Category: Speeches

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of UK GDP is spent on science and research in the UK, and how that figure compares with other countries in the EU.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The UK invested 1.7% of GDP in research and development in 2013, compared to an EU28 average of 1.9%.

    The UK has a world-class science and research base and achieves a high rate of return for its investment. With 0.9% of global population, 4.1% of researchers and 3.2% of R&D expenditure, the UK accounts for 6.4% of articles, 11.6% of citations, and 15.9% of the most highly cited articles. We are the most productive science base in the G7, and rank first amongst comparable major research nations for Field Weighted Citations Impact.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Nash on 1 December (HL Deb, col 1054), what is the role of the Charity Commission in scrutinising academies.

    Lord Nash

    Academy trusts are charities, and must comply with charity law. As Principal Regulator the Secretary of State has a duty to promote this compliance by the charity trustees with their legal obligations in a trust’s management and administration.

    The Charity Commission has powers of investigation and enforcement over academy trusts where the Secretary of State, as Principal Regulator, requests that the Commission investigates a concern that the Department has identified. This means that, in consultation with the Principal Regulator, the Charity Commission, will investigate and if a serious failure to comply with charity law is found, has the necessary enforcement powers to act if sanctions are required.

    Academy trusts are exempt from registration and direct regulation by the Charity Commission and are instead overseen by a Principal Regulator. As PR, the Secretary of State has powers to investigate but enforcement powers rest with the Charity Commission.

  • Lord Northbourne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Northbourne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Northbourne on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Ofsted reports on whether secondary schools meet the objective of instilling self-confidence and social and emotional skills in their pupils when they carry out secondary school inspections.

    Lord Nash

    All schools should equip young people with the necessary skills to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education has a vital role to play in this and we want all schools to put it at the heart of their curriculum.

    This includes developing character traits like self-confidence, motivation and resilience. These traits support academic attainment, are valued by employers, and encourage young people to make a positive contribution to British society. Many schools are already doing this. The 27 schools and organisations that were winners of character awards in 2015 demonstrated excellence in the area. We will continue to support schools in developing these traits in pupils without prescribing compulsory measures. In order to do this, we are investing £5 million in character education, including £3.5m of grants for 14 projects and £1m to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to build evidence and expand research into the most effective character education.

    Last September, Ofsted introduced a common assessment framework for the inspection of schools, early years and further education and skills remits. There is an overall effectiveness judgement underpinned by four graded judgements, one of which is a new judgement on personal development, behaviour and welfare. This aspect, therefore, will be graded and reported on in all school inspections.

    Additionally, before making the final judgement on the overall effectiveness of all schools, Ofsted inspectors must evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This means that when judging the effectiveness of leadership and management, inspectors will consider the design, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum, ensuring breadth and balance and its impact on pupils’ outcomes and their personal development, behaviour and welfare.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether British military advisers have been present in control rooms of the Saudi-led coalition engaged in conflict in Yemen.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We have deployed a small number of military personnel serving as liaison officers in Saudi headquarters to provide insight into Saudi operations. They remain under UK command and control. These liaison officers are not involved in the targeting process – whether it be the selection, decision making or directing.

    British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Dowden on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that information relating to infertility and its treatment is available to those affected.

    Jane Ellison

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have a statutory duty to publish information for patients and donors about fertility treatment and the clinics that it licenses. The Authority is currently reviewing the information published on its website following extensive research and is working with NHS Choices to make sure that all patients are directed to the right information at the right time.

    Individuals with fertility problems can discuss these issues with their general practitioners and ask to be referred to a fertility specialist to discuss the difficulties that they are having in conceiving and the options that are open to them.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress on implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created in 2005 and concluded in 2010 when it presented its final report. The Government of Liberia has taken some steps to implement the recommendations of the Commission, notably launching the Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in 2014. A key plank of that Roadmap has been the launch of the “Palava Hut Programme”. This draws on a traditional approach to reconciliation whereby those implicated in the civil war meet with affected communities to agree a resolution. However, obstacles to implementation of the Commission’s recommendations remain. As one of the main contributors to the UN Peacebuilding Commission’s Peace Building Fund, which funds the "Palava Hut Programme", the UK will continue to press for progress on the Commission’s recommendations, including in the context of UNSC discussions.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research his Department has conducted or commissioned on the effectiveness of tobacco licensing schemes in tackling the illicit market in tobacco; and what the outcomes of such research were.

    Damian Hinds

    HMRC has not conducted or commissioned any research into the effectiveness of tobacco licensing schemes in tackling the illicit market in tobacco.

    The World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Illicit Trade Protocol, to which the UK is a signatory, requires parties to consider whether to introduce tobacco licensing schemes for participants in the supply chain.

    HMRC is currently undertaking a public consultation on the possible benefits of licensing participants in the supply chain in tackling the illicit trade in tobacco products. The consultation closes on 20 May and also covers the implementation of a licensing scheme for tobacco manufacturing machinery, a further requirement of the Protocol.

    HMRC will publish a summary of responses later in 2016.

    The consultation is published on GOV.UK:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/503011/Tobacco_Illicit_Trade_Protocol___licensing_of_equipment_and_the_supply_chain.pdf

    “

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people are part of the team working on projects to improve Turkey’s prospects of joining the EU based at the British Embassy in Ankara; and what the total cost of that team was in the last 12 months.

    Mr David Lidington

    Four members of staff at the British Embassy in Ankara work either for all or part of their time on projects to promote reform and democratisation, as a full part of our work to promote UK interests in Turkey. The total annual cost of these staff for that project work was approximately £76,000 for Financial Year 2015/2016. This does not include the cost of the one UK-based member of staff which could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    The UK remains committed to supporting security and prosperity across Europe, where we will continue to have close relationships and mutual interests.

    In countries aspiring to join the EU, our bilateral focus will remain on strengthening stability, security, good governance and the economic fundamentals; and on building the resilience and capability to tackle global threats and challenges such as irregular migration and terrorism.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many flights (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have taken as part of their official duties since his Department was set up on 14 July 2016.

    Mark Garnier

    As part of their official duties, since 14 July 2016, Ministers have taken 22 flights overseas and accompanying officials have taken 25 flights overseas.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral evidence of the Minister of State for Local Government to the Communities and Local Government Committee on 14 September 2016, at Questions 84 to 87, HC635, whether he plans to publish an estimated cost of the draft Homelessness Reduction Bill before its Second Reading.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    One person without a home is one too many. This is why on Monday 24 October the Government announced its support for Mr Blackman’s Homelessness Reduction Bill.

    The Bill will significantly reform England’s homelessness legislation, ensuring that more people get the help they need to prevent a homelessness crisis in the first place.

    The Government will fund any additional costs in line with the longstanding ‘new burdens’ arrangements.