Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Young of Old Scone on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of UK environmental and climate change legislation derives (1) from EU directives transposed into UK legislation, (2) from EU regulations without need for transposition, and (3) from wholly domestic legislation; and of the legislation that derives from EU directives, what proportion is dependent on the European Communities Act 1972.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    Although specific figures for environment and climate change are not available, the House of Commons library has concluded that across the full range of UK instruments, from 1997 to 2014, an average of 13.2% were EU-related. A copy of the report is attached.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the UN Secretary-General’s report on Children and Armed Conflict, published in April 2016, if his Department will support the immediate establishment of an international, impartial investigation into reported international humanitarian law violations by all parties in the conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK Government has been clear that we want to see thorough and conclusive investigations where allegations have been made against parties to the conflict in Yemen regarding international humanitarian law. The Saudi Arabian government has its own internal procedures for investigations and they announced more detail on how they investigate such incidents earlier this year and that any lessons learned would be acted upon. We note the announcement on 6 June of the UN Secretary, Ban Ki Moon, that the United Nations and the Saudi-led Coalition will jointly review the cases and numbers in the Children and Armed Conflict Report.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to increase funding to Citizens Advice Scotland in response to the transfer of social security powers to the Scottish Parliament by the Scotland Act 2016.

    Margot James

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy provides Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) with core funding on behalf of all Whitehall Departments and the Scottish Government. This enables CAS to provide essential services to the Scottish network of Citizens Advice Bureaux and deliver advice on all manner of issues direct to Scottish citizens via its website.

    There are no plans to increase core funding across the current Spending Review period.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to incentivise universities to attract more students to take courses in areas which are identified as having a skills shortage.

    Joseph Johnson

    We want everyone with the potential to benefit from higher education to be able to do so. We will provide student finance for those studying part-time for a second degree in any Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject. We also announced in the Autumn Statement of 2015 that we are introducing new part-time maintenance loans from the academic year 2018/19, in order to support the cost of living while studying on part-time courses.

    To promote retraining and prepare people for the future labour market, we are also reviewing any further gaps in support for lifetime learning, including for flexible and part-time study. We are also supporting growth in degree apprenticeships and have made a £10m Development Fund available to help universities and partners, including further education colleges, to help higher education providers to meet employer demand.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will discuss with the Treasury the introduction of three-year funding plans for colleges to align with the period of the Spending Review.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    16-19 funding is based on the level of recruitment institutions delivered in the previous year. That means institutions’ funding keeps pace with changing student numbers with the minimum delay. The Government has no plans to change the 16-19 funding system.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of whether Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is revocable once invoked.

    Mr Robin Walker

    We must leave in the way agreed in law by Britain and other member states, which means following the process set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. There is no precedent for a country triggering Article 50, let alone seeking to reverse such a decision. A clear majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU and we will respect the will of the people of the United Kingdom.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will review the decision by the Environment Agency to turn off five satellite pumping stations in 2017 operating in the Alt Crossens catchment.

    Rory Stewart

    By serving a two-year notice period on the five pumping stations in Alt Crossens, the Environment Agency intends to provide time for all local parties to agree on an alternative solution for managing the pumps. I hope all the local parties will continue to work with the Environment Agency to agree a way forward.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make an assessment of the effect on Nepal’s recovery from the 2015 earthquake of India closing border crossings into Nepal.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    We are deeply concerned about the impact of the blockages at the India-Nepal border on the supply and distribution of humanitarian goods. DFID is working on the ground to make sure that vital supplies reach those affected by the earthquake of early 2015. Through its partners, DFID is providing winter support to approximately 42,000 families (over 200,000 people). We welcome the adoption of the National Reconstruction Authority Bill and formation of the National Reconstruction Authority.

    DFID and FCO Ministers have discussed their concerns with Ministers from the Governments of Nepal and India. The British Ambassador in Kathmandu is also working closely with others in the international community and is in close contact with Prime Minister Oli and his cabinet.

    There has been an increase in the level of goods, including fuel, entering Nepal via India. Despite the main border crossing between the two countries remaining closed, between 60-70% of the usual amount of goods are entering Nepal through alternative border crossings.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual rent paid by his Department is on 39 Victoria Street.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department does not currently lease 39 Victoria Street and is not paying rent for the building.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the potential use of helicopter funds in the UK economy.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer has frequent discussions with the Governor of the Bank of England on a wide range of issues relating to the UK economy.