Category: Speeches

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 on access to housing for post-release young offenders.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the welfare policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act on 20th July 2015. It set out its assessment of the impacts of the social rents policies in the Act on 28th September 2015.

    A link to the impact assessments is included:

    http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html

    “

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the response of the then Minister of State in the Department for Energy and Climate Change to the Oral Question of 14 July 2016, Official Report, column 411, what assessment he has made of the effect of the publication of the National Grid’s four plausible and credible pathways for the UK’s energy sector between now and 2020 on the likelihood of the UK meeting the EU-mandated target to increase renewables to 15 per cent of energy consumption by 2020.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    We have considered the National Grid’s report but this is one assessment from one organisation. In 2015 25% of electricity generated came from wind farms, solar panels and other renewable power sources.

    On the UK’s progress towards meeting the 2020 target we are currently progressing in line with the trajectory set out in the Renewable Energy Directive, having met the Directive’s interim targets.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK civil servants, and of what grade, who work in units, directorates or sub-departments within the FCO are charged with EU policy formulation, advising on EU policy or enforcing EU policy.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Europe Directorate lead on providing advice to FCO Ministers on European Union (EU) and EU-related issues. However, staff in other Directorates in London, as well as staff in our diplomatic missions around the world, also on occasion work on EU or EU-related issues. It is not possible, therefore, to give precise figures.

  • Edward Miliband – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Edward Miliband – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Miliband on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of families who will have marginal deduction rates over (a) 50, (b) 60, (c) 70, (d) 80 and (e) 90 per cent in 2015-16; and what his projections of those figures are for each year to 2020-21.

    Damian Hinds

    We are unable to provide this analysis to a sufficiently robust standard.

    The government will simplify the process of applying for and receiving benefits by moving welfare claimants to the Universal Credit (UC) system. UC will get rid of the worst aspects of the legacy system by replacing six working-age benefits with one, improving incentives for people to work and to work more.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the programme to reintroduce the great bustard on Salisbury plain.

    Rory Stewart

    This project is run by the independent Great Bustard Group. I understand that by the end of 2016 there should be enough evidence available on the survival and dispersal of the birds to know whether the population on Salisbury Plain can successfully rear new birds to join the adult population.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 8 December 2015 (HL4049), whether HMS Astute was laid down on 31 January 2001, launched on 8 June 2007 and commissioned on 27 August 2010; and whether HMS Artful was laid down on 11 March 2005 and launched on 17 May 2014 and is planned to be commissioned in March 2016.

    Earl Howe

    The dates that the noble Lord refers to, including the planned commissioning date for Artful, are correct. The build time for the Astute class submarines has reduced with every boat built to date; for HMS Astute, the time taken from start of manufacture to operational handover was 170 months, which included first of class trials, and for Artful was 137 months.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, where the 152 staff who have been issued with compulsory redundancy notices by HM Revenue and Customs staff are based.

    Mr David Gauke

    Approval to proceed to compulsory redundancy for 152 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff was received from Civil Service Resourcing and the Cabinet Office following consultation with the departmental trade unions and a period of reflection. It was endorsed by HMRC’s Executive Committee and the final decision was taken by the Chief Executive on 28 January 2016.

    The 152 people affected are based in around 50 locations across the UK. HMRC is continuing to seek redeployment solutions for all those who wish it to do so.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) commercial and (b) other economic benefits of the expansion of HMNB Clyde to the surrounding towns and communities.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    It is Ministry of Defence policy not to provide a breakdown by geographical or economic area of the potential commercial and economic benefits of Government expenditure. By 2020 Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde will become home to all the Royal Navy’s submarines. This will create a single integrated submarine operating base at HMNB Clyde with 8,200 personnel employed there by 2022. This will generate substantial local economic activity.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for those countries and territories in which those in receipt of the UK state pension are subject to the frozen pensions regulations, what is the process necessary to negotiate reciprocal agreements for pensions to be uprated annually.

    Baroness Altmann

    There are a number of considerations around whether to initiate the negotiation of reciprocal agreements for pensions and other social security benefits. These include reciprocity between the social security systems in the respective countries, the movement of people between the two countries, and the affordability of concluding and administering an agreement.

  • 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 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the apprenticeship levy on employer sponsored degrees.

    Nick Boles

    We are committed to reforming higher and further education so that people are able to choose the next step that is right for them and employers get the skills they need.

    Employer-sponsored degrees have benefits for students, employers, institutions and the taxpayer. There are many excellent examples in our universities, which employers and universities may continue to develop alongside degree apprenticeships. Only apprenticeships training will be funded by the levy and it will be for employers to determine exactly how they use their levy funds.