Category: Speeches

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefits claimants in Dumfries and Galloway were sanctioned between the months of October and December for each year from 2010 until the most recent date for which figures are available.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested, up to 30 June 2015, is published and available at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/:

    Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how the PSHE Association guidance on body image is distributed to teachers.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The PSHE Association guidance on body image is available for download from the PSHE Association website. This is a freely available resource that can be accessed by anyone wishing to find out further information on how to address this topic, and what resources are available to do so. Anyone accessing the website, including teachers, can download the document here: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?ID=1437

    “

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 26 January (HL5024), what is the timeframe of the discussions about the legality of essay mills between the Consumer and Markets Authority and the Quality Assurance Agency.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Quality Assurance Agency have now met with the Competition and Markets Authority and are considering further how to take this forward.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on (a) border security and (b) terror threats of the UK leaving the EU.

    James Brokenshire

    At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU. The Government published a white paper, ‘The best of both worlds’, on 22 February, which sets out how membership of the EU enhances our ability to co-operate with other EU Member States to combat crime and terrorism and keep all parts of the United Kingdom safe while maintaining our own border controls, remaining outside of the Schengen border-free area.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans are in place to upgrade trains and services on the Sunderland to Nunthorpe line.

    Andrew Jones

    Services between Sunderland and Middlesbrough will benefit from additional morning and later evening trains. The line between Whitby and Middlesbrough (including Nunthorpe) will benefit from an earlier morning arrival from Whitby into Middlesbrough and the provision of Sunday services all year round.

    All trains on the franchise will be upgraded and fully refurbished to include improved seating, repainted interiors, Wi-Fi, real time passenger information screens and improved lighting. In addition, all the existing Pacer trains will be withdrawn by the end of 2019.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of enlisted soldiers attain (a) Level 1 and (b) Level 2 literacy and numeracy skills by the end of their third year of service.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Army has traditionally linked the recording and attainment of english and maths qualifications to the point at which an individual is ready for promotion to Corporal or Senior Non Commissioned Officer ranks, rather than as a factor of time. The growth in numbers of personnel joining the Army and pursuing an apprenticeship has changed this approach and simplified the measurement of attainment by time.

    Between 1 August 2012 and 31 July 2015 1,028 soldiers gained both Level 1 functional skills (FS) english and maths qualifications; and a further 722 soldiers gained the comparable qualifications at Level 2. This represents 11.8% of those enlisting (14,816) during the same period. This does not include those who gained just a functional skill in english or a functional skill in maths qualification, nor those who already held english and maths qualification on enlistment.

    In total 23,699 FS (english and maths) qualifications at Level 1 and 2 were gained by Regular soldiers through apprenticeship and AEC provision in 2014-15. Of these 41% were at Level 1 and 59% at Level 2.

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the result of the EU referendum, whether British companies can still tender freely and on equal terms for active public procurement opportunities in other EU member states; and whether they will be able to do so (1) after Article 50 is invoked, and (2) up until negotiations for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU are concluded.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The current public procurement rules will continue to apply until the UK has left the EU following the successful conclusion of exit negotiations.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to establish a body with the remit of ensuring that the rights of public transport users are protected.

    Paul Maynard

    The Government remains committed to safeguarding the interests of public transport users, doing so (in addition to the work of the DfT) primarily through the following three bodies:

    • The Office of Rail and Road, which protects rail passenger rights through licensing train operating companies and enforcing consumer protection law in the rail sector.
    • Transport Focus is responsible for representing the interests of Britain’s rail passengers as well as those of bus, coach and tram passengers in England (outside of London).
    • London TravelWatch, which is funded by the London Assembly, performs a similar role to that of Transport Focus for passengers in London.

    The Government remains open-minded to considering any alternatives as to how these arrangements could be further improved in the future.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the length of time it is taking the British Virgin Island government to respond to its consultation on a public register of beneficial ownership.

    James Duddridge

    The BVI Government issued a public consultation document in November 2013, seeking public opinion on whether or not the BVI should adopt a central register of beneficial ownership. The consultation process concluded in March 2014 and this was followed by a review and analysis of the submissions. The results were published in February 2015. Since then the BVI Government has been working with the financial services industry to develop proposals which led to the Statement made by the Premier in the House of Assembly on 3 November on changes to the BVI Business Companies Act and Anti Money Laundering legislation. We will continue to work with the BVI authorities so that the changes to their systems meet the three criteria that the Government has set out.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been undertaken to ensure that reductions in the public health budget do not negatively affect those who share protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government reached its decisions on implementing reductions in the 2015/16 local authority public health grant after giving full consideration to its duty under the Equality Act 2010 (the public sector equality duty, or PSED). The Government’s response to a public consultation exercise, published on 4 November 2015, contains an equality analysis of the options for making the saving. A copy is attached.

    Final decisions on the distribution of the grant in 2016/17 have not yet been taken, but again will be made in the light of the PSED. Government decisions on the quantum of the grant have taken account of the PSED. Local authorities are responsible for identifying local needs and priorities for public health interventions, and for making decisions on local spending. Local authorities are themselves subject to the PSED.