Category: Speeches

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with mobile telephone companies steps to reduce and standardise the time between a provider unlocking a phone and the owner of that phone being able to use it with another provider.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government wants to reduce the cost and hassle of switching mobile providers for consumers. We expect industry to start automatically unlocking customers’ handsets at the end of their contracts, and will consult this year on ending the practice of handset locking for customers outside their initial contract period.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much he estimates will have been spent by April 2016 on implementing digitalisation requirements at Calderdale Magistrates’ Court and Halifax County Court and Family Court.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Approximately £35,000 will have been spent at Halifax (Calderdale) Magistrates’ Court and Family Court by April 2016. The expenditure has been in in-court presentation technology. All the hardware which was bought will be reallocated to another court following closure. There has been no expenditure in digitisation of Halifax County Court and Family Court.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average time taken to provide reimbursement when a benefit sanction is overturned by appeal in the last 12 months.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Angolan counterpart on the sentencing on 28 March 2016 of Luaty Beirao and associated activists in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    The UK, together with all the other European Union Embassies in Luanda, made a statement on this case on 29 March, raising our concern about guarantees of due process and the principle of proportionality. We hope that the legal avenues available for appeal will offer guarantees in accordance with the rights and principles of the Angolan Constitution.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission on infraction proceedings relating to the UK breaching EU nitrogen dioxide limits.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government is committed to improving the UK’s air quality, reducing health impacts, and fulfilling our environmental responsibilities.

    In December last year the Government published the national air quality plan which sets out a comprehensive approach for meeting these goals by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones.

    The Government is keeping the European Commission informed of the significant action that the UK is taking to address air pollution.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each age group were diagnosed with back pain in each of the last five years.

    David Mowat

    The data requested is not collected.

  • 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 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has received on reports of the use of ammunition produced and exported by Primetake, a company based in Lincolnshire, to kill Abdul-Rahim al-Faraj by security forces in Saudi Arabia; and whether he plans to investigate such reports.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is aware of claims by Mr al-Faraj’s family that ammunition produced in the UK was used in the incident that killed him. The UK Government takes decisions on all arms export licensing applications on the basis of close and careful consideration, assessing them against the EU and National Consolidated Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which includes an assessment of whether there is a clear risk that the items might be used for internal repression.

    The Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman stated that Mr al-Faraj was suspected of previously killing security forces personnel and indicated that substantial arms and ammunition were found on the premises during the operation.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many community projects have benefited from monies allocated by Scotland’s Big Lottery Fund in the last five years.

    Tracey Crouch

    From 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2015, the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland has allocated monies to over 11,500 projects.

  • Adam Holloway – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Adam Holloway – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Holloway on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential effect on congestion at the Dartford Tunnel of increasing the number of Channel Tunnel freight trains that off-load north of the River Thames.

    Claire Perry

    The Department is not planning to make such an assessment. Channel Tunnel rail freight trains with loads for destinations beyond London would be expected to continue on the rail network rather than off-loading in the London area.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what analysis his Department has commissioned of the potential effect of a British withdrawal from the EU on Anglo-French defence projects.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    None.