Category: Speeches

Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost of supporting electoral registration by (a) local authorities and (b) other groups was in each of the last 10 years.

John Penrose

Since financial year 2012/13 the Cabinet Office has provided funding to local authorities and civil society organisations to support the implementation and delivery of Individual Electoral Registration. Prior to financial year 2010/11 electoral registration policy was under the remit of the Ministry of Justice. The Cabinet Office does not hold any relevant financial data prior to 2010.

Local Authorities are under a statutory obligation to provide Electoral Registration Officers with funding and resources to support electoral registration more generally. Local Authorities are funded from a block grant that is allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The table below notes the funding provided by the Cabinet Office to local authorities and other groups and organisations in Great Britain. This includes core funding to support local authorites in the transition to IER, and the upgrade of hardware, such as printers, to support the new A3 registration forms .The figures also include funding that was allocated to local authorities and other groups to support efforts to increase levels of registration between financial years 2010/11 and 2015/16.

	2010-2011	2011-2012	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	Total
Local Authorities	£0	£0	£0	£9,115,416	£39,537,279	£25,858,168	£74,510,862
Other Groups	£0	£0	£56,545	£216,247	£1,933,759	£0	£2,191,401

01/01/2023

Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations her Department received on exempting the armed forces from providing recruits under the age of 18 with the minimum standards required under the Education and Skills Act 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Boles

The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires young people to participate in education or training until they are 18. Young people can participate through full-time education, work combined with part-time education or training, or by undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship.

The 16 and 17 year olds joining the armed forces are under a contract of employment but they are not exempt from their duty to participate. Most of these young people meet their duty to participate by undertaking an apprenticeship.

We have agreed with the Ministry of Defence that serving in the armed forces is a valid and valuable career route which provides relevant training for young people.

Apprenticeships are embedded across initial training in the armed forces, with over 95% of all young recruits (no matter what their age or prior qualifications) enrolling in an apprenticeship each year.

All apprenticeships require a minimum of 280 Guided Learning Hours (GLHs) within a 12 month period. The same GLH requirement applies to the small number of young people in the armed forces who are not on an apprenticeship.

01/01/2023
Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Eritrea.

James Duddridge

Following the publication of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, we remain concerned about human rights issues in the country. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s latest Human Rights Report includes Eritrea in its list of 30 priority countries for the UK government and sets out the changes needed. We continue to press the government of Eritrea, including at ministerial level, to take concrete steps to improve its respect for human rights.

We welcome the recent increased engagement between Eritrea and the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Eritrea’s agreement to work with the United Nations Development Programme to implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review on human rights. We urge further such cooperation to help bring about human rights reform in Eritrea.

We will give a full statement when the UN Human Rights Council discusses the COI’s report on 21 June.

01/01/2023
Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the expansion of Israeli settlements into (a) Susiya, (b) Umm al-Hiran and (c) other areas occupied by Palestinian Bedouins.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The increase in Israeli demolitions and illegal settlement expansion remains an area of serious concerns for the UK Government. On 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about settlements and demolitions. I also issued a statement on 2 September stating that the UK Government was deeply concerned by reports regarding over 450 new settlement units in the West Bank.

And as I told the House recently, our Embassy in Tel Aviv has repeatedly raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities, including our specific concerns about Susiya, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction. On 18 August officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, along with an official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv, visited Susiya again to highlight our serious concern and demonstrate our continuing support for the village. Our officials most recently raised Susiya with Defence Minister Lieberman on 24 August.

Umm al-Hiran is in Israel. The UK has been encouraging the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to find a satisfactory solution to Umm al-Hiran, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens in a way which avoids forcible relocations.

01/01/2023
Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons her Department collects data on pupils’ nationality and country of birth; and how that data is used.

Nick Gibb

The new data on nationality, country of birth and English language proficiency will, for the first time, assist the understanding of the impact of migration on schools. For example, what extra support the Government may need to provide to schools with high numbers of children who do not speak English as a first language. It will also help to plan for enough good school places for every child.

Without the evidence and data, the Department cannot have a clear picture of how the school system is working. It will ensure that funds are allocated where needed and that no groups of children miss out on the education they deserve.

The new data on nationality and country of birth is solely for DfE analysts to use for research. This data has not been shared outside the Department.

To address any uncertainties regarding how this information should be collected or used, an information note is placed in the House Libraries.

01/01/2023
Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel have been trained aboard HMS (a) Astute and (b) Ambush.

Penny Mordaunt

Training onboard Royal Navy Submarines is a continual process with specific Command courses for submarine Captains and organised training for replacement Officers and Other Ranks by suitably qualified and experienced personnel.

Identifying all those personnel who have undertaken any aspect of training on these vessels could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

01/01/2023
Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the 12 Portas Pilots.

Mr Marcus Jones

I chair a refocused Future High Street Forum to lead an ambitious programme of town centre restructuring. The Forum runs the Great British High Streets Awards which champion innovation, sharing best practice around the country.

Entries to this year’s competition have come from a number of the 27 former Portas pilots. One of these – Rotherham – won the accolade of best town centre. And I congratulate them.

01/01/2023
Lord Whitty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recent reported comments from Sir Keith Burnett of the Council of Science and Technology, and Jennifer Baxter of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, whether they expect 60 per cent of the £24 billion estimated expenditure, and 60 per cent of jobs, on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project to go to British firms or workers.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

Work to enable the British supply chain to compete for contracts means that we expect more than 60% of the project’s construction value will go to UK companies.

The construction and operation of Hinkley Point C will create 25,000 employment opportunities with a peak workforce of 5,600 people and thousands more in the supply chain. At least 5,000 people from Somerset are expected to work directly on the project.

The project aims to create 1,000 apprenticeships alongside £14 million of EDF Energy investment in education and training. When operating, 900 jobs and £40 million a year is expected to be delivered to the local economy for 60 years, through wages and supply contracts.

01/01/2023
Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many kinship carers her Department estimates will be eligible for the Government’s proposed free 30 hours of childcare.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Kinship carers will be able to access the existing 15 hour early education entitlement for any three and four year old children in their care. In addition, two year olds who are looked after by a local council or have left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or adoption order are entitled to 15 hours per week of early education.

In respect of the extended entitlement for three and four year olds, kinship carers who have parental responsibility for the child will be able to access the extended entitlement provided that they are earning the equivalent to 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living Wage and their income does not exceed £100,000. This includes employed and self-employed kinship carers.

The Department does not hold information on the number of kinship carers who would meet the income eligibility criteria and who have three or four year old children.

01/01/2023
Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the governments of other European countries that all European states should act to mobilise goodwill and to help families, voluntary organisations and local groups to welcome and take responsibility for refugees reaching Europe.

Lord Bates

The UK is in regular contact with European partners regarding the migrant situation. The care and reception of people arriving in Europe needing international protection rests with the countries to which they arrive but the UK calls upon all European states to ensure all international obligations are met and asylum seekers and refugees are treated humanely. We continue to work together towards a sustainable and comprehensive response to the migrant situation.

01/01/2023