Category: Speeches

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to fund employment schemes that were launched on 26 January 2016 after the UK leaves the EU.

    Damian Hinds

    In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

    The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of households in each region of the UK have access to superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    According to the Ofcom Communications Market Report, published in August 2015, superfast broadband is available to 83 per cent of UK premises. Regionally, it is available to 84 per cent of the premises in England, 79 per cent in Wales, 77 per cent in Northern Ireland, and 73 per cent in Scotland. We aim to reach 95 per cent coverage by 2017.In addition we are supporting seven pilot projects to explore ways to extend superfast broadband beyond 95 per cent of UK home and businesses.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia concerning the death sentence imposed on the Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is aware of, and concerned about, the case of Mr Ashraf Fayadh. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which include the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”. We take every opportunity to make the Saudi Arabian authorities aware of our views.

    The Government is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, challenge their governments peacefully; exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights, wherever they occur.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been charged with trying to escape from a prison van in each of the last five years; and how many such people have avoided recapture.

    Andrew Selous

    The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not hold data about the number of people charged with trying to escape from vehicles operated by NOMS or by contractors.

    NOMS has implemented a range of measures in recent years to improve the security surrounding prisoners on escort. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 23 prisoners escaped from vehicles operated by NOMS or by contractors. All were re-captured.

    Overall, the number of escapes from prison escorts almost halved from 102 between 2005-06 and 2009-10, to 59 between 2010-11 and 2014-15.

    The table below gives the numbers and details of the escapes for each of these years.

    Escapes from escorts while entering or leaving vehicles1 or en route to or from venue

    Response

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    ENTERING VEHICLE

    0

    0

    0

    2

    2

    LEAVING VEHICLE

    0

    1

    1

    1

    0

    VEHICLE EN ROUTE FROM VENUE

    0

    2

    0

    1

    0

    VEHICLE EN ROUTE TO VENUE

    1

    6

    1

    3

    2

    TOTAL

    1

    9

    2

    7

    4

    (1) Vehicles primarily refer to prison vans used for escorting prisoner but do include other vehicle types

    The table below provides information about escapes which have taken place from prison escort and private escort contractors from 2005/06 to 2014/15. The table includes escapes from courts but not those escapes of less than 15 minutes’ duration and covers the full duration of the escort process.

    KPI Escapes1 from Prison Escort2 and from Private Escort Contractors (PECS)3 from 2005/06 to 2014/15

    2005 /06

    2006 /07

    2007 /08

    2008 /09

    2009 /10

    2010 /11

    2011 /12

    2012 /13

    2013 /14

    2014 /15

    KPI Prison Escorts Escapes

    8

    6

    2

    4

    3

    1

    2

    0

    2

    1

    KPI Contracted Out Escort (PECS) Escapes

    17

    19

    16

    15

    12

    10

    13

    9

    9

    12

    KPI Category A Escapes during Escort

    –

    –

    –

    –

    –

    –

    1

    –

    –

    –

    1) The definition of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Escape if (i) the prisoner is at liberty for 15 minutes or more before recapture or (ii) a prisoner escapes and is charged with another criminal offence.

    2) Escaping the control of escorting prison service staff.

    3) Escapes from the secure vehicles or supervision of contracted prison escorts. This includes escapes from court where contracted prison escort staff have been notified.

    “

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance the UK has given to the Ministries of Defence and armed forces of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine to help set up a joint multinational brigade.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The UK has developed strong relationships with the Armed Forces of Poland Lithuania and Ukraine: we are partners in the Northern Group with Poland; Lithuania is a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force; and to-date our UK Armed Forces have delivered 35 courses to train nearly 1,700 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at nine locations in Ukraine and we remain on course to have trained 2,000 troops by April 2016. We have not provided any assistance to the recently announced joint Polish, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian multinational brigade.

  • 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 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on replacement of Vector protected patrol vehicles.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Vector was finally removed from service in 2015 and is currently awaiting disposal. Protected mobility capability is currently provided by a range of vehicles from the existing core fleet, including former Urgent Operational Requirement platforms retained in service following their return from Afghanistan. In the longer term, the Multi Role Vehicle (Protected) series of platforms will provide a light to medium protected vehicle capability.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 March (HL Deb, col GC298), how much new employment has followed the expenditure of £349 million by the Department for International Development for Palestinian economic development between 2011 and 2015.

    Baroness Verma

    DFID’s support to the Occupied Palestinian Territories is delivering a range of results including enrolment of children in primary school, improvements to maternal health-care, humanitarian assistance and legal assistance to Palestinians at risk of eviction from their land. As part of this support, between 2011 and 2015, DFID provided over £3 million to the Facility for New Market Development Programme and Palestinian Market Development Programme, which has helped businesses expand into new markets and products, and supported the creation of over 2800 new jobs. DFID also provided £2 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency’s which supported the creation of over 45,000 short-term jobs for Palestinians in Gaza who have been affected by movement and access restrictions.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Bangladesh about (1) the arrest of Shafik Rehman on 16 April, and (2) the recent harassment of other journalists in Bangladesh; and what was the outcome of those representations.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Consular officials in Dhaka have registered the British Government’s interest in Mr Rehman’s case with the Director, Consular Affairs at the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and requested consular access to Mr Rehman. Our High Commissioner in Dhaka raised this case with the MFA’s Director General EU.

    We have made clear our concerns about freedom of expression in Bangladesh, most recently in a press statement about the murder of Nazimuddin Samad. In that statement the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), restated the Government’s position that the right to freedom of expression and open debate in Bangladesh must be upheld.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20987, what discussions representatives of the British Embassy have had with the Columbian government on the detention of Professor Miguel Angel Beltran; whether they have raised concerns with that government on his current state of health; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We work closely with the Colombian Government as part of our joint efforts to improve Colombia’s human rights situation. We regularly raise human rights concerns, including the treatment and conditions of imprisoned Human Rights Defenders, with our Colombian counterparts. During Dr Beltran’s trial on 25 January, the Supreme Court of Justice transferred the complaint on the conditions of Dr Beltran’s imprisonment to the Colombian National Prisons Authority and to the Offices of the Inspector General and Ombudsman. Officials in our Embassy in Bogota will continue to monitor Dr Beltran’s case and to raise our concerns with Colombian officials.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training taxi and private hire drivers are required to complete to support blind and partially sighted passengers.

    Andrew Jones

    Whilst no national mandatory requirements exist to provide training, we strongly encourage licensing authorities to consider requiring their taxi and private hire drivers to undergo training, ensuring that every passenger can be provided with a first class service.

    Well-designed disability awareness training, provided by the local authority, can help drivers to understand their legal duties and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to assist a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired.