Category: Speeches

  • Craig Willia – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Craig Willia – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Willia on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the Government’s objectives are for the Syria Donors Conference on 4 February 2016.

    Justine Greening

    We want the Conference to raise significant new funding to help those affected by the crisis, both to support immediate and longer term humanitarian needs but also jobs and getting Syrian refugee children into school. The Conference also aims to reaffirm the international community’s commitment to protect civilians from harm and the need for unfettered, impartial humanitarian access inside Syria.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Government policies on ensuring the (a) security of UK ports and (b) identification and checking of containers for contraband, trafficked persons or other illegal activity are the responsibility of his Department; and which such policies which are the responsibility of another department his Department has a secondary role in.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for ensuring that proportionate security measures are in place to protect ports, passengers and ships registered in this country. These measures are risk based and are designed to mitigate the threat from terrorism. This work involves close co-operation with other government departments, the Police and the maritime industry.

    The Home Office is responsible for the detection of contraband and trafficked persons at UK Ports. DfT works closely with the Home Office and other partner agencies to counter this type of illegal activity.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when an appropriate assessment, as defined in Article 6 of the EU Habitats Directive, was undertaken for the South-West London Waterbodies Special Protection Area.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    A habitats regulations screening assessment was prepared in June 2012 which concluded that the impact of construction and operation of HS2 would have a negligible impact on gadwall and shoveler ducks in the Colne Valley Lakes and therefore no likely significant effect on the Southwest London Waterbodies SPA/Ramsar site. The details were reported in the main Environmental Statement published in November 2013.

  • Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died of sudden cardiac death in the UK by (a) age and (b) region in each of the last five years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Byron Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Byron Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Byron Davies on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many EU member states have adopted guidance recommending the same level of weekly alcohol consumption for men and women.

    Jane Ellison

    No other European country has carried out a full scientific review of their alcohol guidelines at least in the last ten years.

  • Lord Richards of Herstmonceux – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Richards of Herstmonceux – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Richards of Herstmonceux on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by Sir John Chilcot on the Iraq War, whether they have any plans to reform the decision-making process within the Ministry of Defence and place the Armed Forces under the command of the Chief of Defence Staff.

    Earl Howe

    We are studying the report of the Iraq Inquiry in detail to identify how further to improve our structures, policies, procurement and training. Since 2010, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has implemented wide-ranging reforms to how it is structured and managed. This has clarified responsibilities, strengthened accountability and empowered the single Services. The Defence Secretary confirmed to the Defence Select Committee on 19 July that he has established a team to go through the report and make sure that the proper lessons are learned. This team will identify all of the areas where MOD needs to take action to improve its performance in the light of Sir John Chilcot’s findings.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad basin.

    James Wharton

    We are deeply concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin. This will require a sustained, multi-year response to support communities devastated by the conflict. The UK is scaling up our support.

    In addition to the £90 million of humanitarian assistance we are already delivering in the region, the UK has now pledged a further £80 million of humanitarian funding. £50 million will go towards meeting the needs of the worst affected communities in Nigeria with food assistance and access to essential household items and services, and £30 million to support those who have been affected by the spread of Boko Haram into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

    HMG is using a range of opportunities to push our partners and governments across the region on scaling up and improving the quality of the response. This includes calling for a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation which took place in July 2016; a joint demarche to the UN with the French and USA on the need to improve humanitarian capacity and performance in mid-August; chairing a Lake Chad Basin meeting in the margins of UN General assembly in September 2016, and ongoing high level bilateral meetings with UN officials.

  • Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of how many small businesses have been started in (a) Bristol, (b) London and (c) England in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Anna Soubry

    There is no single data source that comprehensively measures all business start-ups within the UK.

    However, ONS publishes statistics showing the number of businesses newly registered for VAT or PAYE.

    These figures are available from the ONS Business Demography releases.

  • David Nuttall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Nuttall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on the removal from the UK of a jobseeker who is a citizen of another EU country who has been in the UK for more than six months and can provide evidence that they (a) are looking for employment and (b) have a genuine chance of being engaged.

    James Brokenshire

    We have been clear that in future EU jobseekers will not be supported by UK taxpayers and can be removed if they are not in a job within six months.

    There is limited discretion to keep the status of jobseeker for longer than six months but an individual must provide compelling evidence to show they are continuing to seek employment and have a genuine chance of employment.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Gerald Kaufman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she intends to answer the letter to her from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5 November 2015 with regard to Ms J Batsleer.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I replied to the rt. hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 23 December 2015, and I apologise for the delay in doing so.