Category: Speeches

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether school funding for (a) inner London boroughs and (b) outer London boroughs will decrease in the next financial year.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    I can assure my Hon Friend that per pupil funding for a) inner London boroughs and b) outer London boroughs will not decline in the next financial year. The dedicated schools grant schools block is maintained at cash flat per pupil for the 2016 to 2017 financial year for all local authorities. In addition, the pupil premium is also maintained at the current per pupil amounts for the 2016 to 2017 financial year. As announced in the Chancellor’s spending review statement, we will introduce a national funding formula from 2017. We will consult on proposals later this year.

  • Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to enable armed forces personnel who train as drivers to receive transferable civilian HGV qualifications.

    Mark Lancaster

    Drivers within the Armed Forces undertake the same vehicle licence training, resulting in the same licences, as their civilian counterparts. Drivers leaving the Ministry of Defence will retain (unless expired through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) all the vehicle licences that they have gained during their service career.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on late-stage Lyme disease treatment in each of the last three years.

    Jane Ellison

    As services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally information on the costs associated with laboratory testing and treatment of late stage Lyme disease is not collected centrally. Nor is information collected centrally on the average time to diagnose cases of Lyme disease.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is developing a clinical guideline on Lyme disease and reports progress on its website. NICE recently consulted on a draft scope for the guideline, and expects to publish final guidance in July 2018.

    Public Health England and NHS Choices publish information on their websites to raise awareness of Lyme disease and encourage timely medical consultation because early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is the best way of limiting complications from infection. Given the need to maintain public awareness these or similar mechanisms are expected to continue beyond 2018. Increased awareness is likely to encourage early consultation but no information on the time taken to seek medical advice is available.

    There are no plans to set targets for diagnosis and treatment as most cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed empirically by general practitioners using their clinical judgement rather than relying on a laboratory test, thus treatment can start immediately. Diagnosis of patients with late or complicated Lyme disease can be difficult and the National Health Service will continue to provide care taking account of the existing evidence base.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 32639, how much of the investment in energy efficiency measures referred to in (a) the 2010 to 2015 Parliament and (b) the current Parliament is classified as direct government investment.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The vast majority of spending on energy efficiency is delivered through Government obligations on energy suppliers and is thus not classified as direct Government investment.

    Of the £7.4bn estimated spend last parliament, around £150m is classified as direct Government investment [1] (around 2% of the total); this parliament around £100m of the £3.6bn spend (also around 2%) falls into this category.

    [1] Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, Cashback and Green Deal Communities

  • Nigel Dodds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many police officers there are per head of population (a) in Northern Ireland, (b) in the Metropolitan Police Service area and (c) on average for all police forces in the UK.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    There is currently 1 PSNI officer per 273 of the population in Northern Ireland.

    The answers for part (b) and (c) are matters for the Home Office.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the first F35 Joint Strike Fighters are planned to be operational.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Initial Operating Capability for the UK’s F-35B Lightning aircraft is scheduled for December 2018.

    The most recent US Selected Acquisition Report (SAR 2015) estimates that the production, sustainment and support revenue generated by the global F-35 fleet through the life of the programme will be over one trillion US dollars. The UK manufactures approximately 15% of each F-35 aircraft, however as the F-35 programme is still determining its Global Support Solution footprint, we are not yet in a position to determine the potential revenue for UK industry.

    The programme is expecting to procure over 3,000 aircraft across the F-35 Partner Nations. This will be further supplemented by Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. FMS engagement and future sales projections are managed by, and are a matter for, the US Government.

  • Baroness Hayman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Hayman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayman on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the World Health Organisation’s designation of Sierra Leone as free from Ebola, they plan to support the resumption of direct flights from the UK to that country.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Given the improved situation in Sierra Leone, the resumption of direct flights is currently being reviewed by the Government. Subject to the outcome of this review, we are prepared to process the appropriate permissions for flights to begin.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 28 October (HL2778), what has been the outcome of the investigation into serious allegations” about the 111 service in the East Midlands.”

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We understand that NHS England has received a detailed and independent report on the whistle-blower’s allegations about the NHS 111 services in Derbyshire which is currently being considered. NHS England will formally respond later this month. We are assured that no immediate risks to patient care have been identified and local commissioners report that service levels are effective and appropriate.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the excess winter mortality rate was for (a) the North West and (b) Burnley in winter 2014-15.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the change in that part of her Department’s budget which is allocated to free school meals that will result from discontinuation of universal infant free school meals; and whether such a change would trigger a consequential change in the payment to devolved administrations under the Barnett formula.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Universal infant free school meals have been a great success, with over 1.3 million additional infants enjoying a nutritious, free meal at lunchtime and parents saving hundreds of pounds a year. The Chancellor made it clear at the spending review in the autumn that, in line with the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitment, this policy will be protected for the duration of the Parliament. It costs around £600 million a year in England, with proportionate funding going to the devolved administrations under the Barnett formula.