Category: Speeches

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of why the UK retail sector is predicted by the British Retail Consortium to lose up to 900,000 jobs in the next decade.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    • The Government recognises the great contribution the retail industry makes to the economy, to employment and to communities. We are in regular touch with the British Retail Consortium and major retailers on a wide range of policy issues, including those raised in the report.
    • The report shows that the retail sector is going through a period of major adjustment as it is responds to developments such as changing demography and consumer preferences, and automation and digital technology.
    • Government has supported business, including retailers by taking action to help employers and workers to improve productivity, including raising the Annual Investment Allowance to £200,000 to its highest ever permanent level, reducing national insurance contributions for small firms, going further by cutting corporation tax to 18% in 2020 for all companies, and significantly increasing investment in apprenticeships.
    • At the same time, the government is making sure workers in Britain get a pay rise by introducing the National Living Wage from April this year. Now is the right time to do this as we are seeing record employment rates and more than 2 million jobs created since 2010. And taking into account the National Living Wage the independent Office of Budget Responsibility expects employment to rise by a further 1.1 million by 2020.
  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff employed in delivering the Fit for Work programme are (a) registered as disabled or in receipt of disabled people’s benefits and (b) returning to work after serious illness or injury.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Health Management Ltd (HML), responsible for delivering Fit for Work in England and Wales, does not hold records of staff members who are disabled or who are in receipt of disabled person’s benefits although the company does provide the opportunity for people to self-declare a disability should they wish to do so.

    Since Fit for Work was launched, seven members of staff have returned to work following a serious illness or injury. ‘Serious illness or injury’ is here considered to mean an absence of four weeks or more.

    For Scottish Government, which is responsible for delivering Fit for Work in Scotland, does not collect this information centrally.

  • David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Jones on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has made to the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest on their refusal to allow the display of the Red Dragon flag at the 2016 contest.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I understand that the governing body of the Eurovision Song Contest has reversed its ban on the display of the Red Dragon flag. We welcome this example of European co-operation, and wish Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft the best of luck on 14 May.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK Suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the law with respect to abortion in Northern Ireland.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    Abortion law is a devolved matter with respect to Northern Ireland. It is therefore for the people of Northern Ireland and their elected representatives in Stormont to consider the need for any change.

  • John Spellar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Spellar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the likelihood of the Government’s net migration target being met.

    James Brokenshire

    Uncontrolled mass immigration increases pressure on public services and can drive down wages. That is why our ambition remains to cut net migration to sustainable levels. We continue to work across government to reduce net migration outside of the EU and seek reform in Europe to reduce the pull factor behind EU migration.

  • Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Barnet consequentials for Northern Ireland are of the £50 million additional funding for flood relief; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    As the Chancellor announced in the House on 9 December, the government is creating a new Community Recovery Scheme to support households and businesses affected by the floods in Cumbria and Lancashire.

    The Barnett Formula has been applied to this funding in the normal way, and the Northern Ireland Executive will receive £1.322 million in additional funding.

  • Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many enforcements under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System have been made as a result of category 1 hazards relating to (a) gas safety and (b) electrical safety in each local authority in each of the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    This information is not held centrally.

    Overall the quality of privately rented housing has improved rapidly over the past decade. Surveys show that 84% of private renters are satisfied with their accommodation. A small number of rogue or criminal landlords knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation. We have introduced measures in the Housing and Planning Bill to crack down on these landlords so that they either improve the service they provide or leave the sector. Proposals include a database of rogue landlords and property agents, introducing banning orders for serious or repeat offenders, a tougher fit and proper person test, extending Rent Repayment Orders and introducing civil penalties of up to £30,000.

  • Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice has been provided this Session for ministers or senior officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on whether to use secondary legislation or primary legislation for significant legislation.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    There has been no change in approach to the use of primary and secondary legislation since the General Election. Each piece of legislation is approached within the context of the policy and the existing legislative framework. There is no evidence of an increase in the number of statutory instruments laid since 2010 or since the General Election. Briefing produced by the House of Commons Library (CBP 7438) shows that the number of statutory instruments laid before the House of Commons peaked at 1,885 in the 2005-06 session, compared to 1,378 last session and 540 so far this session.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the media was briefed on the contents of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information’s report prior to that report being made available to hon. Members.

    Matthew Hancock

    The report of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information was received on 29 February and published with the Government’s response on 1 March [Hansard ref HCWS566]