Category: Speeches

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase tourism in Yorkshire from (a) domestic and (b) foreign visitors.

    David Evennett

    Yorkshire had a record breaking year for inbound tourism in 2014 following the Grand Depart, and there were 1.29 million visits from international tourists to the region in 2015. Domestic overnight trips to Yorkshire were also strong in 2015: £1.92 billion was spent by these tourists in that year – an 11% increase on spending in 2014. Yorkshire also benefited from the £1m staycation campaign run early in 2016 to attract domestic visitors to the area following that winter’s floods.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2016 to Question 37452, if she will commission detailed monitoring of the effect of local authority funding reductions on local authority museum and gallery (a) opening hours, (b) staffing, (c) specific activities and (d) closures.

    Karen Bradley

    Arts Council England is gathering data on the effects of changes to local authority funding.

    This Department is also undertaking a Museums Review of the whole museums sector, as announced in the recent Culture White Paper. The Review will be looking at a range of challenges facing the sector and will include museums in receipt of funding from local authorities as well as those which are independent from public funding.

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Southern Railway has paid in compensation to Network Rail since the start of that franchise.

    Paul Maynard

    Under their track access agreement, compensation for unplanned disruption passes between Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail based upon which party is responsible for each disruptive incident. The Department does not see the breakdown of the compensation paid by each party. The net figures covering the years 2011-12 to 2014-15, are published on Network Rail’s website (‘Payments for disruption on the railway made under schedule 8’) at the following address:

    http://www.networkrail.co.uk/transparency/datasets/

    “

  • Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2015 to Question 14066, what accountability mechanisms are in place for the Criminal Cases Review Commission; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Sefton Central to discuss the case of James Thompson.

    Mike Penning

    As I stated in response to Question 14066, although the Criminal Cases Review Commission is funded by my Department, it is entirely independent of Government, and Ministers cannot, and should not, intervene in its reviews or decisions. Since there is no action I can take, I do not believe a meeting with the Hon. Member would be helpful.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Purbeck District Council area has been redesignated in the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.

    The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.

    Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:

    East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; and

    Purbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to launch his Department’s consultation for target numbers of apprenticeships in the public sector.

    Nick Boles

    The consultation was published on 25 January 2016.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with (a) other government departments and (b) external organisations on the effects of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the delivery of development aid.

    Justine Greening

    DFID plays a key role in the UK government’s wider efforts to promote a more stable Yemen that is more able to address its humanitarian needs, working closely with other government departments to ensure that our combined diplomatic, humanitarian and military efforts make the maximum contribution to improving the situation in Yemen.

    As part of this, we discuss all issues of relevance to the humanitarian response. We also meet regularly with external organisations to discuss the humanitarian situation and delivery of aid in Yemen.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many public interest immunity applications her Department has (a) received and (b) approved in the last five years.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    Records indicate that my Department has received and approved a total of 31 applications for public interest immunity in the last five years.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made with the insurance industry on the development of a Flood Re scheme for small businesses.

    Rory Stewart

    We are aware that some small businesses exposed to high flood risk may experience challenges in finding affordable insurance. We are therefore working with BIS, local authorities, the insurance industry and other business representatives to further understand what problems the business sector may be experiencing in this area and to discuss the options available for taking action.

    Ministers have recently held meetings with representatives from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), Federation of Small Businesses and the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) among others to discuss these issues. Following this BIBA is developing a commercial insurance product that is intended to help businesses in flood risk areas to access appropriate cover.

    In the meantime the ABI have assured Government that the industry will continue to provide insurance to small businesses on a competitive basis.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK’s financial commitment to the EUFOR has been in each of the last three years.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    EUFOR ALTHEA is a European Union Common Security and Defence Policy operation, conducted under EU-NATO Berlin Plus arrangements, that contributes to a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Government regards it as a central part of its policy towards BiH. The UK committed £3.1 million in 2013, £2.8 million in 2014, and £1.9 million in 2015 to the operation.