Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff currently work at the marine offices in (a) Tyne, (b) Plymouth, (c) Beverley, (d) Orpington, (e) Harwich and (f) Norwich; and how many unfilled vacancies exist at each such location.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The table below shows the current level of staffing (Headcount and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)), current full complement and vacancies at each of the six locations listed:

    Marine Office

    Full Complement (FTE)

    Current Headcount

    Current (FTE)

    Vacancies (FTE)

    a

    Tyne (includes Ensign Unit)

    23.60

    18

    15.90

    7.7

    b

    Plymouth

    8.27

    9

    6.94

    1.33

    c

    Beverley

    19

    16

    14.66

    4.34

    d

    Orpington

    12

    11

    10

    2

    e

    Harwich

    4

    3

    3

    1

    f

    Norwich

    5

    5

    5

    0

    “

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) polling, (b) focus groups and (c) other research the Government has commissioned on the EU referendum since 1 January 2015; and what the cost to the public purse of all such research has been to date.

    John Penrose

    All costs associated with the planning of referendum public information activity are contained within the costs published on 6th April (2016).

    Cabinet Office asked independent polling company TNS to carry out a survey in March (2016). This poll found showed that 85% of the public wanted more information on the EU referendum from the Government. TNS published this poll on their website.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much profit Govia Thameslink Railway was expected to make over the lifetime of its franchise according to the original business case; and how much profit that company has made since the start of that franchise.

    Claire Perry

    The profit Govia Thameslink Railway expected to make over the lifetime of its franchise is a commercially sensitive figure. With regard to their actual profits, Govia will publish their audited annual accounts as required through Companies House.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what grants her Department has paid to the RSPB in each of the last five years; and for what purpose each such grant was paid.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Grant payments made by core Defra to the RSPB during financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16 are shown the table attached.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2016 to Question 47347, whether during those discussions concerns were raised by Japanese investors and the Japanese ambassador about the UK’s decision to leave the EU; and whether any conditions were placed on continued Japanese investment in the UK.

    Greg Hands

    A range of topics have been discussed with the Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom and Japanese investors, notably the Japanese memorandum and the opportunities presented by the United Kingdom exiting the European Union to strengthen its role as a global leader for free trade, including its trade links with Japan.

  • 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, which (a) retired civil servants and (b) former Ministers have travelled to Libya at public expense since October 2011; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since 2011, the Government has funded visits to Libya by current officials and Ministers as part of regular diplomatic relations. In addition, in periods when the security situation in Libya permitted it, a number of visits to Libya, including by Jonathan Powell the Prime Minister’s Envoy to Libya, have been funded by HMG.

    No retired civil servants or former ministers have visited Libya at public expense.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral contribution of 30 November 2015, Official Report, column 33, on NHS England collating feedback from all trusts on the effect of proposed industrial action, if he will place a copy of that feedback in the Library.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England asked trusts to provide information on their preparations for the proposed industrial action for 1, 8 and 16 December 2015 which was being refreshed on an ongoing basis by trusts as plans developed locally.

    On 30 November 2015, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) announced on behalf of the Department of Health and the British Medical Association that action was suspended, upon agreement of a memorandum of understanding.

    NHS England is therefore continuing to work with trusts to ensure that the service is prepared should there be any industrial action in the future.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to expand the number of places in medicine courses in universities.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department of Health and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have periodically reviewed the total number and distribution of undergraduate medical students, basing targets for these students on information provided by the Centre for Workforce Intelligence and local workforce plans that estimate how many doctors we need to work in the National Health Service.

    Since the establishment of Health Education England (HEE) in April 2013, responsibility for reviewing the target intake for medical students has sat with them.

    HEE is currently reviewing the target intake for medical students and will submit recommendations to the Department in the spring. Any changes to medical student numbers will need to be agreed with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and HEFCE who also contribute to the funding of undergraduate medical education.

  • Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 July 2015 (HL1549), when they expect to publish proposals regarding the repeal of section 73 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 in the light of the consultation on the balance of payments between television platforms and public service broadcasters, and what is the reason for the delay in publication.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government intends to publish its response to the Balance of Payments consultation in the coming months.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans to ring-fence funding for adult basic skills within the adult skills budget for 2016-17.

    Nick Boles

    No. Funding for basic skills is a crucial part of the Adult Education Budget. But a ring-fence means central Government deciding how money should be spent. We prefer to allow colleges and other providers to decide how best to meet the needs of the communities they serve. The interests of learners who lack basic skills are protected by statutory entitlements to free provision in basic English and maths.