Category: Speeches

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to what her Department allocated spending on malaria in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how that spending was disbursed between multilateral and bilateral channels.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In 2013-14 DFID malaria spend was approximately £536 million, of which 66 per cent was provided bilaterally and 34 per cent multilaterally. In 2014-15 DFID malaria spend was approximately £428 million, of which 75 per cent was provided bilaterally and 25% multilaterally.

    The methodology is detailed in the Malaria Framework of Results. This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67642/malaria-framework-for-results.pdf.

    “

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent data from Begbies Traynor showing that the number of British manufacturers that are struggling financially has risen by 20 per cent.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    We have not made an assessment of this report. The UK has some of the best manufacturing in the world, and we are focussed on a competitive tax regime and supporting science and innovation to make the UK an even better place to do business. There are a number of global headwinds which are currently placing significant pressures on UK manufacturing, making it more important than ever that we stick to our long term economic plan for sustainable growth.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from local transport authorities on the implementation of audio-visual systems on public transport in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    I am not aware of any representations having been made to the Department by local transport authorities over the past twelve months with respect to the installation of audio/visual equipment on public transport services.

    Accessible on-board information can be key to giving many people the confidence to travel by bus, and I encourage operators to consider the benefits of providing it for all their customers.

  • Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff are on secondment to his Department from the private sector; from which companies they are seconded; what roles they perform; and what the cost to the public purse will be of their secondment.

    Mark Garnier

    Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF), Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as some new hires.

    Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes the Secretary of State as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes.

    Since the department was formed in July there have been no secondees appointed from the Private Sector. Secondees previously in post with syndicate organisations have moved across to DIT on legacy terms as tabled below. These are seconded from a number of companies and occupy different roles across the department and across grades.

    DIT Secondees

    Monthly Costs

    Trade Policy & Ministerial (BEIS)

    1

    £0.00

    International Trade & Investment (UKTI)

    *12

    £14,299.27

    UK Export Finance

    0

    –

    Total

    13

    £14,299.27

    * The majority of secondees are funded by seconding companies. Costs are based on collective monthly salaries of DIT funded secondees.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS plans to publish Sustainability and Transformation Plans in full or summary form.

    David Mowat

    It is for each Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) area to fully update their local communities. We expect that areas will publish a version of their STPs between late October and the end of the year. We would also expect that most areas will undertake public engagement during this period.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the effect on productivity of privately-funded research and development in the agricultural sector; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Privately-funded Research and Development, insofar as it supports innovation and new technologies, is one of several drivers of productivity growth in agriculture. Defra and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, with oversight from the Agritech Strategy’s Leadership Council,have carried out an assessment of public and private investment to support innovation in the agri-food sector, and its relationship with productivity growth. The outcomes of this exercise will be published by the end of November.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her oral contribution of 26 November 2015, Official Report, column 1535, what estimate has been made of the cost of reconstruction of Syria after the cessation of conflict there; what the timeframe required for reconstruction in that country will be; what countries have confirmed contributions to that reconstruction; and what the value of each such contribution will be.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. We have committed over £1.1 billion to date, making us the second largest bilateral donor to the international response.

    The World Bank suggests that reconstructing Syria could cost at least $170bn. Most countries take decades to recover from war on this scale. The UK has always punched above its weight in helping deal with the effects of the Syria crisis. We will continue to do so for the reconstruction of Syria. The PM announced last week that we will commit at least £1 billion to Syria’s reconstruction in the longer term.

    We have planned for the endgame since the beginning of this conflict and during the Geneva process. We have learned lessons from previous conflicts. We are now updating our planning to reflect the timeline envisaged in the Vienna process and are asking others to do the same. We anticipate the United Nations to coordinate the international response and will use our position as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to support this.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive was notified of any cases of non-compliance with explosives labelling regulations at the Atomic Weapons Establishment during 2015 on which action was subsequently taken to address this situation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    No notifications of non-compliance with explosives labelling regulations were received from AWE during 2015, and therefore no regulatory action was required.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about attacks on the freedom of the media in the light of the number of journalists imprisoned, awaiting trial, and refused accreditation, and the number of TV channels that have been closed.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    I refer the noble Lord to my answer of 30 December 2016 (HL4542). The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed the importance of Turkey’s reform agenda including media freedoms, with President Erdoğan when they met in Turkey on 14 January.

  • Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings they have had recently with the government of Tunisia to discuss the current travel advice for UK citizens intending to travel to Tunisia; and whether they have any plans to amend that advice.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Ministers and officials are in regular contact with the Tunisian authorities, including on the matter of Travel Advice. The most recent discussions were in February 2016 when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), met the Tunisian Ambassador in London, and the Chargé d’ Affairs in Tunis met the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Interior.

    We keep our travel advice for Tunisia under constant review, taking into account the current terrorist threat and the Tunisian capacity to deter and respond to that threat. The safety of British nationals abroad remains our priority.