Category: Speeches

  • Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will offer military resources to assist with the refugee crisis (a) in Lesbos and (b) elsewhere.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Ministry of Defence is already supporting the Home Office in its work with refugees. In the Mediterranean, Royal Navy medics and a Royal Marine force protection team are deployed on board the Border Force chartered vessel MV VOS Grace currently in the Aegean Sea, supporting the EU’s FRONTEX-led search and rescue operation. The Ministry of Defence has also supported HM Government’s Syrian Resettlement Programme through the provision of medical escorts on board some of the charter flights that recently brought Syrian refugees to the UK.

    HMS ENTERPRISE is also deployed to the EU Naval Force operation in the Mediterranean tackling the migrant smugglers who profit from the perilous journeys made by migrants across the Central Mediterranean. Royal Navy assets operating in this operation and the earlier search and rescue operation in the summer, have rescued over 7,500 persons in the Mediterranean since May.

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

    Lord Northbourne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Northbourne on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage or require maintained secondary schools to prepare young people, whilst they are still at school, for their probable future role as parents.

    Lord Nash

    This Government believes that schools are best placed to make decisions about the education of their pupils. Teachers can cover parenting skills in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons. The non-statutory programme of study for PSHE includes the roles and responsibilities of parents, parenting skills, the value of family relationships, and the impact of separation, divorce and bereavement on families.

  • Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what dates between May 2015 and January 2016 inclusive, meetings took place in which ministers from HM Treasury discussed the future of Channel 4.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Treasury Ministers and officials have both regular discussions with colleagues and meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not government practice to release details of routine officials’ discussions as to do so would be impracticable and potentially prejudice the effective conduct of public policy development. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they are considering for the use of off-board systems as part of the UK’s Mine Counter Measures capability.

    Earl Howe

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 8 March 2016 to Question number HL6439, in which I noted that the Royal Navy recognises the operational benefits of unmanned off-board systems. The application of such systems to mine countermeasures capability (MCM) will be included in the Royal Navy’s considerations.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at which military bases unauthorised entries were reported in each year from 2014.

    Mark Lancaster

    The figures for unauthorised entries to military bases include drones and air balloon flying at low altitude over military sites but do not include failed attempts at authorised access. None of these incidents resulted in any significant ramifications for Defence security.

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) treats all unauthorised entries very seriously. They are investigated to a level commensurate with their complexity and impact by Military Police, MOD Police or local constabulary.

    The locations of security incidents of this category recorded within the Ministry of Defence for 2014 are set out below.

    Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth

    HMNB Clyde

    Royal Marine (RM) Stonehouse

    Army Reserve Centre, Bristol

    Army Reserve Centre, Blackburn

    Army Careers Centre, Glasgow

    RAF Halton

    RAF Kirton on Lindsay

    RAF Wyton

    RAF Linton on Ouse

    RAF Brize Norton

    RAF Scampton

    RAF Benson

    RAF Honington

    RAF Mona

    RAF Leeming

    DSTL Porton Down Range Area

    With regard to the locations of security incidents of this category within the MOD for 2015 I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 9 February 2016 to question number 25082.

    “

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a commitment at the World Humanitarian Summit 2016 to work to prevent harm from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    At the World Humanitarian Summit this week the UK reaffirmed its commitment to promoting and enhancing the protection of civilians and civilian objects, by strengthening compliance with International Law. We condemn targeting of civilians and the indiscriminate or disproportionate use of any weapon.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2016 to Question 39715, on his Department’s vacancies, what plans he has for his Department’s graduate recruitment to take place outside London.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is developing a Resourcing Strategy that will include targeted recruitment over the next few years that includes graduate recruitment. We have recently recruited 3 graduates on 1 year internships who will be based in Cardiff and Sheffield, working in Vocational Education, Higher Education and Infrastructure and Materials. We will be developing our graduate resourcing plans in line with business requirements, which will include consideration of roles both inside and outside of London. The Department also participates in a cross-Government graduate scheme. Within this scheme, graduates are centrally recruited from all over the UK and short-term placements are offered by departments, including BIS, across various departmental locations.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the admission arrangements of St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School in Richmond.

    Lord Nash

    The Department does not actively police the admission arrangements of individual schools.

    Each school has an admission authority to set its admission arrangements and ensure those arrangements comply with the School Admissions Code (“the Code”). The admission authority for St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School is the School’s governing body.

    If a parent has concerns about the admission arrangements of a school they can object to the Schools’ Adjudicator. If the Adjudicator finds that the school’s arrangements are unlawful, the admission authority must revise their arrangements to ensure they comply with the Code and other admissions legislation.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2015 to Question 15325, how any of those asylum claims resulted in a positive asylum decision.

    James Brokenshire

    Of those claims which have received a decision, 486 received a positive outcome.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans to publish the results of its consultation on UK Export Finance’s anti-bribery and corruption policy.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government’s Response to the consultation relating to UK Export Finance’s anti-bribery and corruption policy is expected to be published early in the New Year.