Category: Speeches

  • Mary Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mary Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Robinson on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the case of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa; and if he will raise that case with his counterpart in the Indian government.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We are aware of Surat Singh Khalsa’s hunger strike and continue to follow developments. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) discussed human rights with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK in November 2015. Mr Modi assured him that his government in India remains committed to diversity and fundamental freedoms. Mr Modi also met a delegation of UK Sikh leaders during his visit and discussed a range of issues affecting the Sikh community in India. I discussed concerns about minority rights with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh in November 2015 and the British High Commission in India regularly discusses the treatment of minorities, including the Sikh community, with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and with state governments across India. Prime Minister Modi’s visit, including his address at Wembley, highlighted the contribution that Sikh and other religious minority communities make to India, and to UK-India relations. Relations between the Sikh community in India and the Indian government are ultimately an internal matter, but we encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy for the House to be informed after his Department’s cyber strike capability has been used in cases where urgent action has been required such that it has not been possible to inform the House in advance.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We continue to develop the ability of our Armed Forces to deploy a broad range of offensive cyber capabilities as an integrated part of military operations. As with other sensitive defence capabilities, we do not reveal specific details in order to safeguard national security. As we have previously made clear in the context of the war powers convention, we do not propose to define the circumstances in which we would consult Parliament about the use of particular military capabilities.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full-time equivalent jobs there were in January 2016 in (a) the 39 Crown post offices the Post Office is proposing to franchise and (b) the three Crown post offices the Post Office plans to close.

    George Freeman

    Post Office Limited runs and manages its Crown post offices. Franchising of these offices is the operational responsibility of the Post Office.

    I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on these matters. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when work on the Mk4A upgrade programme began.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The UK currently fields the Trident Mk4 warhead as part of the Trident Strategic Weapons System. In order to ensure continuity of the Mk4-based capability, the Mk4A Arming, Fuzing and Firing system is a non-nuclear component being introduced into the UK Trident warhead to replace a similar component. The Mk4A programme will not increase the destructive power of the warhead.

    Approval to procure the new Arming, Firing and Fuzing mechanisms, to manage obsolescence in Mk4 and to adopt a Mk4A component was given in January 2006. I am withholding further details of the date of the Mk4A component’s entry into service, the cost of the Mk4A programme and the extension in operational life expected for the purposes of safeguarding national security.

  • Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Peter Aldous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Government plans to announce the outcome of its review into future funding for supported housing; and if he will make a statement.

    Caroline Nokes

    The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-10-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on research funding across all disciplines in universities in Yorkshire and the Humber.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government is committed to maintain and enhance the strength of our research base. This is why we have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021 – including £65 million in the North East in 2014/15.

    The Treasury decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can run over many years. We will ensure that the UK, including Yorkshire and the Humber, continues to be a world leader in international research and innovation.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Secretary of State has now formally withdrawn the commitment made in The importance of teaching: the schools white paper 2010 concerning the role of local authorities in commissioning new provision and overseeing the transition of failing schools to new management.

    Lord Nash

    Local authorities are under a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places in their area. They can increase the number of school places by proposing the expansion of a maintained school or seeking to fund the expansion of an academy to meet basic need. Where a local authority identifies the need to establish a new school, s6A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires it to seek, in the first instance, proposals to establish a free school. Local authorities can, if they wish, assess proposals and recommend their preferred provider. However, the Secretary of State makes the final decision on whether or not to enter to enter into a funding agreement with any of the proposers.

    The Education and Adoption Bill is clear that all failing schools must become academies and local authorities, along with governing bodies, are under a duty to facilitate the conversion. The latest draft of the Schools Causing Concern guidance, which is currently out for consultation, makes clear that local authorities have an important role in working with Regional School Commissioners to ensure the rapid and effective transferof failing schools to sponsor-led academy trusts.

    Local authorities therefore have an important role to play in education and this commitment has not been withdrawn.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the powers, duties and responsibilities of Regional School Commissioners.

    Lord Nash

    The eight Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) take decisions in the name of the Secretary of State in relation to schools and academies (including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools). The RSCs were appointed through open competition, with successful candidates being appointed for their outstanding leadership skills and track record. The process was overseen by the Civil Service Commissioner. RSCs are line managed by the national Schools Commissioner.

    The responsibilities of RSCs include:

    a) monitoring the performance of the academies, free schools, UTCs and studio schools in their area;

    b) taking action when an academy, free school, UTC or studio school is underperforming;

    c) approving the conversion of maintained schools to academies and making the decision on the sponsor for new academies in areas where the local authority has identified a need for additional school places;

    d) making recommendations to ministers about free school applications and advising on whether approved free school projects are ready to open;

    e) encouraging organisations to become academy sponsors or to establish free schools, approving applications to become sponsors and helping to build the capacity and capability of existing sponsors within their area;

    f) approving changes to open academies, for example: changes to age ranges, mergers between academies, and changes to MAT arrangements;

    g) addressing underperformance in local authority maintained schools through sponsored academy arrangements.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the condition and capacity of naturally occurring underground aquifers in the light of the high levels of rainfall in the UK over the last six weeks.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Environment Agency routinely monitors groundwater levels in England’s principal aquifers and publishes these monthly in a national water situation report.

    Rainfall totals for December were above average across England at 165% of the long term average. For a second consecutive month north-east and north-west England had exceptionally high rainfall totals for the time of year. Groundwater levels increased at approximately two-thirds of indicator sites during December and two thirds of sites were classed as normal or higher for the time of year.

    The Environment Agency undertakes monitoring and assessment of different aquifers locally, based upon the potential risk of groundwater flooding. A system of groundwater flood alerts and warnings is provided through our incident response procedures for those communities most vulnerable to potential groundwater flooding.

    The groundwater situation currently varies widely across the country, with higher than average and exceptionally high groundwater levels in parts of Cumbria, Yorkshire, Wessex, East Hampshire and Sussex whilst across the rest of southern England groundwater levels are around average or below average for the time of year.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the operational capacity of the (a) Royal Navy and (b) RAF to extend military operations against ISIL/Daesh beyond Syria and Iraq.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The future operational capacities of the UK Armed Forces are set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Should there be a requirement for new military operations against Daesh beyond Syria and Iraq, these would need to be balanced against the commitments at the time and the capabilities available.