Category: Speeches

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Turkish government about the use of curfew, martial law and the deployment of the military in (a) Cizre and Silvan and (b) other mainly Kurdish towns.

    Mr David Lidington

    We welcome the visit on 15-16 October of Turkey’s national human rights body to Cizre and Sirnak to conduct analysis and research on the recent events there. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Turkey closely and raise concerns regularly with the Turkish authorities.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps diplomatic staff based at the British Embassy in Tehran are taking to increase trade between Iran and the UK.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

    We want to help British businesses take advantage of the opportunities that economic re-engagement with Iran will bring. UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) are engaging with UK businesses to provide support and assistance to help ensure they benefit from opportunities as they arise. UKTI now have a presence in the British Embassy in Tehran.

    During his visit to Tehran in October, my noble Friend the Minister for Trade and Investment, Lord Maude, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with his Iranian counterpart that sets the direction for our future economic and business relationship.

    There is a desire on both sides to build a long-term bilateral relationship based on partnership, where trade and investment is a key pillar.

  • Helen Whately – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Helen Whately – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Whately on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8466, how many additional extended ministerial offices have since been established.

    Matthew Hancock

    An Extended Ministerial Office (EMO) is also being established in the Scotland Office.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the response time of the Quick Reaction Force to an emergency in Jordan.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We have not made a formal estimate of the Quick Reaction Force’s (QRF) response time as the capability remains in development. The response time would vary according to the nature of the emergency. However, in recent exercises the QRF has been able to deploy independently from its barracks in Jordan within 24 hours.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the costs of administering the Common Agricultural Policy in each of the (a) last and (b) next five years.

    George Eustice

    The Common Agricultural Policy is a devolved policy and Defra is responsible for its delivery in England. Decisions relating to the implementation of the CAP are integrated into numerous policy areas within the department and the delivery of the CAP is carried out primarily by the Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission, alongside other business. This arrangement allows the various objectives of the CAP to be delivered effectively. However, this integrated approach to delivery also makes it difficult to calculate the total annual cost of the CAP in isolation. This is something that was identified by the National Audit Office in its recent report ‘Early Development of the CAP Delivery Programme’, and Defra is currently considering how to respond to this recommendation.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-05-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are monitoring the lending practices of challenger banks” particularly with regard to their use of high loan-to-value ratios and low value-to-income ratios

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    This Government has fundamentally reformed the UK’s system of financial regulation.

    We established the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) to act as the UK’s macroprudential authority, tasked with identifying, monitoring and addressing systemic risks to financial stability. This involves monitoring levels of leverage, debt or credit growth of all banks active in the UK, including so-called “challenger banks”.

    In June 2014, the FPC took action to limit mortgage lending at high loan-to-income ratios; this action provided insurance against a rise in the number of highly indebted households.

    We also established the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) as the UK’s micro-prudential regulator, responsible for promoting the safety and soundness of the individual firms it regulates, through minimising the risk they pose to financial stability.

    The FPC’s latest assessment of financial stability risks from UK credit growth can be found in the record of its March 2016 meeting, which is available on the Bank of England’s website.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 40028, on investigations into unregistered schools, how many investigations her Department is currently carrying out into unregistered schools in England.

    Edward Timpson

    As set out in my answer to questions 39845 and 40028, we are currently investigating institutions that may be operating as unregistered independent schools in England. The actual number under investigation fluctuates all the time as new settings come to our attention and existing ones close, or are confirmed not to be operating as schools. We will make a statement about progress in due course.

  • Kevin Foster – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevin Foster – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Foster on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate how many consultants earn more than the Prime Minister.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    It is estimated that 8,000 consultants earn more than £142,500. This figure relates to the earnings of consultants employed by the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) in England, and is based on NHS Earnings Estimates and Workforce Statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

    Sources: HCHS Consultants earnings figures based on statistics published by the HSCIC, from NHS Electronic Staff Record data, in NHS Staff Earnings Estimates to December 2015. The NHS Electronic Staff Record is the HR and Payroll system used by almost all National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in England. HCHS Consultant numbers published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in NHS Workforce Statistics.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations have been made to the government of Israel concerning their use of live ammunition for crowd control.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv most recently raised our concerns over the use of force, including lethal force, on 4 November with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Envoy on the Peace Process, Isaac Molho. He also raised our concerns with the Israeli Commander of Government Activities in the Territories, General Mordechai on 26 October.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the expenditure of each Government department in the last 12 months has related to the payment of trades union officials for facility time; and if he will make a statement.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Cabinet Office publishes data relating to Civil Service facility time on a quarterly basis. The latest data is available

    at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-union-facility-time.

    “