Category: Speeches

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of allegations of electoral fraud in the recent legislative and presidential elections in Haiti.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our (non-resident) Ambassador to Haiti and (resident) Chargé d’affaires regularly meet the European Observer Mission (EOM) to the recent Haitian elections, as well as observer teams from the Organization of American States (OAS) and ParlAmerica. While irregularities did take place, and are being investigated, none of the official observer groups has substantiated specific claims of fraud, or called the results of the election into question. The UK shares this assessment.

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been allocated to the Work and Health Innovation Fund; and what evaluation measures will be in place to monitor initiatives helping people with health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis stay in work.

    Priti Patel

    This government committed in the Autumn Statement 2015 to spend ‘at least £40 million’ on the. Work and Health Innovation Fund. The fund will support a range of trials to generate evidence of ‘what works’ in supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to get into and stay in work.

    The type and size of trials are currently being developed.

    The government committed to publishing a work and health white paper this year, which will share the initial Work and Health Innovation Fund proposals.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the cost to the economy of unreliable internet connectivity and speeds in 2014-15.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    We are not aware of any existing research about the annual cost to the UK economy of unreliable broadband internet connectivity or speeds in 2014-15. However, the economic benefits of broadband access are clear, for example, SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimated that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

    In November, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) and our ambition is to set this at 10 Mbps. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection from a designated provider, up to a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live. A consultation, which has now closed, was published on 23 March setting out the Government’s proposed approach to taking this work forward.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many online sellers of knives have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted under section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 for selling knives to people under 18 since that section came into force; and what sentences were handed down to people so convicted.

    Andrew Selous

    This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Leader of the House, what progress has been made on plans for the complete renovation of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

    Chris Grayling

    The Joint Committee on the Palace of Westminster, co-chaired by the Leader of the House of Commons and the Leader of the House of Lords, was established on 16 and 20 July 2015 to examine the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. The Committee is considering evidence from a wide range of experts, Parliamentarians and stakeholders and will report in due course.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to publish a strategic plan and five-year road map for the implementation of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, and if so, when.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government is considering the recommendation in the House of Lords Select Committee Report on Sexual Violence that it develops a strategic plan and roadmap. The Government will respond in full to the Select Committee Report on 13 June. The Government will continue to update Parliament on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual Human Rights Report. The Government also plans to provide regular briefings and updates to the recently formed All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual Violence in Conflict. In addition, the Government keeps all those interested in this important work up-to-date on progress via social and other forms of media.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department to use to distribute funding accrued from the soft drinks industry levy to schools in order to extend their school day for physical activities.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department is currently determining the details of how funding will be allocated, with a view to beginning to distribute funding to schools in 2017. We will provide further details in due course so that schools have sufficient time to apply for the funding and to consider how they will deliver the new provision, including through appropriate consultation with parents.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussion they have had with the government of Burma to ensure that Rohingya are given full humanitarian access to camps, and the protection which enables them to return home or be given safe voluntary resettlement.

    Baroness Verma

    British Government Ministers take every appropriate opportunity to raise the plight of the Rohingya community with their Burmese counterparts. Most recently, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), did so with the Burmese Foreign Minister in New York on 29 September. During his visit to Burma in July, Mr Swire travelled to Rakhine State to see the situation there at first hand, and raised the situation of the Rohingya at a senior level both in Rakhine and with Burmese central government ministers. The UK’s Deputy Head of Mission, accompanied by DFID officials, visited northern Rakhine State on 5-8 October and discussed freedom of movement for those in internally displaced person camps with Rakhine State Chief Minister, U Mya Aung.

    DFID is one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors in Rakhine, and has provided over £18 million since 2012.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were involved in the process of developing the care practitioner scheme which was being supported by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills; and what estimate his Department has made of how much that scheme would have cost to implement.

    Nick Boles

    Departments were not involved in any discussions about this scheme, as the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) was dealing directly and independently with the organisation that proposed the scheme.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23237, if he will place in the Library a list of the recent representations he has received on the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government does not intend to place a list of the recent representations received on the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank in the Library.