Category: Speeches

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communication the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with the South Sudanese Transitional Government of National Unity.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), wrote to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Deng Alor Kwol on 6 May. He welcomed the formation of the transitional government and urged them to secure peace, tackle the economic crisis and address the humanitarian situation. Our Embassy in Juba is also in direct contact with members of the transitional government and will continue to press for the full implementation of the peace agreement.

  • Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support people with personal savings.

    Simon Kirby

    This Government has taken radical steps to support savers. From April 2017 the Lifetime ISA will mean People under 40 can use it to save for their first home and retirement and receive a 25% bonus from the Government. From the same date, all savers will also be able to benefit from the largest ever increase in the annual ISA allowance from £15,240 to £20,000 per year.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Russia-US peace process in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign Secretary discusses Syria regularly with US Secretary of State John Kerry. They last discussed the situation in Syria and the prospects for resuming a political process on 16 October. The UK and US are both working to achieve a full cessation of hostilities, secure country-wide humanitarian access, and implement a strong monitoring mechanism to create the conditions for a resumption of political talks.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget was for staff answering calls to tax offices in each year since 2007-08.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not hold this information, owing to the fact that resource is now moved flexibly within the organisation to deliver customer service.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the number of businesses was that traded goods internationally through export or import in 2014.

    Anna Soubry

    Data on the number of businesses in Great Britain engaging in international trade in goods can be found on the ONS website in the ‘Exporters and Importers in Great Britain, 2014’ release, published on 12 November 2015.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which categories of young people it is his policy will be exempt from the new restrictions to housing benefit eligibility.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Removal of automatic housing support for 18 – 21 year olds, announced in the Summer Budget 2015, will be introduced in April 2017. The Department is liaising with a range of key stakeholders as we develop the detail of the policy. Once this work has been completed we will bring forward detailed proposals.

  • The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether UK military personnel trained in, or dedicated to, cultural protection have been involved in liaison with Saudi Arabia regarding its intervention in Yemen.

    Earl Howe

    All UK Service personnel receive mandatory annual training in the Law of Armed Conflict and this includes training in cultural protection. They will also receive further training prior to their deployment.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the risk to the UK (a) posed by ballast water and (b) that diseases such as cholera may be transferred around the world through ballast water given rises in sea water temperature.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The UK has developed a number of voluntary procedures adopted by the maritime community to tackle the issue of invasive species and pathogens. Vessels on deep sea, international voyages are encouraged to undertake mid-ocean ballast water exchange. Within the North Sea and English Channel, ballast water exchange areas have been identified and vessels visiting UK ports are encouraged to use those areas where it has been assessed safe to do so.

    The Government continues to be a strong supporter of the Ballast Water Management Convention that aims to minimise the threat posed by harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on initiatives by that government to convene a peace conference on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has discussed this issue with the French Foreign Minister and also with Ambassador Pierre Vimont, the French Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace Process. British officials have also regularly discussed the initiative with their French counterparts.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to support a statement on Ethiopia at the June session of the UN Human Rights Council, in the light of the government of Ethiopia’s response to the Oromo protests.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain deeply concerned about the handling of demonstrations in Oromia and the reported deaths of a number of protestors. We have repeatedly made representations to the Ethiopian government over the ongoing situation in that region. We will consider the merits of a statement, with likeminded countries, on Ethiopia’s response to the Oromo protests at the UN Human Rights Council in June.