Category: Speeches

  • Robert Syms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Syms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cumulative loss in revenue to HM Treasury has been as a result of the effect of tobacco control measures over the last 10 years.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department assesses the impact of all proposed measures before laying legislation using standard government methodology. These assessments are set out in Impact Assessments which are scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee before publication alongside the Statutory Instrument. Impact Assessments include a thorough analysis of the costs, benefits and risks associated with policy options.

    A number of the tobacco measures contain commitments to further review the impact of the legislation within five years of them coming into force.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Indonesia on the case of a Christian woman sentenced to caning in Aceh following her being charged with selling alcohol.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We condemn the use of corporal punishment. We welcome public comments made by the head of the EU delegation in Jakarta in November 2015 that the Government of the special territory of Aceh must safeguard human rights and protect the rights of minorities, regardless of religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2016 to Question 38382, whether the European Commission’s proposal of 10 June 2016 on ratification of the Paris Agreement has changed the Government’s timeline for UK ratification of that agreement.

    Amber Rudd

    The UK is committed to ratifying the Paris Agreement together with the EU and Member States as soon as possible. The Commission’s proposal for a Council Decision on the EU’s ratification of the Paris Agreement is therefore a positive step forward.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her French counterpart on the conditions at the refugee camp in Calais; and what assistance the UK is providing to improve living standards at that camp.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The management of the migrant camp in Calais is the responsibility of the French Government, and they have made suitable alternative accommodation places available for migrants inside the camp.

    With the support of the UK, the French Government has also created more than 160 new centres away from Calais where migrants can consider their options, including whether to claim asylum, in comfort and safety away from the traffickers. Both Governments are clear that there is no reason for migrants to live in the difficult conditions in the camp, there is a reasonable and accessible remedy available in France.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

    James Wharton

    Building upon the success of the Fire Kills campaign, the Department for Communities and Local Government is running a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. The Department has developed new Public Safety Radio Broadcasts that give advice on how best to avoid the risks and how to spot the danger signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. These are available for broadcasters to download free of charge.

    The Department has also published guidance to be given to tenants at the start of new tenancies which includes references to new requirements on private landlords to install and check carbon monoxide alarms in rooms where there are solid fuel burning appliances.

    The guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent.

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what effect the practice of revoking citizenship from protestors by the Bahraini government has had on UK policy towards that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK enjoys a strong and constructive relationship with Bahrain where we are able to raise and discuss issues such as the revocation of citizenship of Bahraini nationals. This is often at Ministerial level or through our wider human rights and reform dialogue. We will continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to ensure that the appeals process is fair and transparent.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press and public relations staff are employed by his Department; how many of those employees are paid more than (a) £50,000 and (b) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by his Department in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Justin Tomlinson

    As of January 2016 there are 34 members of staff in the Press Office, this includes 11 members of the digital team. Seven are paid more than £50,000, and none are paid more than £100,000. In 2014/15 total Press Office staff costs were £1,316,780.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which were the top 10 countries of origin of asylum seekers accommodated in (a) Wales and (b) the UK in each of the last six years.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office publishes regional data on asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 Support (dispersed accommodation and subsistence only) by nationality in Table as_17q (Asylum data tables Volume 4) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. The top ten nationalities of asylum seekers supported in Wales and the UK as a whole, in each of the last six years, are given in the attached tables.

    A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics July – September 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

  • 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 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the OECD on changing the definition of Official Development Assistance.

    Justine Greening

    The UK has been at the forefront of work to reform the ODA system which was originally established over 40 years ago.

    As a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the UK engaged fully at official and ministerial level in the process to bring about an agreement for a definition change.

    The changes were agreed at a High Level Meeting (18-19 February 2016) of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which concluded a 4-year process to update the rules on ODA.

  • Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 2 of Budget 2016, whether the £3.5 billion savings to public spending to be achieved by 2012-20 will affect the four year funding settlement to local councils announced by his Department in December 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    While the Government has not yet completed its departmental efficiency review to help identify further savings in 2019-20, we expect the four year allocations confirmed in the final settlement on 10 February 2016 to be the amounts presented to Parliament each year, should councils choose to accept the offer.

    We look forward to councils publishing efficiency plans by 14 October 2016 that demonstrate how the greater certainty on offer can bring about opportunities for further savings. However, if councils prefer not to have a four year settlement we cannot guarantee their future levels of funding.

    We have been clear that funding allocations in 2019-20 may be subject to the implementation of 100% business rate retention, something councils have asked for over decades and which we are working with the sector to deliver.