Category: Speeches

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK’s financial commitment to the EUFOR has been in each of the last three years.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    EUFOR ALTHEA is a European Union Common Security and Defence Policy operation, conducted under EU-NATO Berlin Plus arrangements, that contributes to a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Government regards it as a central part of its policy towards BiH. The UK committed £3.1 million in 2013, £2.8 million in 2014, and £1.9 million in 2015 to the operation.

  • Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) people and (b) children are being treated for Lyme disease in (a) Halton constituency and (b) Merseyside.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Most cases of Lyme disease are treated in primary care by a course of antibiotics. Only the most severe cases require hospitalisation and appear in the Hospital Episode Statistic (HES) series. Data for those treated in primary care is not collected centrally.

    Data from HES for admissions for adults and children where there is a primary diagnosis of Lyme disease are:

    Halton Constituency of residence – 0

    Halton Clinical Commissioning Group of residence – 0

    Merseyside – 0

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority are adequately ensuring that companies disclose the financial risk to their company associated with climate change.

    Simon Kirby

    Climate change is not only a huge threat to our natural environment, but to our economic prosperity too. The private sector’s involvement is crucial if we are to be successful in reaching the ambitious targets agreed in Paris last year. The UK government and regulators are together at the forefront of engaging with the private sector to address this pressing issue:

    • The Prudential Regulation Authority’s pioneering report on the impact of climate change on the UK insurance sector last year kick-started the global debate around climate-related financial risks.

    • The Bank of England is leading global efforts to develop the international framework for green finance as co-chair of the G20 Green Finance Study Group.

    • Governor Carney’s speech in Berlin last week stressed the importance of disclosure in addressing climate-related financial risks.

    The Financial Stability Board, chaired by Governor Carney, set up an industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures in late 2015, under the leadership of Michael Bloomberg. The Task Force is developing recommendations for voluntary, consistent, comparable, reliable and clear disclosures around climate-related financial risks for companies to provide information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders. The Task Force published its initial report in April, and will publish a final report in early 2017. The Government looks forward to the publication of the Task Force’s report.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much she expects to be top-sliced from the (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17 police grant; and from what areas that funding will be top-sliced.

    Mike Penning

    Reallocations from central Government funding to the police are set out in a Written Ministerial Statement published alongside the Police Grant Report each year. Decisions on funding for 2016/17 will be taken after the Spending Review reports later this month and reallocations will be published in the usual way.

    For 2015/16, reallocations totalled £177 million (rounded to the nearest £1million) and are listed below for your reference.

    In addition, a further £564 m illion was allocated in respect of counter-terrorism policing.

    Police Innovation Fund 70

    Police Knowledge Fund 5

    Independent Police Complaints Commission (for the transfer of integrity functions) 30

    College of Policing (for direct entry schemes) 5

    City of London National and International Capital City Grant 3

    HMIC (for PEEL inspection regime) 9

    Police Special Grant 15

    Major Programmes 40

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether training is given to work capability assessors in the symptoms and effects of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

    Priti Patel

    All healthcare professionals receive comprehensive training in disability analysis which includes a functional evaluation as to how medical conditions affect their ability to perform day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying-out an assessment they routinely refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the National Apprenticeship Service will continue to be (a) administered and (b) funded through the Skills Funding Agency in 2016-17.

    Nick Boles

    The National Apprenticeship Service is part of the Skills Funding Agency. We plan for this to continue to be the case in 2016-17.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government has taken to relieve food insecurity in (a) Taiz and (b) elsewhere in Yemen.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has more than doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen over the last year to £85 million for 2015/16. This includes funding to the World Food Programme (WFP) and International Non-Governmental Organisations who provide emergency food to over 570,000 people, either through direct delivery of food or providing cash or vouchers to enable people to buy food. These distributions are prioritised to the areas of greatest need including the hardest to reach districts of Taiz. Just last week, UK funding helped WFP to deliver a month’s supply of food to 21,000 people in Taiz. UK funding to UNICEF is also treating over 150,000 children for severe acute malnutrition and we are funding the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) to improve the supply of essential commercial goods, including food, into Yemen.

  • Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Tugendhat on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many foreign-registered HGVs entered the UK in 2015.

    Andrew Jones

    We estimate that in 2015, 2.0 million foreign registered powered goods vehicles entered Great Britain from mainland Europe.

    Powered goods vehicles include some vehicles weighing under 3.5 tonnes, which would not be classed as heavy goods vehicles.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made with the insurance industry on the development of a Flood Re scheme for small businesses.

    Rory Stewart

    We are aware that some small businesses exposed to high flood risk may experience challenges in finding affordable insurance. We are therefore working with BIS, local authorities, the insurance industry and other business representatives to further understand what problems the business sector may be experiencing in this area and to discuss the options available for taking action.

    Ministers have recently held meetings with representatives from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), Federation of Small Businesses and the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) among others to discuss these issues. Following this BIBA is developing a commercial insurance product that is intended to help businesses in flood risk areas to access appropriate cover.

    In the meantime the ABI have assured Government that the industry will continue to provide insurance to small businesses on a competitive basis.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the system of provision of schooling for children being treated for childhood cancer, leukaemia and other serious life-threatening and long-term illnesses.

    Nick Gibb

    Each local authority has a legal responsibility to arrange education for any child of compulsory school age for whom they are responsible, and whose illness prevents them from attending school.

    If a child is able to attend school, the school must ensure that arrangements are in place to support them. Statutory guidance applies to maintained schools and academies in supporting pupils at school with medical conditions, this is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/484418/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

    “