Category: Speeches

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether railway verges are surveyed to identify locations where there is a danger that landslides may occur; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    This is an operational matter for Network Rail. Network Rail advises that its railway earthwork assets are inspected by suitably qualified engineers at intervals of 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. The frequency of inspection is driven by the hazard rating of the asset, which is calculated from data that is recorded during visual observations across the slope.

    The likelihood of an earthwork asset failing increases during periods of rainfall, in particular during extreme rainfall events. During times where there is an increased likelihood of failure, additional inspections are undertaken. These are focussed with available resources on locations of highest safety risk, where the consequence of a failure is greatest.

  • Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the finding of the report by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year An Unholy Mess that a significant number of religiously selective schools are breaking the School Admissions Code by taking into account the past behaviour, attendance, attitude, or achievement, of children.

    Lord Nash

    Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.

    Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.

    We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census.

    Edward Timpson

    No estimate has been made of the cost of including data by type of disability in the school census. The Department is exploring if there are other ways of capturing details of pupils’ disability.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what applications for arms export licences were rejected by his Department in each year since 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    Information on military and dual use export licences is published as Official Statistics in the quarterly and annual reports on Strategic Export Controls which are all available to view on GOV.UK. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences.

    Data covers all years from 2008 up to 30 September 2015. Information covering the period 1 October to 31 December 2015 will be published on 19 April 2016.

    Bespoke reports on the published data can be run via https://www.exportcontroldb.bis.gov.uk/

    “

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support a UN implementing agreement for the establishment and management of marine protected areas in the high seas.

    James Duddridge

    The UK supports the need for a new implementing agreement and the need to establish a mechanism to deliver Marine Protected Areas in areas beyond national jurisdiction. This is because whilst a range of different bodies with varying responsibilities address the protection of marine bio-diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, these bodies have sectorally or regionally restricted mandates.

    The first session of the Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) to develop a new implementing agreement took place at the UN from 28 March to 8 April. The UK was represented by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Defra officials. We will continue to engage on this issue in preparation for the remaining three sessions of the Prepcom.

  • The Lord Bishop of Rochester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The Lord Bishop of Rochester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Rochester on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prisoners have been identified as having been radicalised whilst in custody in England and Wales since the beginning of 2014.

    Lord Faulks

    Radicalisation is a process rather than an event and therefore it is not possible to identify with any certainty which prisoners have been radicalised specifically during their time in prison.

    Extremism is one of the biggest threats facing this country. That is why the Justice Secretary commissioned a review of Islamist extremism in prisons.

    As we have made clear, the report has been received and a summary document will be published in due course.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what activities have been undertaken by Ministers of her Department to promote breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    DFID supports breastfeeding. Interventions to improve early infant feeding can save newborn lives in less developed settings, and early initiation of breastfeeding has been shown to have a major additional impact in reducing neonatal deaths.

    DFID Ministers did not undertake activities to mark World Breastfeeding Day specifically. Our country offices regularly work with local partners to promote breastfeeding and other public health interventions.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the welfare of the two Burmese students who were arrested shortly after visiting the UK on a programme designed to build representative student unions in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain in contact with the four Burmese students who visited the UK in May and are monitoring the case of Zayar Lwin who was arrested on 7 July after participating in a protest rally at the end of June. Two others have been charged in absentia, but not arrested. More widely, we have called for all remaining student protestors to be released from prison and for repressive legislation still on the statute books to be amended. Our Embassy in Rangoon closely monitors the cases of political prisoners and student protestors who have been charged and remain in detention. Representatives from our Embassy in Rangoon attended the most recent trial hearing in Thuyawaddy on 13 October of the students arrested following the Letpadan protests in March.

  • Lord Dobbs – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Dobbs – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the political objectives of the Free Syrian Army.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Free Syrian Army is a collective term used by a range of moderate opposition groups in Syria who are fighting the regime and Daesh. The Free Syrian Army are fighting to change the regime in Syria; they call for a pluralistic system that respects the rights of all Syrians. They reject terrorism and terrorist tactics, and have condemned Islamic extremism. They have been fighting both the regime and Daesh in Syria for over two years with success in a number of areas, in particular in Idlib and Aleppo in Northwest Syria and in Dera’a Province in the South.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what projects his Department plans to fund through the £40 million allocated to the Health and Work Innovation Fund.

    Priti Patel

    The Work and Health innovation fund will be used to build an evidence base for what works to improve employment and health outcomes.

    This evidence base will enable the Work and Health Unit to develop proposals for Longer Term reform across Work and health Systems The Unit is currently working with partners including NHS England to develop these proposals.