Category: Speeches

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the UK’s international and diplomatic relations.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The decision in the forthcoming referendum is one for the British people alone to make. In the nearly 2 years I have been Foreign Secretary, I have visited over 70 different countries in 6 continents – and in no single one of them have I been told that Britain’s influence would be greater if it were not a member of the EU. On the contrary whether in China, in the USA, in Australia, in Nigeria, Britain is seen as more influential because of its membership of the EU. We get two bites of the cherry: Britain’s is a strong and influential voice in its own right; but it is also the voice of a leading Member State of the world’s largest economic block. Membership of the EU does not diminish Britain’s influence; it enhances it – and I speak from personal experience.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will promote the provision of seating facilities in public places to encourage walking.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    It is for local authorities to determine what works best for their own areas, but we welcome public realm improvements that help encourage more people to make walking the natural choice for shorter journeys. Through the Manual for Streets, the Department for Transport (DfT) provides guidance to assist those in the planning, construction and improvement of our streets to deliver functional, attractive public spaces. This includes using street furniture, such as seating, to help create a sense of place, making the street a destination in its own right.

    The principles that the Manual for Streets sets out are expanded for urban areas in Manual for Streets 2, published by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and endorsed by DfT.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress is being made on designing and planning the new junction 10A on the A14 near Kettering; and when that junction is expected to be built.

    Mr John Hayes

    The scheme is currently in the options stage and the next stage is to hold a public consultation on those options. Any developments of local roads would be the responsibility of either the local authority or any developer that is involved in the development of the area.

    The current timescales for construction of the scheme are in line with the Governments Roads Investment Strategy 2015 -2020 statement with start of works proposed by March 2020.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent excessive letting fees being charged to private-sector tenants.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government has acted to protect tenants against unfair and excessive letting agency fees by requiring agents to publish a full breakdown of all charges prominently in their offices and on their website. A fine of up to £5,000 can be levied against agents who fail to comply.

    Transparency is the key to keeping fees low, giving tenants the necessary information to make informed decisions and compare prices and, therefore, creating effective competition that should force agents to keep fees fair.

    The Government has also made it a legal requirement, since 1 October 2014, for letting and managing agents in England to belong to one of the three Government approved redress schemes, offering a clear route for landlords and tenants to pursue complaints and, therefore, driving up standards.

    We will continue to monitor the impact of these new requirements.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on its investigations into the operation of the Connaught Income Fund; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

    Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative estimate he has made of the property-related costs of the proposed HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) regional centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow and with HMRC’s existing property in Dundee.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Location Programme is the result of an extended period of consultation and deliberation. The Department has taken account of a number of criteria in reaching its decisions, including the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, the cost of buildings and asset value, and the need to retain the staff and skills it needs to continue its transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC’s modelling estimates that the majority of staff in Scotland live within Reasonable Daily Travel of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Reasonable Daily Travel is calculated in line with established HR policies and procedures. Every worker at HMRC will have a one-to-one meeting with their manager to discuss their individual circumstances.

    HMRC conducted high level People Impact and Equality Assessments to inform its planning. The Department plans to update these once discussions have been held with its staff.

    Activities of trade union representatives are governed by long-standing agreements with departments.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure the powers of intervention over Local Government Pension Scheme funds’ non-financial investment policies do not conflict with (a) Article 18 of EU Directive 41/2003 and (b) Occupational Pension Scheme Investment Regulations 2005.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Department is currently consulting on proposals to amend the scheme’s investment regulations to allow the Secretary of State to make a proportionate intervention in the investment function of an administering authority if it has not had regard to best practice, guidance or regulations. The consultation was published on the basis that the scheme is consistent with the way in which Directive 41/2003 on the Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision Directive was transposed into national law, including the Occupational Pension Scheme (Investment) Regulations 2005. The consultation closes on 19 February.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many full-time equivalent staff from (a) police, (b) probation and (c) prison services employed in multi-agency public protection arrangements work in each responsible authority (a) on the last date for which figures are available and (b) in each year since 2009-10.

    Andrew Selous

    The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) provide a statutory framework within which criminal justice and social care agencies are required to assess and manage the risk presented by sexual and violent offenders, with a view to reducing re-offending and protecting the public. MAPPA is not a statutory body in itself but is a mechanism through which agencies can better discharge their statutory responsibilities and protect the public in a co-ordinated manner.

    The Responsible Authorities – the Probation, Police and Prison Services acting jointly – have a duty to ensure that the risks posed by specified sexual and violent offenders are assessed and managed property. The work undertaken by the Responsible Authorities to manage these offenders can therefore not be disaggregated from the core business of agency management.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what value of munitions and sonobuoys he expects his Department to purchase for use on the P-8A aircraft (a) in each year of the life of that aircraft, (b) from each country of manufacture and (c) of each product name; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 April 2016 to Question 33059 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

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

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Health and (b) International Development on implementation of the Independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance.

    Matthew Hancock

    In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not normally disclosed.