Category: Speeches

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect ancient woodland along the route of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HS2 Ltd has sought to design HS2 to avoid environmental impacts, including those on ancient woodlands, wherever reasonably practicable. Where this is not possible mitigation or compensation measures will be undertaken.

    High Speed Two Information paper E2: Ecological Impact, outlines how ecological impacts have been assessed and how they will be mitigated or compensated for during construction of the proposed scheme. To compensate for the unavoidable loss of ancient woodland, the nominated undertaker will use best practice measures such as re-using the ancient woodland soils. Furthermore, we are extending the Chilterns Tunnel to avoid impacts on the ancient woodlands at Mantles Wood, Farthings Wood and Sibley’s Coppice.

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

    Lord Farmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Farmer on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether professionals who work with children, such as social workers and teachers, are legally required to leave their professions if they continue to live, or resume living, with a convicted sex offender to whom they are married, or with whom they have had children who are no longer minors, after that offender has served a custodial or community sentence.

    Lord Nash

    Arrangements within the Childcare Act 2006 and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 disqualify a person from providing, working in, or managing childcare provision on the grounds that a person in their household has committed a relevant offence. A number of the qualifying offences are of a sexual nature.

    A person disqualified from working in any childcare setting for these reasons is able to apply to Ofsted for a waiver against disqualification. Where a waiver is granted the disqualified person is permitted to work in childcare.

    The Department publishes guidance (attached) to assist schools, childcare providers and those working in childcare and help them understand the arrangements.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of children likely to be affected by the planned replacement of widowed parent’s allowance by bereavement allowance.

    Priti Patel

    Bereavement support payments will be introduced from April 2017 for new claimants only. Existing claimants of Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance will remain on those benefits for the lifetime of their awards therefore there will be no impact on them or their families.

    Bereavement Support Payment is forecasted to cost the Department for Work and Pensions an extra £100m in the first three years. The full cost to the exchequer will be greater than this as, unlike its predecessors, Bereavement Support Payment will not be taxable.

    Further information on forecast expenditure is provided via the link below.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487612/outturn-and-forecast-autumn-statement-2015.xlsx

    “

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to ensure that UK fisheries are managed at or below maximum sustainable yield by 2020; what steps she plans to take to maintain a sustainable fisheries policy after the UK leaves the EU; and if she will take steps to work with European partners to support sustainable fishing after the UK leaves the EU.

    George Eustice

    Exit from the European Union presents us with an opportunity to improve the way waters in the United Kingdom’s Exclusive Economic Zone are managed. No decisions have yet been taken, although the government remains committed to sustainable fisheries and the discard ban, as set out in its manifesto commitments, and will promote international cooperation in the management of shared stocks.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how (a) much funding from the public purse has been allocated to and (b) many full-time equivalent staff have been employed by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner in each of the last two years.

    Sarah Newton

    The Government allocation to the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner was £500,000 in 2015/16 and £575,000 in 2016/17. The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner employed six full-time staff and one part-time staff in 2015/16, and seven full-time and one part-time staff in 2016/17.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

    “

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on including road policing as a strategic policing requirement.

    Andrew Jones

    Department for Transport and Home Office Ministers have an ongoing dialogue about the importance of road safety and its enforcement. Road Safety does not fall under the Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) as this advises what, in strategic terms, needs to be achieved in tackling major national threats such as terrorism and organised crime. It is the role of the police to decide how the Requirement is met and if road policing capabilities are appropriate to tackle Strategic Policing Requirement national threats.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-01-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps in the business rates review to make specific provision for manufacturing industries.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is considering the impact of business rates on all business sectors including energy intensive industries, manufacturing industries and the retail industry as part of the business rates review. The review will be fiscally neutral and will report at Budget 2016.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Sierra Leone regarding the Safe Abortion Act 2015.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government was encouraged by the successful passage of the Safe Abortion Bill through the Sierra Leone Parliament last December. We are disappointed that interventions from stakeholders outside Parliament meant that the Bill was not signed into law and is undergoing further consultation.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the working time regulations; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills keeps the working time regulations under continuous review. We will continue to engage with interested parties to determine the best way forward in this area.