Category: Speeches

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to ensure that companies do not offset the costs of paying the new minimum wage by reducing rates of pay for (a) some workers and (b) night and weekend working.

    Margot James

    We recognise that employers will respond to the National Living Wage in a variety of ways depending on their circumstances, but the Government does not consider it acceptable for companies to use it as an excuse to cut staff benefits.

    In a growing economy, the National Living Wage should represent an opportunity to invest in talented staff and improve productivity. Employers need to ensure their pay and reward packages are competitive to retain and develop the people they need for their business.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the composition of the project board for Southern Rail, announced on 1 September 2016.

    Paul Maynard

    Further details on the composition of the project board will be available in due course. MPs have been asked to nominate a passenger representative for the Project Board. These nominations are currently being considered and an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

  • Ian Paisley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Ian Paisley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether proposals to expand the Security Service include the expansion of its facilities and additional recruitment in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    It would not be appropriate for me to comment on these matters which are the responsibility of the Security and Intelligence Agencies.

  • Jack Dromey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jack Dromey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse is of the Government’s Cyberstreetwise programme for (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

    Mike Penning

    Cyber Streetwise is a cross Government campaign, developed by private and public stakeholder partners and coordinated by the Home Office’s Research, Insight and Communications Unit. It is designed to improve the online safety knowledge, behaviour and confidence of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and individuals; driving down crime, saving victims’ money and reinforcing perceptions of the UK as a safe place to do business. Since its launch in January 2014, approximately 2 million adults have adopted safer online behaviours that will better protect them. Our 2015/16 strategic approach aims to drive measurable shifts in three key behaviours: using strong passwords made up of three random words; installing security software on all devices; and regularly downloading software updates which experts agree will provide SMEs and individuals with the most protection against cyber-crime.

    The cost to of the Government of the Cyber Streetwise campaign for a) 2014/15 was £3.956 million (excluding VAT) and b) 2015/16 was £4 million (excluding VAT).

  • Joanna Cherry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Joanna Cherry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joanna Cherry on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that parents who are the sole carer for disabled children aged over 18 will not lose out on vital income as a result of the reforms of tax credits.

    Damian Hinds

    As announced at Summer Budget, families will no longer be able to claim additional support through Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit for third or subsequent children in a family where the child is born after April 2017.

    Third or subsequent disabled children born after April 2017 will still receive the disabled child element and the severely disabled child element in Child Tax Credit and the disabled child addition in Universal Credit, but not the child element.

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality of 20 July 2015, Official Report, column 1227, for what reasons dependent children are not included in the consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to the schemes supporting those infected with, or affected by, HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied blood products.

    Jane Ellison

    Those already infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products and all bereaved partners/spouses of those infected are entitled to apply for discretionary means-tested payments of support, which could be used for dependent children. The charitable bodies make payments on the basis of need, in accordance with their specific objectives, enabling such support to be targeted to those in greater financial need. The consultation seeks views on providing discretionary payments for travel and accommodation costs relating to ill health. These payments are not guaranteed from year to year and those in receipt of these payments are informed of this. Responses to the consultation will help us to decide if this is a viable proposal and we welcome any suggestions respondents may have in relation to the proposals and what would be of benefit to them. No decisions will be made about the shape and structure of a new scheme until after the consultation closes on 15 April 2016.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the findings of the Annual Report of the National Clinical Audit for Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis, published on 22 January 2016, on links between waiting times and consultant numbers, what steps he is taking to increase the number of consultant rheumatologists.

    Jane Ellison

    National Clinical Audits are commissioned and managed on behalf of NHS England by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). Audits help drive improvement by providing local trusts with individual benchmarked reports on their performance against a range of measures, feeding back comparative findings to help participants identify necessary improvements for patients

    The first annual report of the national clinical audit of rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis was published on 22 January 2016. The report identifies that although most services offer prompt educational support and agree targets for treatment with their patients, performance against criteria for referral and assessment could be improved. Since the audit, HQIP has reported that a number of trusts have successfully reconfigured their services in order to improve patient care. More information can be found at the following link:

    www.hqip.org.uk/national-programmes/a-z-of-nca/arthritis-rheumatoid-and-early-inflammatory

    To help clinicians to identify the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and make prompt referrals to specialists, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published Rheumatoid arthritis: The management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults, in 2009. This best practice guideline sets out the signs and symptoms of the disease and emphasises the need for early diagnosis with urgent referral to a specialist rheumatologist on suspicion of RA. For those diagnosed with the condition, the guidance also recommends they should be offered the opportunity to take part in educational activities, including self-management programmes.

    The NICE RA quality standard (QS), published in 2013, is based on the NICE guideline, and one of the seven quality statements recommends that people with suspected RA are assessed in a rheumatology service within three weeks of referral. However, whilst providers and commissioners must have regard to these standards in planning and delivering services, they do not provide a comprehensive service specification and are not mandatory.

    Regarding the establishment of early arthritis clinics, the configuration of services, including decisions to such arthritis clinics, is a matter for the local National Health Service.

    The latest monthly workforce statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre showed that, as of November 2015, there were 563 full time equivalent rheumatology consultants employed in the NHS. This is an increase of 119 (26.8%) since May 2010. The recruitment and retention of staff is matter for local NHS services.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that regional museums and galleries are adequately funded.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Councils have almost £200 billion to spend on local services, over the lifetime of this parliament. It is for each local authority who know their area best to decide how to allocate its budget to provide museum services to its communities.

    In addition, through the Arts Council England, DCMS has increased funding for 21 Major Partner Museums Networks (130 Museums in total) from £20.3m to £22.6 million over 2015-2018. Regional museums can bid for funds from ACE’s £10 million per year Resilience Fund, and for lottery funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are also investing millions of pounds to boost local and regional museums, for example, £5 million towards a new South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum and £2.5 million to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.

    As announced in our Culture White Paper, we will conduct a wide-ranging review into the museums sector that will examine local and regional museums, as well as Government-sponsored museums and the museums infrastructure nationally.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on meeting the health and social care needs of older people who need affordable and accessible homes where they can live independently but with support when needed.

    Brandon Lewis

    Decisions on how to meet the health and social care needs of older people who need affordable and accessible homes and monitoring the supply of such accommodation are best made by local authorities. Government believes that local planning authorities remain best placed to determine the extent to which provision of more accessible housing is necessary and appropriate in their local area, and have appropriate powers to introduce development plan policies to meet these needs, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework, Planning Guidance and other relevant matters.

    The National Planning Policy Framework & Planning Guidance requires local authorities to plan for a mix of housing based on current and future demographic trends, and the needs of different groups, including elderly people, in their area.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Neill on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department’s Business Broadband Review, what assessment she has made of the connection needs of businesses in London.

    Matt Hancock

    We recognises the importance of broadband access for British businesses in remaining globally competitive. That is why the Business Broadband Review was announced by the Business Secretary on 24 February. The Review is exploring the barriers faced by all businesses in the UK, especially SMEs, in accessing affordable, high-speed broadband.