Category: Speeches

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 20054, what funding was allocated to the Winter Weather Repair Fund in 2014-15.

    Andrew Jones

    In 2014/15, the Government provided £950 million to local highway authorities for highways maintenance, including £168 million to specifically tackle potholes across the country.

    In March 2014, the Government provided an additional £183.5 million to help repair local highway infrastructure damaged by the winter floods of 2013/14. This funding was spent by local highway authorities in 2014/15.

    Overall, between 2010 to 2015, local highways maintenance funding was 27% or £1billion higher than under the previous Labour administration.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when defects were first noted in the pulsion system of the Type 45 destroyer.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The decision to procure the Rolls Royce WR21 was taken in November 2000 by the then Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon. In announcing the decision, he accepted this decision "presents a greater degree of risk to the programme."

    Following that decision a number of issues with the Type 45 Integrated Electrical Propulsion (IEP) system were identified when the First of Class, HMS Daring was launched in 2006.

    From 2006 to the launch of the sixth and final Type 45 in October 2010, the Type 45 Destroyer class had around fifty minor design alterations directly attributable to the development of the Type 45 IEP system identified. The subsequent implementation process for acceptance of these alterations is necessarily rigorous to maintain safety and system design intent. As a result, the majority of Type 45 IEP alterations were implemented after the launch of the last of class.

    A report was commissioned in 2011 to examine the reliability of the power and propulsion system in greater detail. This work was re-assessed in 2013 to examine the extent to which the issues identified in the report had been dealt with, (by changes to operating procedures and training) and establish which were not simply the problems associated with a new complex system.

    As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 the Government is committed to improving the Type 45’s power and propulsion system an ongoing Equipment Improvement Plan is successfully making further alterations to the existing power and propulsion system.

    Over the last two years, Type 45 Destroyers have been routinely deployed to the Gulf to maintain a destroyer presence in the region, including HMS Defender’s support to US Carrier operations against Daesh.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding she plans to commit to tackling illegal immigration; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The Chancellor the Exchequer announced the 2015 Spending Review to Parliament on 25th November 2015. Home Office ministers are in the process of allocating budgets for the next financial year to ensure that the department supports its key objectives of preventing terrorism, cutting crime and controlling immigration.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department received from the European Social Fund (a) between 2007 and 2014 and (b) from 2014 to the last month for which data is available.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office’s finance system has no record of the Department receiving funds from the European Social Fund.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will finance feasibility work on plans to redevelop Cardiff Central Station during the current Control Period 5, in order for work to start promptly in Control Period 6.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    I am pleased that we have already funded additional platform and station capacity at Cardiff Central station to facilitate forecast passenger growth. The Welsh route study has identified an opportunity to redevelop the station area as a stimulus to economic growth and we will work with the Welsh Government and the new Cardiff City Region Capital Transport Authority to understand the economic benefits of this, as set out in the Cardiff City Deal.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards they have put in place to ensure that, if the student loan book is sold on, students are not faced with increased rates of interest on their student loans.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    As stated in the March 2016 Budget, the Government is continuing to prepare for the sale of the pre-2012 income contingent repayment student loan book, with a first sale expected in 2016-17.

    Purchasers would have no direct relationship with borrowers, and would have no power to amend the terms of repayment. Government would still finance student loans and continue to collect repayments.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department plans to commission professional service companies to assist with the negotiation process of exiting the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    We will have the right resources in place so we can secure the best possible outcome for the UK as a whole, and will be taking advice from a variety of sources as we consider options, including on staffing and skill mix, for the new department.

  • Jonathan Djanogly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jonathan Djanogly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Djanogly on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to bring forward legislation to reform the law relating to marital contracts.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The Government is carefully considering the Law Commission’s proposals for qualifying nuptial agreements in the context of broader work on private family law.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-10-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) incorporate natural capital into the national infrastructure plan, (b) take steps to ensure that new man-made infrastructure projects do not deplete the UK’s natural capital asset base and (c) prioritise investment in natural capital.

    Greg Hands

    The government recognises the value of natural capital to the country’s long-term economic growth. We do not currently agree that an investment programme for natural capital should explicitly feature in the National Infrastructure Plan. We do, however, strive for all publically funded infrastructure investments to make a positive contribution to protecting and enhancing our natural environment. For example, the Roads Investment Strategy has ring-fenced £225 million in an Environment Fund and £75 million in an Air Quality Fund to ensure more is done to limit the impact of the Strategic Roads Network on the environment.

    As specific decisions on spending allocations in this Parliament will be set out following the Spending Review later this month, I cannot yet comment on future investment in natural capital. However, the government takes natural capital very seriously. We have set long term-goals to stop the decades of decline in wildlife and habitats, and have already seen some improvements. Since 2010 we have helped to create over 150,000 acres of field margins, wetlands and woodlands, and woodland cover is at its highest level in 700 years.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the first Boeing P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft came into full service; and by what date he plans for all nine to be operational.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft entered service with the United States Navy in November 2013. Under current plans, we anticipate that it will enter service with the RAF in the UK during financial year 2019-20. Exact dates for entering service and for all nine aircraft to be operational are yet to be agreed.