Category: Speeches

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department plans to allocate £2.4 million for the security measures at vulnerable faith institutions in Action Against Hate: the UK Government’s plan for tackling hate crime, published in July 2016; and if she will make a statement.

    Sarah Newton

    Places of worship that have been subject to, or are vulnerable to, hate crime attacks can bid for protective security measures such as CCTV cameras, perimeter fencing, access control equipment, locks and alarms. The criteria for the scheme and guidance on how to apply are published on Gov.UK.

    285 bids were received for this years scheme which closed on 4 October. Applications which meet the scheme criteria are assessed by an independent advisory panel which recommends those which should be funded. The panel will consider this years applications on 25 October 2016.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when Ofcom plans to publish its report on measuring frameworks for media plurality.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom published its report on a framework for media plurality on 5th November.

  • Baroness Rebuck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness Rebuck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Rebuck on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of prisoners’ access to course-specific books and study materials to support their studies towards recognised further or higher education qualifications, and what plans they have to improve current arrangements.

    Lord Faulks

    Offender Learning and Skills providers are responsible for ensuring learners can access course specific books and study materials. Books may also be accessed through prison libraries and sent by families and friends.

    On 8 September the Secretary of State asked Dame Sally Coates to lead a review of education in prisons which will report in due course.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19365, on supported housing, if he will place the remit of the evidence review in the Library.

    Brandon Lewis

    A copy of the specification for the review has been put in the Library of the House.

    The Review began in January 2015. The Department of Work and Pensions and the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned Ipsos MORI in partnership with Imogen Blood and Associates and Housing and Support Partnership Limited to undertake the evidence review. The report will be published later this year.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the Tata Steel Task Force meetings on 20 January 2016 and 1 February 2016.

    Stephen Crabb

    The Welsh Taskforce was convened on 20 January and met subsequently on 1 February. The next meeting will be held on 15 February.

    The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, attended the meeting on 1 February and will attend future meetings whenever practicable. Due to prior commitments he was unable to attend the first meeting and the Wales Office Director represented the Department. UK Government officials also attend Taskforce meetings.

    The Taskforce is chaired by Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart. Minutes of the Taskforce and any agreed programme of work are matters for the Welsh Government.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Leader of the House, what his Office’s wellness strategy is.

    Chris Grayling

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 3 March 2016, to Question UIN 27925.

    “

  • Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jowell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what dedicated and expert resources they have in each department to support bereaved families and survivors in the event of a terrorist attack.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government, law enforcement, and the security and intelligence agencies work tirelessly to prevent terrorist attacks wherever possible. Resources are in place for the provision of general and specialist support for those affected by terrorist attacks either in the UK or abroad, including bereaved families and survivors.

    A range of medical, psychological, liaison, and compensation support arrangements can be provided suited to the specific circumstances.

    Our approach is set out below.

    Support for victims of terrorism overseas

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides support during any crisis overseas, including a terrorist attack, ensuring that the government responds effectively to deliver rapid and professional assistance to British nationals affected. The crisis centre in London can bring together teams of more than a hundred people from across government to coordinate a response and can call on trained staff to both bolster the team in London and be deployed to the country affected. This includes consular support to survivors and to families of victims, working with police family liaison officers and overseas authorities to provide support, assistance and information.

    Immediately after the 2015 terrorist attack in Sousse, the Prime Minister established an ad hoc Ministerial Committee to coordinate support from across government to all British Nationals that were affected. The Committee has oversight of arrangements for the memorial service (which took place on 12 April), a physical memorial, compensation and a programme to provide support for those experiencing mental health difficulties.

    Support for victims of terrorism in the United Kingdom

    In the event that an attack were to take place in the UK, bereaved families and survivors are entitled to support and services under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime; this is published by the Ministry of Justice and can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/476900/code-of-practice-for-victims-of-crime.PDF. This includes access to medical support and any specialist support such as psychological support. Families and victims are able to access these directly without a referral.

    The Victim Information Service provides advice for victims of terrorism. This can be accessed online at www.victimsinformationservice.org.uk/im-victim-terrorist-attack/ or by phone on 0808 168 9293.

    Government funding is also provided for the national Homicide Service and a number of smaller organisations to support those living in England and Wales bereaved by murder or manslaughter, whether committed here or abroad which includes those bereaved by terrorism.

    Compensation

    The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority administers both the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and Victim of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme, which provide compensation to victims of terrorist attacks in the UK and of designated terrorist attacks overseas.

    Northern Ireland-related terrorism

    Responsibility for dealing with Northern Ireland-related terrorism rests with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and, for that reason, this answer does not cover Northern Ireland-related terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland. The response does however, cover any Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Great Britain.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the budget available to the Government is to spend on the EU referendum for each expenditure line and expenditure type.

    John Penrose

    The Government published details of the cost of the production, distribution and publication of its EU Referendum leaflet and associated website on 6th April 2016. The Government continues to take forward its policy on the full range of European business, including the Referendum, as part of the normal work of Departments. Departments will account for expenditure in the normal way, through Annual Report and Accounts.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to implement recommendation 15 of the Department for Transport’s Maritime Growth Study, published in September 2015, on improving links between the Royal Navy and the wider UK maritime sector.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Navy (RN) has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to allow Warfare Officers to obtain commercial Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates of competency. Discussions with the MCA have commenced to develop a similar MOU for Engineer Officers and Ratings. More widely the RN continues to seek to align its training with STCW requirements. The RN Resettlement Service also offers impartial advice on second careers with many strong links with maritime sector organisations and companies.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have delayed providing information to the Intelligence and Security Committee in order to make a determination as to whether to share that information, as set out in Schedule 1 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is unable to find any record of having delayed providing information to the Intelligence and Security Committee in order to make a determination as to whether to share that information, as set out in Schedule 1 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.