Category: Speeches

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Schools of 4 July 2016, Official Report, column 210WH, what the evidential basis is for the statement that 77 per cent of UK employees say that they need more employees with foreign languages.

    Nick Gibb

    The figure to which I referred on 4 July was derived from a survey by the Confederation of British Industry’s Education and Skills Survey 2015[1] which found that only 23% of businesses said they had no need for foreign language skills among their employees.

    [1] http://news.cbi.org.uk/reports/education-and-skills-survey-2015/

    “

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many lion trophies were imported into the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Before 1 January 2015 there was no requirement to obtain a permit to import a lion hunting trophy for personal use so no data is held. In 2015 the Animal and Plant Health Agency issued 19 import permits (all were returned as used) for the importation of lion hunting trophies into the UK from outside the EU. As at 28 September 2016 it has issued seven import permits this year (none have yet been returned as used). Where permits are returned as used, this confirms that the importation has taken place.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been granted to Moussa Koussa; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Royal Prerogative of Mercy can only be exercised following a conviction. Moussa Koussa has never been convicted of any offence in the UK, therefore the question of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has never arisen.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether arrangements are in place to vet Muslim recruits to the armed forces; if so, what are those arrangements, and if not, whether they will set them up.

    Earl Howe

    All candidates joining the Armed Forces are subject to exactly the same vetting procedures applicable to their chosen branch or trade, irrespective of religion or ethnicity.

    There is no requirement for personnel to declare their religion. However, the numbers of British personnel who joined the UK Regular Armed Forces and self-declared their religion as Muslim in the last four financial years is set out below. The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any British Muslim members of the UK Regular Armed Forces going Absent Without Official Leave to fight in Syria or North Africa in the last four years.

    Intake to the UK Regular Forces of personnel with a British Nationality declaring a Muslim religion, by Financial Year

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    10

    20

    30

    20

    Note: figures show intake to UK Regular Forces, both trained and untrained, which comprises new entrants, re-entrants, direct trained entrants (including professionally qualified Officers), intake to the Army from the Gurkhas and intake from the reserves. They exclude all movements within the Regular Forces; including flows from untrained to trained strength, transfers between Services and flows from Ranks to Officer due to promotion. All numbers are rounded.

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

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from business organisations on the quality of careers information advice and guidance in (a) Lambeth and (b) Southwark; and how she has responded to those representations.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We have engaged with many employers and their representative bodies, including the Confederation of British Industry and the British Chambers of Commerce, on the subject of careers education and guidance for young people. We are not aware of any specific representations on the quality of careers provision in Lambeth and Southwark.

    We want to spread excellent practice in careers education and employer engagement across the country so that every young person, regardless of background, can access the inspiration and guidance they need to prepare for working life. ‘London Ambitions’ is a great example of a collaborative approach which will transform the landscape of careers and employment support for young people in Lambeth, Southwark and other London boroughs. Commissioned through the London Enterprise Panel and London Councils, the report’s recommendations include at least 100 hours of experience of the world of work by the age of 16, comprehensive, up-to-date information on the jobs market in the capital and a ‘London Ambitions Careers Curriculum’ to help young people link their learning experiences to future success in the workplace.

    At a national level we have established The Careers & Enterprise Company which is connecting employees from firms of all sizes to schools through a network of enterprise advisers drawn from business volunteers. Working with key stakeholders, including employer representatives, we are developing a comprehensive strategy to outline this government’s plans for improving careers provision by 2020. This will be published in the spring of 2016.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) level of use by single parents of the Jobcentre Plus Flexible Support Fund.

    Priti Patel

    The Department has not conducted any specific evaluation work on the use of Flexible Support Fund for single parents.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reports of  the use of chemical weapons against the Turkmen village, Taza in Southern Kirkuk, killing children and injuring 617 people, including 17 who are in critical condition.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of allegations that Daesh attacked the village of Taza on the morning of 8 March 2016 with a chemical agent, possibly sulphur mustard. There have been reports of multiple casualties, including the death of a young girl. We unreservedly condemn the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is supporting the Government of Iraq to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Iraq by non-state actors. The UK is at the forefront of pressing for an effective international response to the use of chemical weapons through the UN Security Council and the OPCW.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings she had with the Adam Smith Institute between 1 October 2012 and 31 March 2016.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Meetings with DFID Ministers are published on a regular basis at: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/dfid-sos-gifts-travel-hospitality-meetings-may-july-2010

    “

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has for the provision of rehabilitation and re-education for perpetrators of coercive control and intimate partner violence who are serving (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentences.

    Andrew Selous

    The Ministry of Justice works with its partners to deliver a range of services and programmes across custody and community which aim to reduce and manage the risk posed by perpetrators of coercive control and intimate partner violence. We use structured risk assessment to understand the risks, needs and circumstances of individual offenders. We then match individuals to appropriate interventions and services, such as the Building Better Relationships accredited programme, to reduce their risk, protect the community and ensure public money is spent in the best way.

  • 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 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that government offices and departments procure local food.

    George Eustice

    The Government is committed to do all it can to ensure that UK suppliers are able to compete effectively for public sector contracts in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

    In 2014 the Government introduced the Plan for the Public Procurement of Food and Catering Services and from 2017 central government will commit to buying fresh, locally sourced, seasonal food, so that all food that can be bought locally will be bought locally. This will include use of a Balanced Scorecard approach to sourcing food which recognises factors such as health and nutrition, resource efficiency, and local and cultural engagement. As contracts are renewed central Departments will adopt this approach.

    These arrangements will simplify the public procurement process, and should help open up the opportunity to compete to more small and medium sized businesses and local producers.