Category: Speeches

  • Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to make clinical commissioning groups aware of their commissioning responsibilities as set out in the manual for prescribed specialised services in 2016-17.

    David Mowat

    Specialised services are the responsibility of NHS England.

    The ‘Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services 2016/17’ outlines which prescribed specialised services commissioned by NHS England are related to which services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). It is one of a suite of products that NHS England has developed to facilitate the effective commissioning of specialised services.

    However, it does not attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of CCG commissioning responsibilities.

    The manual is available from NHS England’s website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/06/pss-manual-may16.pdf

    “

  • Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimates they have made of the impact of the National Living Wage on registered care providers, both domiciliary and residential, in the first year of the National Living Wage’s introduction; and whether they will classify the National Living Wage as a new burden on local authorities for which they should receive grant increases to pay care providers.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department has engaged with the social care sector, including care providers, to understand how the introduction of the National Living Wage will affect them. The overall costs to local authorities of providing social care are being considered as part of the Spending Review.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made regarding the government of Zimbabwe’s attempt to access external funding from multilateral financial institutions including the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank.

    Baroness Verma

    The Government of Zimbabwe has been in arrears to the International Financial Institutions for over a decade. This prevents Zimbabwe from accessing any new financing for development from the World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank.

    The Government of Zimbabwe presented its plans to clear multilateral arrears at a side meeting during the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, in October. Bilateral creditors at the meeting, including the UK, broadly welcomed the intention of the Government of Zimbabwe to work towards arrears clearance, but stressed that implementation of reforms would be necessary to achieve debt resolution.

  • Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of HM Armed Forces are currently serving in Afghanistan; how many are female, and what roles they are fulfilling.

    Earl Howe

    As of 18 January 2016, there were 458 members of HM Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan under Operation TORAL. Routine movements and minor changes in requirements mean that this number will vary over time. The UK’s commitment to Operation TORAL nevertheless remains in line with the figure of around 450 personnel announced by the Defence Secretary in his statement of 27 October 2015 ( Ref: UK Military Support to Afghanistan:Written statement – HCWS273).

    Out of the 458 personnel, 33 are female. There are 10 UK female officers and 23 other ranks. These personnel undertake a wide range of roles including: medical, force protection, mentors, police, logistics, communications, human resources and administration, and engineering and technical support.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence her Department has received from the Migration Advisory Committee on whether nurses should remain on the Government’s Shortage Occupation List.

    James Brokenshire

    The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has not yet submitted its advice on whether nurses should remain on the Shortage Occupation List. The MAC will publish the report shortly after it is submitted to the Government. We will consider the findings carefully before making any final decision.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on ensuring disabled children are given equal access to children’s playgrounds.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    DCLG has not issued any guidance on this. Individual local authorities are responsible for meeting the requirements placed on them by the Disabilty Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 and the Equality Act 2010 in how they provide services.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) proposed future Right to Buy replacement houses in the development and planning stage and (b) properties expected to be sold under the Right to Buy scheme in each of the next three years.

    Brandon Lewis

    Working with the National Housing Federation, the Government has secured an agreement with the housing association sector to give their tenants the opportunity to buy their home with an equivalent discount to the Right to Buy. This will deliver the manifesto commitment to extend the benefits of Right to Buy to 1.3 million tenants. Under the terms of the agreement housing associations will deliver an additional home through new supply nationally for every home sold – increasing overall housing supply.

    Under the reinvigorated Right to Buy we are firmly committed to making sure that for every additional home sold an additional one will be provided. There is a rolling 3 year deadline for local authorities to deliver additional affordable homes through new build or acquisition under the reinvigorated Right to Buy, and so far they have delivered well within sales profile. By December 2015 there had been 4,594 starts and acquisitions, delivering more than a one for one replacement on the 3054 sales following the first year of reinvigoration.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to enforce the new £35,000 settlement threshold for Tier 2 skilled workers.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office published a full impact assessment on the changes to Tier 2 settlement rules when they were laid before Parliament on 15 March 2012. The impact assessment is available on the gov.uk website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117957/impact-assessment-tier2.pdf.

    Alternative routes available for Tier 2 workers unable to meet the minimum earnings threshold would depend on their individual circumstances. For the most part, economic migrants who wish to change their basis of stay in the UK are expected to leave and re-apply for an alternative visa from their home country. However, in-country switching is permitted in some categories, for example into Tier 1 routes aimed at high value migrants.

    Tier 2 migrants who apply for settlement and do not meet the requirements will be refused. Those who do not qualify for an alternative route and have reached the maximum period of limited leave allowed under Tier 2 should make plans to leave the United Kingdom. Any migrant who has over stayed the validity of their visa or otherwise failed to regularise their stay in the UK may be removed if they refuse or fail to leave of their own volition. They may also be liable to prosecution under the Immigration Act 1971.

  • Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 14 June 2016, Official Report, column 1617, on EU Prisoner Transfer Directive, to which EU member states the 102 prisoners transferred from England and Wales under the EU prisoner transfer agreement have been transferred.

    Andrew Selous

    The information requested is provided in the table below.

    MEMBER STATE TO WHICH TRANSFER HAS TAKEN PLACE

    NUMBER OF PRISONERS TRANSFERRED

    Belgium

    7

    Czech Republic

    4

    Denmark

    1

    Italy

    3

    Latvia

    5

    Lithuania

    1

    Netherlands

    44

    Poland

    3

    Romania

    15

    Slovakia

    13

    Spain

    5

    Malta

    1
  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of which policy areas in her Department will be affected by the UK vote to leave the EU.

    Rory Stewart

    The vast majority of DFID’s work is not done via the EU. We remain committed to spending 0.7% of our national income on development assistance, and to achieving the UN’s Global Goals and ending extreme poverty by 2030. We will continue to help countries in the developing world leave aid dependency behind to become our trading partners of the future.