaving ministerial office for the duration of this Parliament.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the UK’s international aid budget has been allocated to multilateral aid, and primarily through which institutions, in each of the last five years.

    Lord Bates

    On average over the period 2010-2014, 40 per cent of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) was allocated to multilateral organisations. The table attached lists the top five multilateral organisations in terms of core funding.

    Figures for 2015 will be published later this year.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received on the Open University’s plans to close regional centres across England.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Open University is an autonomous institution and it is for them to make decisions about how best to structure their workforce and meet the needs of their students.

  • Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the effect of the decision to discontinue GCSE and A-level qualifications in information communication technology on future levels of IT literacy skills for the workplace; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The rigorous new Computer Science GCSE and A level qualifications, backed by industry experts, will enable pupils to progress to further study and employment. The inclusion of Computer Science in the EBacc reflects its rigorous academic standards. The decision has therefore been made not to redevelop further IT qualifications in a related area of study.

    Through computer science, students will develop their computational thinking skills, learn to code and understand information technology topics such as cyber security, networking and data storage. There are also a number of vocational options for students at Key Stage 4 and opportunities for further specialism at Key Stage 5. For 14-16 year olds, technical awards have a focus on practical and technical subjects and offer an opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in areas such as digital literacy and web design. For 16-19 year olds, high quality vocational qualifications provide progression to higher education and employment and prepare students well for that purpose.

    This builds on our changes to the national curriculum where we have replaced the outdated ICT programme of study with a new computing programme of study. The new computing curriculum has been designed to facilitate innovation and creativity from both teachers and pupils and emphasise the importance of learning about the fundamentals of computer science.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to support charities in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Support for charities is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Government does however, support the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), which plays a vital role in supporting the charity sector in Northern Ireland.

    The Chancellor announced in the Spending Review that BIG’s funding will be maintained and Northern Ireland will receive £27.3m.