Category: Speeches

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedure his Department follows in investigating cases of discrepancies between statements in disability benefit claimant questionnaires and assessor reports.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Following the gathering of evidence, including the assessor’s report which would reflect the claimants own evidence from the consultation and the questionnaire, a DWP decision maker will decide the facts of the case and then make a decision, applying those facts to the conditions for benefit. Any contradictions within the evidence will be decided on the balance of probabilities. The claimant can raise any such issues again at the Mandatory Reconsideration stage.

  • Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timescale is for reaching a decision on the proposals to add Dupuytren’s Contracture to the list of industrial injuries disablement benefit diseases.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The proposal to add Dupuytren’s Contracture is still under consideration and a decision on this will be made in due course.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the implications for his policies are of the finding of the National Audit Office in its recent report, Contracted-out health and disability assessments, HC 609, of 5 January 2016, that his Department is spending more on fit-for-work assessments than it is saving since reforming health and disability assessments.

    Priti Patel

    The purpose of the Work Capability Assessment is to assess fairly and accurately entitlement to benefit, not to generate savings.

    We have commissioned independent reviews which have all concluded that the assessment regimes for health related benefits remain fit for purpose.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff in his Department receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

    Alun Cairns

    No staff in the Wales Office receive these allowances.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect the UK to face a power deficit in winter 2016–17, and if so, what action they are taking to prevent electricity shortages.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The UK will not face a power deficit in winter 2016/17. National Grid has the right tools they need to manage the system and will ensure that they continue to do so.

    National Grid has already procured 3.6GW of reserve capacity for next winter and, in January, the Capacity Market Transitional Arrangements auction bought 800MW of demand side response capacity for winter 16/17 which will also help secure the system. In addition, National Grid has the option to procure further demand side balancing reserve for 2016/17.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of (a) members of the Senior Civil Service and (b) all officials of his Department will be based at head office on conclusion of BIS2020.

    Joseph Johnson

    The plans for BIS2020 are still being developed. We do not currently have information on which posts will be at head office in 2020.

  • Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Peter Dowd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Dowd on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s consultation on fee proposals for grants of probate, what safeguards his Department plans to provide to enable applications to be filed for grants of probate in respect of estates which do not have sufficient liquid funds to enable payment of the fee before a grant has been issued.

    Dominic Raab

    The information requested can be found in the consultation document, published at: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/fee-proposals-for-grants-of-probate/consult_view

    “

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the next Triennial Review of gaming machine stakes and prizes will address all such stakes and prizes.

    Tracey Crouch

    As previously stated in the House of Commons, Government is reviewing the situation and I hope to announce details of a review in due course.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to require that EU staff employed at Northwood relocate to another country after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mike Penning

    The European Union (EU) Staff employed at Northwood within the EU Operational Headquarters (OHQ) and the NATO Maritime Commander (MARCOM)’s Headquarters provide vital support to Operation ATALANTA (a Counter-Piracy mission off the Horn of Africa) and broader NATO Maritime Operations.

    The requirement for the OHQ, its location, and its EU Staff depend on a continuing mandate (expected to be extended until December 2018) and decisions of the EU; and the UK supports continued NATO – EU cooperation including that through MARCOM.

    There are are no current plans to relocate the OHQ or EU staff from Northwood.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the air quality benefits of using liquefied petroleum gas in transport to inform its taxation policies.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government recognises that there are environmental benefits to Liquefied Petroleum Gas and other road fuel gases compared to petrol and diesel, and as a consequence fuel duty on such fuels is much lower than the main rate – with a 39.79 pence per litre duty differential.