Category: Speeches

  • Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent on mental health services in England for each year from 2010-11 to 2015-16.

    Alistair Burt

    In total, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have set plans for 2015/16 which reflect an increase in mental health care expenditure in excess of their increase in allocation for the year. NHS England is tracking actual expenditure against those plans and it will report to the Secretary of State at the end of the year on whether those plans have been met.

    Departmental Ministers meet the Chief Executives of NHS England and Monitor regularly and discuss a wide range of issues, including funding for mental health services.

    NHS England was formally established on 1 April 2013.Expenditure by NHS England on Specialist Mental Health Services for 2013/14 was £1.780 billion and £1.795 billion in 2014/15. NHS England’s planned expenditure on Specialist Mental Health Services for 2015/16 is £1.859 billion.

    NHS England has published CCG level expenditure on mental health for 2013/14, which was estimated to be £8.1 billion. CCGs are currently in the process of preparing estimates of expenditure for mental health services in 2014/15. Estimates for 2015/16 are not available.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications have been made to councils for planning permission for change of use of a shop to betting premises since April 2015; and how many such applications have been successful.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold this information.

  • Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will ensure that the Green Investment Bank continues to pursue its principal objectives after its privatisation.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government is seeking to sell the Green Investment Bank (GIB) so it can grow and increase its impact in green sectors, free of the restrictions of being in the public sector.

    GIB has over £2bn in existing and successful green investments, and employs seventy green sector specialists. This unique green specialism is what will attract investment from investors

    As a key part of any sale discussions, the Government will be asking potential investors to confirm their commitment to GIB’s green values and investment principles and to set out how they propose to protect them.

  • Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Inglewood on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Forestry Commission refuses to allow the use of air rifles by experienced, trained, and insured volunteers as part of an integrated programme for grey squirrel control.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Landowners are free to choose any legal method to control grey squirrels on their own land and to choose the methods they believe to be most effective and appropriate in any location. However, Forestry Commission England currently considers that free shooting has limited effectiveness in controlling grey squirrel populations, with better, more effective methods often available. In addition, the majority of the public forest estate has unrestricted public access and public safety is of paramount importance. For these reasons the Commission does not allow the shooting of grey squirrels by volunteers on its land. Volunteers are, nevertheless, an essential part of controlling grey squirrels and control methodologies continue to be developed and evaluated against the criteria of efficacy, safety and animal welfare. The Commission is additionally encouraging improvements to other methods of control including trapping, as well as assessing the findings of a recent study from Ireland which suggested that an increased pine marten population may result in a reduced grey squirrel population.

    The Commission is seriously concerned about the negative impact of grey squirrel populations on woodland and specifically on native woodland. The Government is committed to pursuing co-ordinated action at a national level and in conjunction with partners through the Squirrel Accord, to which both Defra and Forestry Commission England are signatories. Work is continuing to improve the effectiveness of control methods; the structure of grants has been changed to support grey squirrel control and substantial work continues with partners to support our red squirrel populations, including through the control of grey squirrels. The Commission is open to further engagement with national and local organisations as well as landowners sharing our commitment to grey squirrel control for the protection of woodland and red squirrel populations.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government’s policy is on steps to increase cooperation between police forces and fire services.

    Mike Penning

    The Government is committed to supporting the police and fire services to work more closely together. The Policing and Crime Bill includes a duty to collaborate and enables Police and Crime Commissioners to make the case to take on responsibility for fire and rescue locally, extending the benefits of directly elected, accountable leadership and driving collaboration.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress as regards refugees and migrants they are seeking from the planned France–UK, internal EU, EU–Turkey and UNHCR meetings; and whether they will report to Parliament on the results of those meetings.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has regular discussions with EU and non-EU partners on refugees and migration. The Government’s consistent focus is on securing a durable and comprehensive solution to the current migration crisis, which tackles the causes of migration as well as the consequences. The UK-France Summit Communiqué contains information on our bilateral cooperation in this area. The Government will report the details of all relevant meetings to Parliament as appropriate.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the financial requirements for tier 1 Entrepreneur visas.

    James Brokenshire

    In March 2015, the Government commissioned the Independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to assess the economic benefit of the UK’s provisions for non-EEA entrepreneurs. The MAC made a number of recommendations for reform of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route. On financial requirements they recommended that:

    • the Government consider setting the lower investment threshold in the range of £40,000 to £50,000; and

    • the higher investment threshold of £200,000 should apply to each applicant (currently, two applicants can share the funding i.e. £100,000 each), and that there may be a case for an inflationary uplift.

    The Government is currently considering the MAC’s advice, and will announce its response in due course.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions a Royal Navy submarine was deployed to the Arctic region in each of the last six years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Astute class submarines are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in a versatile vessel. The Royal Navy maintains world-wide deployability with its submarines, this includes under-ice capability.

    We do not discuss the detail of such submarine operations, as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which EU (a) legislative and (b) other proposals his Department is leading negotiations on for the Government in the Council of the EU.

    Matthew Hancock

    Cabinet Office Ministers are responsible for four EU proposals being negotiated in the Council of Ministers. They are:

    * Proposal for a Council Decision adopting the provisions amending the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage

    * Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the accessibility of public sector bodies’ websites.

    * Proposal for a Regulation of the EP and Council amending Regulation (EC) No 471/2009 on Community statistics relating to external trade with non-member countries as regards conferring of delegated and implementing powers upon the Commission for the adoption of certain measures.

    * Proposal for a Regulation of the EP and Council on the provision and quality of statistics for the macroeconomic imbalances procedure

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent meetings she has had with the National Security Adviser on transparency and effectiveness of the cross-government aid funds.

    Rory Stewart

    The Secretary of State for International Development has regular meetings with the National Security Adviser and discusses a range of issues.