Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many army (a) personnel and (b) dependents (i) are based and (ii) will be based in Wiltshire in 2020.

    Mark Lancaster

    The number of Army personnel based in Army units located within Wiltshire as at 1 October 2015 is 13,010. The Army estimates that 9,900 entitled family members are currently associated with Army personnel based in Wiltshire.

    The current planning assumption for the number of Army personnel based in Army units located within Wiltshire in 2020 is 17,700. It is estimated that 14,300 entitled family members will be associated with these Army personnel.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of their review of the cost of wound dressings to the NHS, they will ensure that clinical expertise is a full component part of the process in order to ensure that the outcome is clinically effective as well as cost-effective.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The review of wound dressings by a dedicated working group resulted in the development of a number of clinical specifications for wound care products.

    In order to progress this work, from April 2016 a new NHS Clinical Evaluation Team will be put in place. The Clinical Evaluation Team will assess wound care products through a comprehensive evaluation process, which will have extensive engagement with NHS clinical staff. Included in the process will be tissue viability and infection control nurses, clinical procurement specialists, doctors, nurses and midwives along with medicine management practitioners from community trusts.

    The project’s remit is to review clinical products to identify those that enable high quality patient care whilst delivering the best outcomes for the NHS. The secondary consideration will be to identify products that could be procured more effectively through combined NHS buying power, to deliver greater overall value for money.

    The Clinical Evaluation Team is made up of practising clinicians.

    The project will therefore undertake assessments of the total costs and benefits of any recommendations to the overall NHS.

  • Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the change to the discount rate applied to student loans applies to all parts of the UK.

    Greg Hands

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) applies HM Treasury’s long term discount rate to calculate the carrying value of English student loans shown in the BIS financial statements.

    Loans issued by devolved administrations are shown in their respective financial statements. The accounting treatment and discount rates applied are a matter for them.

    HM Treasury is always open to discussion with the devolved administrations about such matters.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department requires the armed forces to provide entrants aged under 18 with 280 guided learning hours per year towards accredited qualifications.

    Nick Boles

    The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires young people to participate in education or training until they are 18. Young people can participate through full-time education, work combined with part-time education or training, or by undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship.

    The 16 and 17 year olds joining the armed forces are under a contract of employment but they are not exempt from their duty to participate. Most of these young people meet their duty to participate by undertaking an apprenticeship.

    We have agreed with the Ministry of Defence that serving in the armed forces is a valid and valuable career route which provides relevant training for young people.

    Apprenticeships are embedded across initial training in the armed forces, with over 95% of all young recruits (no matter what their age or prior qualifications) enrolling in an apprenticeship each year.

    All apprenticeships require a minimum of 280 Guided Learning Hours (GLHs) within a 12 month period. The same GLH requirement applies to the small number of young people in the armed forces who are not on an apprenticeship.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of trade negotiators employed by the EU are UK nationals.

    Anna Soubry

    Of the 596 officials, temporary staff and contract officials working in the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission, the statistical bulletin of the European Commission from February of this year shows that 32 of these were UK nationals, i.e. approximately 5.4%.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) assets and (b) personnel of his Department were involved in Exercise Northern Coasts in the Baltic Sea in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    During 2015 and 2016 one Sandown Class Mine Counter Measures Vessel, with a ship’s company of 43 and 40 personnel respectively, was sent on Exercise Northern Coasts in the Baltic Sea. No assets or personnel were involved in the previous three years.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of permanently devolving additional cultural spending to the North of England.

    Matt Hancock

    The Government is committed to extending cultural opportunities to as many people as possible. We believe in retaining a national strategic arts budget, administered by the Arts Council in England, to ensure arts funding can be targeted where it is most needed and that Government cultural investment should work in support of local cultural priorities.

    The Great Exhibition of the North for example, is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the very best of northern art, culture and design. Not only will it showcase the innovation and imagination of the region but also give a real boost to local tourism and provide an important creative legacy. We are committing £5 million towards the exhibition itself, and a further £15 million into a legacy fund to attract further cultural investment in the Northern Powerhouse.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Diwali celebrations he, his predecessor or Ministers in his Department attended in 2014 and 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    DCLG Ministers attended the following Diwali functions:

    2014:

    The All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus at the House of Commons (15 October 2014) – Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP

    Deputy Prime Minister’s Diwali function at Admiralty House (22 October 2014) – Stephen Williams MP

    Conservative Party event to celebrate Diwali at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (27 October 2014) – Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP

    2015:

    Prime Minister’s Diwali reception at No10 Downing Street (10 November 2015) – Rt. Hon. Greg Clark MP and Baroness Williams of Trafford

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance his Department provides to local authorities and frontagers to (a) maintain un-adopted roads and (b) ensure safety and the public right of way on un-adopted roads.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department does not provide any assistance to local authorities and frontagers to maintain un-adopted roads, or to ensure safety and the public right of way on un-adopted roads.

    Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty to maintain roads that are maintainable at public expense, namely adopted roads. However, where repairs are needed to remove danger to traffic in a private street, section 230 of the same Act gives the power to the street works authority to require the owners of the premises fronting the street to carry out specified repairs within a given time-scale

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain concerning their alleged use of torture.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. The Government of Bahrain has previously committed to consider ratifying the Optional Protocol of the Convention Against Torture. The UK strongly supports this and we have been working with the authorities to share best practice on torture prevention measures. We also continue to call upon the Government of Bahrain to agree a visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.