Category: Speeches

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision is made for people on the high end of the autistic spectrum with speech and language difficulties; or who are non-verbal, in the system for application for UK citizenship; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The Secretary of State may waive the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement for British citizenship on the basis of a person’s age, physical or mental condition.

    A person will normally be exempted from this requirement if they provide evidence from an appropriate medical practitioner that their condition is so severe that it prevents them from being able to learn English or prepare for or sit an English test or the Life in the UK test. Each application is considered on its own merits.

    Information cannot be obtained from UKVI data systems to show how many exemption requests were made and granted. This information could only be obtained from looking at individual records at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that the members of combined authorities are not all male.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Membership of a combined authority is a matter for the democratically elected councils in the area, or the area’s electorate in the case of a combined authority mayor.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle hate crime through education in schools.

    Edward Timpson

    Our vision is to ensure that pupils develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to succeed academically; protect themselves from harm; and play a full and active part in society. Schools play an important role in preventing hate crime by empowering young people to question and tackle the underlying beliefs of prejudice and intolerance that can lead to hatred and bigotry.

    Schools are required to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. This includes challenging prejudice and promoting tolerance. Schools are also subject to the Equality Act and to the Public Sector Equality Duty which require schools to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between communities. There are a variety of approaches that schools can adopt in meeting these duties and in raising issues relating to hate crime, including:

    • using teaching materials which help pupils to understand and build knowledge of the diverse cultures and faiths in modern Britain.
    • encouraging classroom debate, and giving pupils the opportunity to discuss topical issues, to challenge each other and themselves, and to build the resilience and critical thinking skills they need to challenge views which are unacceptable.
    • teaching in Citizenship to include preparing pupils to take their place in society as responsible citizens.
    • ensuring pupils are taught about safeguarding through teaching and learning opportunities as part of a broad and balanced curriculum – this may include covering relevant issues through personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE).

    In equipping pupils for life in modern, multi-cultural Britain, the Department wants to ensure that schools have access to good quality resources to support them. In January 2016, we launched the Educate Against Hate[1] website to provide practical advice to parents, teachers and school leaders on how to protect children from extremism and promote fundamental British values. The website includes resources to assist teachers to explore hatred and its consequences with their pupils and to develop their respect for diversity in their own cultural and religious traditions and in others. It also includes the Crown Prosecution Service’s resource packs for schools on hate crime.

    [1] http://educateagainsthate.com/

    “

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make representations to the BBC as part of the Charter renewal process on the level of coverage of (a) World Youth Day 2016 and (b) the canonisation of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

    Matt Hancock

    Under the terms of the BBC’s Charter and Agreement, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the Corporation’s day-to-day operations

  • George Howarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    George Howarth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend free use of the (a) Mersey Gateway and (b) Silver Jubilee Bridge to residents and UK firms across Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    As announced at the Summer Budget, we have asked the Department for Transport to look at extending the Mersey Gateway local discount scheme to residents of Chester West & Chester and Warrington, as well as looking at help for small businesses. This work is ongoing.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his foreign counterparts on preventing the sale of Daesh-controlled oil; and what steps are being taken to prevent such sales.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK has led efforts at the UN to make it illegal for any state, company or individual to trade in oil or oil products with Daesh, including co-sponsoring UN Security Council Resolution 2199 in February 2015. This resolution requires all states to prevent the transfer of economic resources to Daesh. We work closely and continually with allies, particularly in the region, to ensure Resolution 2199 is implemented.

    In addition to UN measures, we have worked to ensure that individuals involved in brokering oil deals between Daesh and the Assad regime have been sanctioned by the EU.

    We have held bilateral and multilateral discussions, including within the Global Coalition’s Counter ISIL Finance Group on this issue. The UK is expanding its work to help regional partners enforce sanctions and stop smuggling. We are also working with the private sector to ensure it takes seriously its responsibilities to ensure Daesh cannot access the spare parts and fuel additives it needs for its oil industry to function.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Bahraini authorities about the release from prison of Mahdi Abu Dheeb, President of the Bahrain Teachers’ Association.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have raised Mahdi abu Dheeb’s case with the Government of Bahrain, including at the highest levels. We continue to monitor this case closely as we do with a number of other trials, including through attendance at hearings by a member of staff from the British Embassy. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments and to appropriately address all reports of ill-treatment of detainees. In parallel, we encourage all those with concerns about their treatment in detention to report these directly to the Ombudsman.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, which local authorities in Scotland on what dates he (a) has visited and (b) plans to visit.

    David Mundell

    a) I have visited the following local authorities in Scotland:

    1. City of Edinburgh – 29 July 2015
    2. Western Isles – 30 July 2015
    3. Highland – 25 August 2015
    4. Angus – 2 September 2015
    5. Dundee City – 2 September 2015
    6. Perth and Kinross – 22 September 2015
    7. East Lothian – 23 September 2015
    8. Aberdeen City – 28 September 2015
    9. Aberdeenshire – 28 September 2015
    10. Ayrshire – 29 September 2015
    11. Shetland Islands – 30 September 2015
    12. Orkney Islands – 1 October 2015
    13. South Lanarkshire – 8 October 2015
    14. South Ayrshire – 8 October 2015
    15. Glasgow City with PUS – 19 October 2015
    16. Renfrewshire – 5 November 2015
    17. East Renfrewshire – 5 November 2015
    18. Inverclyde – 5 November 2015
    19. North Ayrshire – 6 November 2015
    20. Midlothian – 23 November 2015
    21. West Lothian – 23 November 2015
    22. Scottish Borders – 23 November 2015
    23. East Dunbartonshire – 3 December 2015
    24. Fife – 4 December 2015
    25. Falkirk – 7 December 2015
    26. Clackmannanshire – 7 December 2015
    27. North Lanarkshire – 10 December 2015
    28. Stirling – 14 December 2015

    b) I plan to visit the following local authorities in Scotland in early 2016 (dates to be confirmed):

    1. Argyll and Bute
    2. Moray
    3. Dumfries & Galloway
    4. West Dunbartonshire
  • Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the findings of the most recent OECD Interim Economic Outlook.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The OECD forecasts show the cocktail of risks facing the world this year, with expectations for global growth downgraded in 2016 and 2017. This is expected to have an impact on the UK as well, but we are forecast to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year.

    We need to keep taking action to restore order to the public finances and deliver economic security for working people.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps Public Health England has taken in conjunction with the National Public Health Workforce Advisory Group to implement the public mental health leadership and workforce development framework, published in March 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Since publication, Public Health England (PHE) has worked with national partners and with local authorities to co-ordinate implementation of the public mental health leadership and workforce development (PMHLWD) framework. Twenty national partners have signed the Call to Action to implement the framework.

    PHE is working closely with Health Education England (HEE) to incorporate the PMHLWD framework into the forthcoming Mental Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (commissioned by the Department). It has been cited in the Mental Health Task Force report and PHE will continue to work with HEE to implement the PMHLWD framework’s priorities via the Task Force and Future in Mind working groups.

    PHE has incorporated the PMHLWD framework into the revised Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework, the review of the future workforce and its wider workforce programme. This has included integrating mental health and wellbeing into the Making Every Contact Count programme.

    PHE has supported delivery via local public mental health networks joint commissioning of training, collating examples of training programmes, developing e-learning modules and delivering local workshops and presentations.