Category: Speeches

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take action to correct the six calculation errors made in the home energy efficiency calculation software known as SAP referred to in the letter to the Prime Minister from BDP Limited, dated 12 November 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are reviewing the energy efficiency standards which underpin the national calculation methodology for assessing fuel use in dwellings, the Standard Assessment Procedure or SAP.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference will be of the extended Natural Capital Committee.

    Rory Stewart

    Professor Dieter Helm was reappointed as Chair of the Natural Capital Committee on 9 December 2015. The recruitment process to select the other members of the Committee is underway. The new Committee’s remit will be to advise Government on the development of an integrated 25 year environment plan to protect and improve our natural capital. The detailed terms of reference for the new Committee will be finalised once the Committee members are appointed.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many multi-academy trusts do not have local governing bodies with powers comparable to those of maintained schools.

    Edward Timpson

    In a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), individual academies do not have a separate legal identity and are all under the control of the trust board. Whether the trust board establishes local governing boards for each academy is a matter for the trust board to determine. In all cases the trust board remains accountable for all academies in the MAT.

    The Academies Financial Handbook[1] sets out that academy trusts must publish on their websites up-to-date details of their governance arrangements in a readily accessible form. Trusts must also publish the names of their members and trustees, and the membership of any committees, in their annual financial statements, a copy of which is sent to the Education Funding Agency and filed with the Companies Registrar. Trusts are also required to inform EFA of the names of their chair of trustees, accounting officer and chief financial officer.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-financial-handbook-2015

    “

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department decides on allocation of funding to research councils; and what assessment he has made of the grounds for significant changes being made to the relative size of allocations to each research council compared to allocations in previous years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The allocations will be published shortly. As in previous years, the allocations will be made by ministers following discussions with BIS delivery partners.

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2016 to Question 31677, what checks are undertaken to ensure that the terms of a Tier 2 (ICT) visa Certificate of Sponsorship are adhered to.

    Mike Penning

    A variety of checks are undertaken on sponsor licence holders and the migrants they assign certificates of sponsorship to. Compliance visits are undertaken during the licensing process and post-licensing audits are undertaken to verify the duties performed by the sponsored workers adhere to those set out by the sponsor in the certificate of sponsorship. Officers can request payslips, work contracts and evidence of duties performed by the sponsored worker during compliance visits. In some cases, other regulatory requirements are verified with other government departments or regulatory bodies during investigations of possible non-compliance. Officers can interview both sponsors and sponsored workers during compliance visits to seek assurances and gather information and evidence of compliance with the duties of sponsorship. Overseas we can undertake checks in to the credibility of the international presence of an ICT sponsor licence holder where there is concern to do so.

    All roles are assessed to confirm the duties and salary meet the requirements set out in the standard occupation classification codes. The sponsored worker may also be called for interview during the visa consideration process to check their credibility and test the individual meets the requirements of sponsorship under Tier 2 (ICT).

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to introduce standards to minimise the risk of the malfunctioning of electronic financial transactions and data storage by financial and public organisations; and what information is available to the general public to enable them (1) to choose which organisations and services to use, and (2) to know whether or not to use electronic systems depending on those services.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    On 18th March, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Matthew Hancock, announced that the new National Cyber Security Centre will work with the Bank of England to produce advice for the finance sector for managing cyber security effectively. This will build on tools such as the Cyber Essentials scheme, which sets out the technical controls organisations should have in place to demonstrate that they are following a basic level of ‘good practice’ in terms of their cyber security.

    It is the responsibility of firms to ensure the resilience of their Information Technology (IT) systems. Through the Dear Chairman Exercise I and II, the Financial Authorities have assessed large UK deposit-takers’ technology resilience, and are working with firms to ensure that further improvements are made and customers are protected.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school breakfast clubs there are in (a) Burnley and (b) Lancashire.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The most recent results of the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey suggest that in England in 2013, there were 12,800 before school settings. Of these 1,900 were in the North West. However, it is not possible to identify within this total the number of settings in Burnley and Lancashire.

    The findings of the Survey can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013

    Later this year we will update the school performance tables and plan to publish alongside them information about all schools’ childcare provision including breakfast clubs.

    “

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on the sale of the contract for Oakhill secure training centre.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The Ministry continues to be in regular contact with G4S and other relevant bodies. This engagement includes monitoring the progress of the potential sale to ensure it does not jeopardise the delivery of services at the Secure Training Centres.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure fair trials in Bahrain for Mr Ali Isa Al-Tajer and others accused of similar offences.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to monitor Ali Isa Al Tajer’s case closely and encourage the Bahraini authorities to ensure due process is followed and international standards of justice are upheld. British Embassy officials regularly attend hearings of high profile cases and will continue to do so. As part of our programme of work, the Government continues to provide assistance to the Ombudsman and the Special Investigation Unit and encourage them to deal with any complaints seriously and in a professional and independent manner conforming to international standards.

  • Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered seeking UN authority to establish safe holding areas outside the EU, to which refugees seeking to enter the EU could be transferred.

    Lord Bates

    The current migration crisis requires a global response. This may necessitate radical measures to address the unprecedented situation. We regularly engage with EU and multilateral partners, including the UN on a wide range of migration issues in order to find an effective and sustainable solution. Ideas about establishing safe centres outside the EU are at an early stage of development and we will consult appropriate organisations as discussions on these with EU and other partners progress.