Category: Speeches

  • Steve Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how his Department plans to enable the sharing of best practice from current and completed devolution deals.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government is pleased to have reached agreement on devolution deals with seven local areas during 2015 which will enable local people to make decisions on the priorities and investments which will best help local areas to succeed and grow. We are now focused on implementation of these deals, and as part of this process monitoring and evaluation will be crucial.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent staff at HM Revenue and Customs on 31 March (a) 2016 and (b) 2017.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) expects to be operating with around 60,000 full time equivalent (FTE) staff on 31 March 2016.

    HMRC’s Business Plan for 2016-17 is currently being finalised and will be published by the end of March 2016 on GOV.UK. This will contain estimated FTE figures for 31 March 2017 and future staffing projections.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will estimate the costs attributed to the Department for Education for cases relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by the Government Legal Department in the 2014-15 financial year.

    Robert Buckland

    I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to question 24782 from the Hon. Member for Coventry South (Jim Cunningham) on the 4th February 2016.

    “

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase stem cell donations from the 16 to 30 age group.

    Jane Ellison

    Since 2010, the Department has provided £19 million funding to improve the provision of stem cells in the United Kingdom. As part of this investment, the Department has supported the work of our delivery partners, NHS Blood and Transplant and the charity Anthony Nolan, to recruit young male donors, who are approximately 10 times more likely to be asked to donate. The cohort of young male donors, known as the Fit Panel, currently has 66,365 registered donors. Funding from the Department in the current financial year is supporting the recruitment further 20,000 young male donors.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staple foods in the UK are subject to mandatory fortification.

    George Eustice

    Wheat flour is the only food with mandatory fortification requirements in the UK. All wheat flour (except wholemeal) is required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin and thiamin at specific levels prescribed in the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of research that shows that lack of physical activity is negatively affecting more people than obesity, whether they have a strategy on how to support grassroots attempts at getting citizens to take part in more and sustained physical activity.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Government is determined to tackle physical inactivity. Around one in two women and a third of men in England may be damaging their health through a lack of physical activity. Ministers across government continue to work together to identify opportunities to get people active in a range of ways including active travel, health initiatives, planning and sport.

    In December 2015 Government published ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation’ – the first comprehensive government strategy for sport for 13 years – it sets out a new vision for a successful and active sporting nation. It has a strong focus on reaching inactive people and helping them to get moving in ways that suit them.

    Sport England’s new strategy ‘Towards an Active Nation’, published on 19 May, states that tackling inactivity is a major priority for the organisation, it is tripling its current investment to over £250 million over 4 years, making it the largest single national investor in tackling inactivity.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2016 to Question 42168, what legislative options are being explored by his Department to prevent more people from becoming homeless.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We are considering a broad range of possible options, including legislation, to put prevention at the heart of how we tackle homelessness. We are keen to learn from the changes implemented in Wales and want to understand whether similar changes would work in the very different English housing market.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government expects to host the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council; what he expects to be on the agenda for that meeting; and what outcomes he expects to achieve from that meeting.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) brings together political leaders from the Overseas Territories and UK Ministers. It will meet this year in London from 1-2 November and will be hosted by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE.

    An agenda is being developed in partnership with territory leaders and reflects areas key to our shared interests. It is likely to include, but not be limited to, sessions on economic development, good governance and human rights (including child safeguarding), as well as the challenges and opportunities arising from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. A communiqué will be issued following the conclusion of the JMC. The UK Government will update the House by written ministerial statement afterwards.

  • Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what long-term plans the Government has to protect and maintain the English coast.

    Rory Stewart

    Coastal Local Authorities are responsible for developing Shoreline Management Plans which provide a long term framework to manage the risk of coastal change to people and the environment. These plans are overseen by the Environment Agency to ensure a joined up approach to the management of the coastline and that decisions made in one area take account of the impacts on another.

    Over the next six years the Government will be investing over £1bn to better protect homes and businesses from coastal flooding and erosion in England.

  • Calum Kerr – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Calum Kerr – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the timetable for and potential effects of the introduction of a Horserace Betting Right.

    Tracey Crouch

    A 2013 report from Deloitte for the British Horseracing Authority estimated that British racing has a Great Britain wide economic impact of £3.45 billion. Lastyear a public consultation on the potential structure and operation of the Horserace Betting Right was held, inviting views from across Great Britain. To inform our work to replace the current levy system and require offshore operators to make a fair financial contribution to racing alongside those based in Great Britain, I have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of racing. This will draw on information provided by betting and racing.