Category: Speeches

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ring-fence housing payments for tenants in supported accommodation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We value the work of the supported housing sector extremely highly and are working closely with them to ensure they are supported as effectively as possible. As part of this, we have commissioned an evidence review of supported housing. The results of this research will determine any appropriate exemptions.

    In addition, the Government has agreed to put in place a year-long exception for all supported housing provided by local authorities and private registered providers from the one per cent rent reduction.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 March (HL6737) about the Community Engagement Forum, why they were unable or unwilling to provide a definition of the word community”.”

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Oxford English Dictionary defines community as ‘a body of people who live in the same place, usually sharing a common cultural or ethnic identity’.

  • Baroness Coussins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Coussins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Coussins on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what response they have made to the Language Trends Survey 2015–16, published by the British Council on 18 April.

    Lord Nash

    The Department welcomes the survey; in particular its findings on the steps primary schools are taking to improve the quality of language teaching since it became compulsory in maintained primary schools in September 2014. By introducing the EBacc, we have stopped the decline in modern foreign languages seen in the last decade, where 200,000 fewer GCSE students studied a modern language in 2010 than in 2002.

    Last year’s results showed 20% more pupils are taking languages at GCSE than in 2010 while A level entries in modern languages have increased by nearly 4% since 2014.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role of University Technical Colleges in the Skills Plan which is proposed for inclusion in the forthcoming Bill on education for all.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is taking forward reforms to the skills system to ensure we have the technical skills that the economy needs. We will publish details of our plans in due course.

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to recommendation 22 of the Environmental Audit Committee in its First Report of Session 2015-16, on the Airports Commission Report: carbon emissions, air quality and noise, HC 389, what his policy is on implementing that recommendation as it applies to requiring Heathrow Airport to set out proposals for mitigation.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015, and has since been undertaking a programme of further work, including on mitigation, to support a decision on a preferred scheme. We are carefully considering the evidence in relation to all three schemes, including the Airports Commission’s comprehensive work and the recommendations in the Environmental Audit Committee’s interim report.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government plans to remain a signatory of the Bologna Declaration after the UK leaves the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Bologna Process, which created the European Higher Education Area in 2010, is an intergovernmental agreement among 28 countries in the European region. It is not an EU body and therefore UK membership will not be affected by the UK’s departure from the EU.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the army’s (a) Junior Entrants and (b) Standard Entrants were medically discharged due to an injury during initial training in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    The proportion of Junior and Standard Entrant Regular Army Personnel, Medically Discharged during initial training for 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 is shown below:

    Entry Type

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    Junior Entry

    6.3%

    8.6%

    6.8%

    Standard Entry

    4.2%

    5.1%

    5.1%

    Initial training has been defined as all personnel either in Phase 1 or Phase 2 training.

    Junior Entry is defined as trainees under 18 years old at the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) on Junior Entry courses. Figures for under 18s who follow the standard entry route are recorded with the standard entry total and cannot be separated out.

    Officer Designates have been excluded from this response as they do not enter the UK Army via Junior or Standard Entry.

  • 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 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the evidence on which the current emphasis by NHS Choices on low-fat products or unsaturated fats in dietary advice for people with diabetes, or who are pre-diabetic, is based.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Public Health England (PHE) advocates a healthy balanced diet for all based on the eatwell plate; the national healthy eating guide. The eatwell plate shows for a healthy balanced diet people should try to eat plenty of starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, some milk, dairy, meat, fish and other non-dairy sources of protein and only small amounts of food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar.

    The Government takes a whole population approach to healthy eating, and therefore does not provide specific dietary advice to individuals with medical needs. It is recommended for anyone with a medical condition who is in search of dietary advice to consult their local general practitioner or a dietician.

    In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, a review of the latest evidence on dietary carbohydrates and health. SACN recommended reducing sugar consumption, increasing fibre consumption and minimising consumption of sugars-sweetened drinks. A copy of Carbohydrates and Health is attached.

    Following publication, advice on what constitutes a healthy balanced diet, for the general population, which includes those with diabetes, was updated to reflect SACN’s recommendations. As part of this, PHE is undertaking a review of the eatwell plate; the refreshed resource will be launched in early 2016.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the public are made fully aware beforehand of planned road works to be carried out by contractors on trunk roads and motorways which involve either lane or whole carriageway closures.

    Andrew Jones

    A range of communications activities are used to inform members of the public about road works taking place on major A roads and motorways, including information issued to the media and updates to pages on the Highways England and Traffic England web pages.

    In addition to this, letters are issued to organisations, businesses and communities affected directly by the works. Highways England will also undertake specific community and business-to-business meetings for larger scale closures within the local area of each project if required.

    As a standard, information and updates are issued a minimum of seven days in advance wherever possible.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the lifetime cost to the public purse of Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The forecast costs of the AW159 Wildcat aircraft programme, including the development, acquisition, training and in-service support of the aircraft, is £5.2 billion.