Category: Speeches

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent young people obtaining knives online.

    Karen Bradley

    Reducing violence including knife crime is a priority for this Government. In addition to our work with the police and other partners we are working closely with retailers to encourage the responsible sale of knives both in-store and online.

    There are already strict laws on the sale of knives and on how knives can be marketed. It is illegal to sell knives to anyone under 18 (except for folding knives with a blade that does not exceed 7.62cm). The Home Secretary chaired a roundtable with major retailers and the British Retail Consortium on 14 March to encourage them to sell knives more responsibly and discuss what steps they can take to ensure that they have strong age verification processes in place.

    On 23 March the Home Secretary announced agreement of a new set of principles with major retailers to prevent the underage sales of knives both in-store and online, together with commitments on staff training, safe displays, and sales in online marketplaces.

    The agreement is available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sale-of-knives-voluntary-agreement-by-retailers

    We will be working with the British Retail Consortium to promote and extend the principles to other retailers.

    “

  • Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the original projected in-service date was for the first Type 26 Global Combat Ship; and what the current projected in-service date is for first such ship.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    For equipment procurement programmes, the cost and schedule is set at the main investment decision, however, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS) programme has not yet reached that stage.

    As is normal practice for equipment procurement programmes, we have developed a planning assumption that the first Type 26 GCS would come into service in 2022.

    We are working with industry to develop an optimised schedule for the Type 26 GCS programme to implement the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. This work is ongoing and will inform the main investment decision.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-06-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the rate of VAT levied on over-the-counter medicines; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    VAT is a broad based tax on consumption, with the twenty per cent standard rate applying to most goods and services.

    A zero rate of VAT is applied to drugs provided on prescription and dispensed by a dispensing chemist.

    The Chancellor keeps all tax policy under review but has no plans to change the VAT treatment of medicines.

  • Andrew Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations on which (i) key net roads and (ii) highway responsibilities could be devolved to the proposed Solent combined authority.

    Mr John Hayes

    DfT officials have had some early conversations with local authorities about the possibilities for coordinating/improving transport delivery across the Solent area as part of potential combined authority proposals. Discussions across Government are still ongoing.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) arrests for and (b) successful prosecutions of individuals charged with counter-terrorism offences in (i) Coventry and (ii) the West Midlands in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Home Office releases a quarterly statistics bulletin on the operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000. It contains information on the numbers of arrests, charges and convictions for terrorism-related offences. The latest bulletin was released in September 2015 and can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-financial-year-ending-march-2015

    The data is not broken down by geographic location. To do so could give an indication of the deployment of police resources and might prejudice ongoing operations.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what NHS medical support is available for (1) asylum seekers, and (2) refugees.

    Lord Bates

    Only those asylum seekers (and their dependants) who receive asylum support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are entitled to access NHS medical services. They are able to access free NHS prescriptions, free dental treatment, free eye sight tests, help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses, free wigs and fabric supports and help with the cost of travel to receive treatment under the care of a consultant.

    The Home Office takes all reasonable steps to ensure the health and welfare of asylum seekers who receive asylum support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. At the inception of their claim, they are provided with an opportunity to undergo assessment by health officials and suitable steps are taken to provide them with access to appropriate medical treatment, this includes advice on how to register with a GP practice and how to access emergency treatment at a hospital or walk in centre.

    Those qualifying asylum seekers, as outlined above, are provided with a HC2 certificate which confirms to medical practitioners that they are eligible to access appropriate medical services.

    Refugees who have been granted asylum status are eligible for services from the National Health Service on the same basis as the general population.

  • Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with waste operators on the effect of planned changes to the Landfill Communities Fund.

    Damian Hinds

    The government has received representations from a number of waste operators on this issue. We are taking views into consideration and our priority is to ensure that the LCF operates effectively and encourages money to be spent in the communities that need it.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to start the consultation on introducing legislative change to require transparency of the beneficial ownership of all UK properties.

    Matthew Hancock

    Further to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member in November to UIN 17111, I can confirm that a consultation will be launched shortly.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the impact assessment carried out by his Department’s board on the closure of St Paul’s Place, Sheffield; and what account his Department took of the diversity implications of that closure.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department will shortly be publishing an Equality Impact Assessment on the proposal to close the office at St Paul’s Place, Sheffield, which will include an assessment of the diversity implications.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps will be taken to ensure the safety of driverless cars.

    Andrew Jones

    We have developed ‘Pathway to Driverless Cars: a Code of Practice for testing’ to promote the safe and responsible testing of automated vehicle technology on UK roads. It clearly and simply sets out that testers must obey all relevant road traffic laws and that test vehicles must be roadworthy; a suitably trained driver or operator must be ready, able, and willing to take control if necessary; and appropriate insurance must be in place. Alongside this we are funding research and demonstration projects and working with international regulatory bodies to develop an appropriate framework for the safe sale and use of automated vehicle technology.