Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Twigg on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that its support for education in its target countries reaches (a) girls and (b) other marginalised groups.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Providing a good quality education for all children, especially girls and those who are most disadvantaged is a priority for the Department. The UK supported 11 million children in school between 2010 and 2015. We have again committed to support 11 million children in the poorest countries gain a decent education by 2020. The UK has specifically committed to support 6.5 million girls in school by 2020. Our flagship Girls Education Challenge is ensuring that up to 1 million marginalised girls, progress through school with improved learning outcomes. In July DFID will be hosting a Girls’ Education Forum to drive the implementation of Global Goal 4 for girls and agree actions for making faster progress on girls’ education.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they made of the risks to national security and to service personnel before publishing the names of soldiers and potential recruits online.

    Earl Howe

    The Armed Forces have a long history of publishing a nominal roll of serving officers, in the form of the ‘The Navy List’, ‘The Army List’ and the ‘The Air Force List’, generically known as the Armed Forces Lists.

    The Armed Forces Lists’ information was first published online in 2014, following requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and as part of our overall commitment to transparency. This information was judged to be releasable, having previously been published annually for over 200 years.

    In September 2015, the policy on the publication of the Armed Forces Lists was reviewed and a decision was made to significantly reduce the information published, limiting this to information on officers at one star rank (Brigadier and equivalents) and above, except in respect of the Royal Navy. Details of those officers commanding a warship would continue to be published through release of a suitable version of the ‘Fleet Bridge Card’, which provides information on the number of RN Senior officers in command of the Fleet, the Flotillas and the warships. This decision was informed by advice on security risks. The previous Service Lists published on the Gov.uk website have now been removed.

    Names of soldiers at Warrant Officer rank and below and potential recruits have never been published online in the Armed Forces Lists.

  • David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department received any representations from King’s College Dental School, between 2012 and 2014, on the use of dental tests to establish the age of people claiming asylum.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Home Office received representations from a number of bodies be-tween 2012 and 2014 about the possible use of dental tests to establish the age of people claiming asylum. The view of many of those making representations was that the use of dental tests for this purpose would be unreliable, inappropriate and unethical.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) contracts and (b) sub-contracts (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department have awarded (A) Netcracker Technology and (B) Computer Sciences Corporation.

    Matthew Hancock

    Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:http://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive

    Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

    “

  • The Earl of Clancarty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Earl of Clancarty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Saudi Arabia in the case of Ashraf Fayadh.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of, and concerned about, the case of Palestinian national Mr Ashraf Fayadh. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and strongly support freedom of expression in every country. We regularly make the Saudi Arabian authorities aware of our views, and will consider suitable opportunities for raising our concerns over this case.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason Cabinet Office spend over £25,000 has not been updated beyond December 2014.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 17 December 2015 to UIN: 20015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the 24 trade unionists killed in Colombia in 2015.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our Embassy in Bogotá takes every opportunity to urge the Colombian government to take further measures to prevent violence and threats against human rights defenders and trade unionists. Our Ambassador in Bogotá raised concerns about human rights defenders with the Colombian Interior Minister on 1 February and with the Presidential Advisor for Human Rights on 4 February. Furthermore, this year we are funding a Colombian NGO to develop protection measures for human rights defenders in rural areas. Our Embassy will continue to raise these issues in regular meetings with the Colombian government.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26579, what financial assistance her Department provided to charities who support women and children who have suffered an instance of domestic abuse in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The previous Government provided £40 million of stable funding for domestic abuse and sexual violence services between 2011 and 2015, equating to £10 million per year and including funding for independent domestic violence advisers, MARAC coordinators and national helplines.

    This funding was extended until April 2016, supplemented by an additional £10 million for refugees, and a £3.5 million fund to boost the provision of domestic violence services including refugees. This funding supports all victims of domestic abuse including those with children.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the outcomes have been of her Department’s programme of post-conflict development in Northern Uganda.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Post-Conflict Development Programme for Northern Uganda aims to improve service delivery in health, support the most vulnerable and help young people find employment, amongst other activities. This is in line with the new UK Aid Strategy which includes tackling the root causes of instability and conflict. Some of the main achievements include:

    • Training 15,000 youth in vocational skills.
    • Training 14,000 youth in entrepreneurialism.
    • Construction of 1,738 homes for health workers and teachers to allow them to provide vital services in an under-served region, and reduce drivers of instability.
    • Testing 60,992 children under five with high fevers for Malaria and providing treatment for those who were shown to be infected.
    • Providing 10,000 food transfers in return for work to families at risk of malnutrition and unable to access employment opportunities due to the post conflict environment.
  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance there is for briefing relatives following Boards of Inquiry which take place when there has been an in-service death; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Boards of Inquiry were replaced in 2008 by Service Inquiries. The policy on Service Inquiries, which includes support to families, is laid out in Ministry of Defence Joint Service Publication (JSP) 832, Guide to Service Inquiries.

    Further, JSP 751, Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures, provides the framework and direction on casualty management, from which the single Services develop and deliver their support for bereaved families. No distinction is made between operational and non-operational deaths.

    Although JSPs 832 and 751 lay out the overarching policy and processes, the single Services may involve different organisations in supporting bereaved families according to individual need and local circumstances.

    In the case of a Defence Safety Authority Service Inquiry, next of kin are offered a personal brief from the Inquiry President on the findings before they are published.