Category: Speeches

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Gaming Machine Regulations 2015; and if he will take further steps to limit the stake on fixed odds betting terminals.

    David Evennett

    The Government published the Evaluation of Gaming Machine (Circumstances of Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 on 21 January. The Evaluation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-gaming-machine-circumstances-of-useamendment-regulations-2015

    The evaluation indicates that a large proportion of players of FOBTs may now be making a more conscious choice to control their playing behaviour and their stake level. We will now consider the findings of the evaluation before deciding if there is a need for further action.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what relevant qualifications the official from his Department who was seconded to oversee the appointment panel for the recruitment of the Pubs Code Adjudicator held; and what methodology was used by the Department to choose who would be seconded into that role.

    Anna Soubry

    No official from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was seconded to oversee the appointment panel for the recruitment of the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

    In line with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) guidance the recruitment panel was chaired by a Public Appointments Assessor. The Panel also included the relevant Director from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and an independent panel member.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many pregnant women are currently held in detention under the Immigration Act 2014.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Home Office will not necessarily be aware that a woman is pregnant unless she chooses to make this known to us and a woman may not know herself that she is pregnant when she is detained. It may not always be appropriate for healthcare professionals to disclose information that the patient has asked not to be disclosed.

    As of 19 May 2016 there were no pregnant women detained under Immigration Act powers in an immigration removal centre or residential short-term holding facility, subject to these conditions.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in what circumstances he plans to exercise his power to issue a directive to a local government pension scheme on the investment of their funds.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The draft regulations published for consultation in November proposed that the power of intervention may be exercised in cases where, on the basis of evidence and after consultation with relevant bodies, we believe that an administering authority is failing to act in accordance with any guidance issued under the draft regulations. For example, the power could be used where an administering authority did not follow the guidance and criteria on pooling of assets, also published in November.

    No final decision has been taken on the draft regulations. The Govenrment’s response to the consultation will be published shortly.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what meetings she has had with the Prime Minister on the status of the 0.7 per cent gross national income to be used as Overseas Development Assistance funding since taking up office.

    Rory Stewart

    The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Prime Minister. Both the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister have stated that they are committed to the Government’s policy of spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ben Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released under a Home Detention Curfew in Devon were returned to prison after breaking the conditions of such a curfew between 2011 and 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    The number of prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) in England and Wales has fallen in recent years. This is principally due to the reduction in the number of prisoners eligible for the scheme.

    The Ministry of Justice only collates data on the number of prisoners released on HDC who are then recalled to prison for breach of their curfew conditions and this data is only available for England and Wales as a whole. It would incur disproportionate cost to isolate from this overall data those recalled prisoners who had been released on HDC from prisons in Devon.

    This data is published and can be located at the following link (table A3.5 details HDC recalls):

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/424903/prison-releases-annual-2014.xlsx

    “

  • Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals she plans to submit to the European Union Council of Fisheries Ministers on 14 and 15 December 2015 to safeguard fishing effort and quotas in terms of Cod, Haddock, Hake and Nephrops in the Irish Sea (Area VIIA); and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The UK Government worked hard to get the best possible deal for UK fish stocks and our fishing industry at the annual EU Fisheries Council, where fishing opportunities for 2016 were agreed. For fisheries in the Irish Sea we secured increased quotas for haddock, Nephrops and hake, a rollover of the 2015 quota for plaice, and kept a reduction for cod in line with the scientific advice. We also ensured that “days at sea” effort levels will be maintained at the existing level for all areas of the Cod Recovery Zone, including the Irish Sea.

  • Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Northover on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the Department for International Development’s spending currently goes towards water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.

    Baroness Verma

    Expenditure by sector is reported in Statistics on International Development which I have attached for your convenience.

    In 2014, UK bilateral expenditure on water supply and sanitation was £180.8 million. This was 2.6% of the UK’s total bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA).

    When DFID or other UK government departments provide core contributions in support of multilateral organisations, we do not break down by sector. However, there are a number of multilateral organisations that are focussed on water and sanitation. Details of the contributions from DFID to each multilateral organisation can be found at Table A8 of the attachment.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) reconnaissance, (b) combat and (c) other missions were flown by RAF aircraft over Syria in the last 12 months.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The number of reconnaissance, combat and other missions between 1 February 2015 and 1 February 2016 are detailed in the table below. The majority of aircraft flying missions in Syrian airspace will have flown over Iraqi airspace as well. Reaper, Tornado and Typhoon are multi-role aircraft and as such can be deployed in both a combat mission and a reconnaissance mission. Other missions have been defined as those involved in the transportation of people or equipment.

    Syria

    Iraq

    Reconnaissance Missions

    435

    906

    Combat Missions

    64

    699

    Other

    0

    484*

    *This figure does not include C17, which is estimated to have flown two missions a month in the period in question. The records for C17 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the additional (a) salary and (b) other costs which are incurred by schools in London, compared with those outside London; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    On Monday 7 March the Department published our consultation for a national funding formula, which is now open until 17 April. The consultation explains our proposals to use an area cost adjustment to reflect variation in labour market costs, given the significant impact of such costs to school spending. We are currently consulting on which methodology we should use to do this, and will bring forward our response in due course, once the consultation has closed.