Category: Speeches

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse has been of the roll-out of the English Baccalaureate to date; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The English Baccalaureate measure was introduced in 2010. The EBacc defines an academic core of subjects, including GCSEs in English, maths, science, humanities, and languages. Schools have been able to deliver significant increases in the take up of EBacc subjects over the last 5 years without requiring additional funding to do so.

    EBacc entry has increased significantly, from 22% in 2010 to 39% in 2015. EBacc achievement has also increased, from 15% in 2010 to 24% in 2015.

    The Department funds a range of support for teachers including 35 maths hubs which support maths teachers, the National Science Learning Network to provide high quality professional development for science teachers and the Network of Excellence for computing to provide professional development for computing teachers through a network of master teachers. English teachers have benefitted from the funding provided to the Royal Shakespeare Company, who produced and provided to all state-funded secondary schools a free copy of its RSC Shakespeare Toolkit for Teachers, and Poetry by Heart to help teachers deliver inspirational poetry teaching.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect on the number of people employed in Wales who are from non-EU countries of the salary threshold increase for Tier 2 visa applications to £35,000.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government announced in 2012 that from 6 April 2016 Tier 2 visa holders who apply for settlement in the UK will be required to meet a minimum annual salary requirement of £35,000. PhD level roles and those in recognised shortage will be exempt from the £35,000 threshold.

    Data of the number of people employed in specific regions of the United Kingdom is not available. The Home Office holds individual records showing the working location of Tier 2 (General) migrants, but centralised records show the registered address of the Tier 2 Sponsor, which is normally that organisation’s Head Office.

    The Home Office published a full impact assessment on the changes to Tier 2 settlement rules when they were laid before Parliament on 15 March 2012. This includes the impact on the top ten occupations and is available on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117957/impact-assessment-tier2.pdf

  • 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 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what modifications are required to HMS Prince of Wales to make it suitable for use as an amphibious assault platform.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 we announced the intention to enhance a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier to support the UK’s amphibious capability. We are currently assessing the modifications that may be required and the optimum way to deliver these enhancements, which we expect will have utility in both carriers. As well as delivering their primary Carrier Strike role with F-35B Lightning II aircraft, the carriers will offer a significant basing option for the projection of air support to amphibious operations, including battlefield helicopter support to our Royal Marines or embarked military forces.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times have mines and improvised explosive devices in the vicinity of UK military bases caused (a) minor injuries and (b) serious or fatal injuries to service personnel in the last 10 years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Specific statistics regarding mines and IEDs either detected or causing injuries or fatalities in the vicinity of UK military bases are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of patients with long-term health conditions who cannot afford to pay the charges associated with their prescribed medication and subsequently require additional treatment.

    Alistair Burt

    We have made no such estimate. This information is not available in the format requested.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the rollout of superfast broadband in the B91 1 postcode area.

    Matt Hancock

    Nine out of ten UK homes and businesses can now access superfast broadband and we’re on track to reach 95 per cent of the UK by the end of next year. We’re committed to a Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband.

    We want a USO at a speed of 10Mbps as an absolute minimum, enough to meet the needs of a typical family or small business so no-one is left behind.

    We estimate that approximately 98% of premises in the Solihull constituency now have access to superfast broadband. We do not hold data specific to each postcode.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date she first became aware that allegations of racism had been made against Dame Lowell Goddard in her capacity as Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; and who made her aware of those allegations.

    Sarah Newton

    No such allegations have ever been raised with the Home Secretary.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the current threat posed to UK undersea fibre optic cables from hostile forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We do not comment on intelligence matters or media speculation relating to these.

  • Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how far they expect proposals in the report of the earlier Open Ended Working Group of 2015 in Geneva, and developed in working papers to the 2015 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, to provide a basis for identifying which of those proposals could be negotiated in time to be submitted to the 2016 UN General Assembly in order to prepare for substantial negotiations to begin in 2017.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Any Open Ended Working Group mandated to address the issue of nuclear disarmament should consider proposals and papers related to this issue from previous UN and Non Proliferation Treaty meetings and should take a consensus-based approach that takes into account the wider global security environment. We remain open to an appropriately-mandated Open Ended Working Group provided that it is conducive to a constructive dialogue and we are considering whether to attend the meeting in Geneva in 2016.

  • Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding and other support her Department has given for UN agencies, non-governmental agencies and civil society to (a) identify children at risk of human rights violations in Yemen, (b) support the development and implementation of programmes to secure the release and rehabilitation of children associated with armed groups and (c) respond to other violations of children’s rights in that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has more than doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen over the last year to £75 million for 2015/16. This includes funding for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Save The Children to raise awareness of child rights, monitor and support displaced children, and provide food, nutrition, water and sanitation to children.

    The UK continues to raise the importance of compliance with international law with all parties to the conflict, including urging against the recruitment and use of child soldiers. We are also supporting the UN’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire and end to the conflict.