Category: Speeches

  • Simon Hart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Simon Hart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Hart on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the target timescale is for people leaving prison from application to receipt for universal credit; and how many and what proportion of applications take longer than that timescale.

    Priti Patel

    Prisoners are supported and advised whilst in prison on which benefits they can claim and how to make a claim and we are developing arrangements to enable them to make advance claims to Universal Credit.

    Appropriate support measures for prison leavers with mental health issues will be considered following the initial claim interview.

    Universal Credit is assessed and paid calendar monthly in arrears. Prison leavers will receive payment within the timescale of 5 weeks from the date of claim.

    Prison leavers who are in financial need can apply for an advance payment of up to 50% of their total Universal Credit award following their initial interview.

    The information requested in relation to the timescales for applications is not readily available for publication. To quality assure this information according to the standards of the UK Statistics Authority would incur disproportionate costs.

  • James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which companies, organisations and other persons, in any capacity, were given sight of the stewardship documents either before, or after, the issuing of Emergency Authorisation No. 1949 and No. 1950 of 2015.

    George Eustice

    The stewardship documents for these emergency authorisations were considered by HSE officials to ensure the stewardship scheme was consistent with the conditions of authorisation. The documents were also disclosed by Defra to Friends of the Earth under the process for their unsuccessful application for judicial review of the decision to make these authorisations in 2015. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 April 2016, on immigration detention, HCWS679, whether notice will be given to pregnant women who will be detained.

    James Brokenshire

    At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.

    It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.

    Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.

  • Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many passport applications have been made using the legend of a deceased person in each of the past six years.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    We do not routinely publish this data.

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

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department to use to distribute funding accrued from the soft drinks industry levy to schools in order to extend their school day for physical activities.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department is currently determining the details of how funding will be allocated, with a view to beginning to distribute funding to schools in 2017. We will provide further details in due course so that schools have sufficient time to apply for the funding and to consider how they will deliver the new provision, including through appropriate consultation with parents.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department has provided to public service broadcasting of UK minority languages; and if she will make a statement.

    Matt Hancock

    The BBC Charter Review has recently considered the BBC’s contribution to minority language broadcasting. A clearer commitment to each minority language has been included in the draft BBC Framework Agreement, setting out the need for the BBC to continue to deliver output in Welsh, Gaelic, the Irish language and Ulster-Scots.

    There is also a new commitment for the BBC to continue their partnership with MG Alba for the next 11 years and arrangements for continued partnership with S4C are also in place.

    The Government provides Exchequer funding to S4C – in 2015-16 this was £6.782 million. The Government also provides £3 million p.a. to the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund and £1 million p.a. to the Ulster-Scots Broadcasting Fund which are administered via Northern Ireland Screen.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the proposals for peace in Syria made by former President Jimmy Carter in the International New York Times on 27 October.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Proposals for achieving peace in Syria will need to be agreed by the key international players and, importantly, the Syrian people. The UK is working closely with international partners to bring about a negotiated end to the crisis in Syria, including through Ministerial participation in high-level international meetings. The ultimate solution to the crisis must be a political transition, which brings legitimate and inclusive governance to Syria. We are flexible about how the process of transition would work but are clear that Assad cannot be part of the future of Syria.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the level of awareness among drivers who do not normally use the Dartford Crossing that a charge is made for using that crossing.

    Andrew Jones

    In July 2014 Highways England undertook research to assess levels of public awareness of the introduction of Dart Charge. Following the Public Information Campaign that ran from October to December 2014, further research took place to assess how the campaign had increased public awareness.

    Both surveys were based on samples of over one thousand drivers, consisted of a mix of online responses and face to face interviews, including both regular and infrequent users of the Crossing. Between July and December 2014 awareness rose from 43% to 80% for online respondents and 47% to 89% for those interviewed face to face.

    The initial compliance rate is 92.6% since the launch of Dart Charge in November last year, which compares favourably with other similar schemes around the world and indicates strong awareness levels among drivers.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has assessed or commissioned on potential links between prostate cancer treatment and Alzheimer’s disease.

    George Freeman

    The Department has not made an assessment of, or commissioned, specific research on this topic.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to address the congestion and air quality impacts of increases in numbers of private hire vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    Licensing private hire vehicles and local traffic management are matters for local authorities. In London responsibility rests with the Mayor and Transport for London.