Category: Speeches

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-12-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were rejected by the Financial Ombudsman Service on grounds of jurisdiction in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.

    The questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government’s proposal to sell the Green Investment Bank (GIB) will include provision for the (a) sale of all GIB assets and (b) future of the GIB team.

    Anna Soubry

    It is the Department’s intention to sell GIB as a going concern. The assets and staff are an inherent part of that company.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who are in receipt of benefits he estimates will be in full-time work after the roll-out of universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 8 February (HL5486), whether they have evidence that the Turkish Air Force has bombed its citizens in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south-east Turkey since the beginning of 2015.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. The Turkish government has responded by striking PKK targets in south-east Turkey, including with the use of air power. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador in Ankara have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on which occasions since her appointment she has met (a) staff from the European Commission Directorate-General (ECDG) for Communication and (b) communication officers from ECDG for Education and Culture.

    Nick Gibb

    The Secretary of State has not met any staff from the European Commission Directorate General for Communication or communication officers from the Directorate General for Education and Culture since her appointment.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the first Thameslink Class 700 train to enter revenue-earning service.

    Claire Perry

    The new Class 700 Thameslink trains built by Siemens will first enter service on the Brighton to Bedford route. It is important that when the trains are introduced that they operate reliably on these heavily used sections of the rail network. It is to this end that the trains are currently undergoing extensive testing on the Thameslink routes. They are also being used for driver training by Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd and operational testing of new infrastructure at stations on the Thameslink routes. This phase of testing is nearing completion and the trains are expected to enter passenger service in due course.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether new arrangements are to be introduced for delivering the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme.

    Michael Fallon

    As announced in the Written Ministerial Statement on 21 April 2016 (HCWS689), the contract between the Ministry of Defence and AWE Management Limited (AWEML) has been reviewed and now falls under the Single Source Procurement Framework which is overseen by the Single Source Regulations Office.

    As a result of the review, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has greater control over the programme, while ensuring that AWE continues to deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The contract between MOD and AWEML also provides the opportunity for higher performance incentives, as well as reductions if targets are not met.

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 4 July (HL761), by what date they expect the draft regulations seeking to amend the Local Authorities (Recovery of Costs for Public Path Orders) Regulations 1993 to be laid before Parliament.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    I am unable to confirm a precise date at present but I expect to publish the draft regulations later in the session.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of his Department’s expected underspend against Departmental Expenditure Limits in 2015-16; what his Department’s forecast is of total Annually Managed Expenditure in 2015-16; and what that forecast was at the time of the (a) Summer Budget 2015 and (b) March Budget 2015.

    Alun Cairns

    As recommended by the Treasury, Departments are encouraged to maintain a reserve. The Wales Office maintains a reserve of around 5% of its annual Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL), which represents our forecast underspend. This underspend can increase or decrease if planned expenditure is higher or lower than expected. In 2015-16, our DEL is £4.432m which includes the Departmental reserve of £0.222m. Our forecast of Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) is £-0.020m.

    The reserve stated above was also our forecast underspend at the time of the summer budget in 2015. The Department does not forecast underspends for the following financial year at the March budget. Each March, the Wales Office focuses on completing the financial transactions and processes of that current financial year.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the case of Ali al-Nimr.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    During his visits to the UN General Assembly in September and Saudi Arabia in October, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised Ali Mohammed al-Nimr’s case at a very senior level. This is in addition to the representations our Ambassador in Riyadh continues to make on this case.