Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their work supporting humanitarian emergency responses delivers long-term change that empowers women from affected communities.

    Baroness Verma

    Through meaningful participation and inclusion during humanitarian preparedness and response, women and girls can be included in long-term change and recovery efforts following natural disasters, conflicts, and other crises. The Women, Peace, and Security agenda offers an opportunity to link women’s participation in immediate crises response to wider political, social, and economic participation, including their inclusion in peace processes. Along with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, DFID is a partner in delivering the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.

    The World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016 offers an opportunity to ensure that women are empowered during the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which has been demonstrated to accelerate the transition from response to recovery and lead to longer-term efforts to promote and achieve gender equality. One the Government’s priorities for the Summit is to push for it to deliver outcomes for women and girls.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the contribution of the arms export industry to the UK economy in 2014.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department does not collate data on the value of the total contribution that arms exports make to the UK economy. However, we do publish official statistics on defence exports, which show that the UK’s defence export total in 2014 was an estimated £8.5bn. Further details of defence exports can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-defence-and-security-export-figures-2014

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  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the potential effects of proposed legislation in China on the management of foreign non-governmental organisations’ activities.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I follow the human rights situation in China closely and the wider impact of legislative developments. We will be gathering reactions, in particular from UK organisations and British nationals working in the Non-Governmental Organisation sector, to assess the law’s potential impact ahead of it coming into force in January 2017. Along with EU partners we will be submitting detailed questions around the implementation of the law to the Chinese authorities.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of the findings of the Care Quality Commission’s recent inspection report for North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust on the (a) level and (b) grade of staff in the accident and emergency department.

    Ben Gummer

    Patient safety remains a key priority for the Government and whilst progress has been made there is clearly much more to be done. The Department is aware of the situation at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and the relevant regulatory bodies, led by NHS Improvement, are taking appropriate action.

    The Warning Notice, issued to North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 6 June 2016 requires the trust to significantly improve the treatment of patients attending the emergency department (ED).

    NHS Improvement has given assurance that North Middlesex University Hospital carried out immediate actions to support the staffing concerns raised by the regulators.

    A new Clinical Director and an experienced Medical Director have been appointed to provide the ED with dedicated substantive leadership. The Clinical Director will provide leadership to the department and oversee the recruitment to currently vacant posts. In addition, there is also focus on reducing the medical work load in the ED through added support from other clinical services and professionals. This includes the appointment of new matrons and a new dedicated service manager with extensive ED experience.

    Further, local general practitioners are increasing the level of support they provide to the department both to prevent admissions and to improve discharges. All of these measures will be in place by the end of June 2016.

    On staffing, the local National Health Service is working with the Trust to ensure it can provide emergency care to the required standards. NHS Improvement and NHS England have put in place enhanced oversight mechanisms to assure themselves that services remain safe at all times.

    An external specialist review of the consultant and middle grade rotas for June, July, August and September has been commissioned to provide independent assurance of the appropriate competencies within each rota.

    NHS Improvement will continue to work with system colleagues, Health Education England and the General Medical Council to assure themselves that the improvements being put in place meet the requirements that they need to see from both the Trust and the system both in the short term and the long term.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP surgeries do not have access to a high-speed broadband internet connection in each region.

    Nicola Blackwood

    NHS Digital does not keep records on the availability of high-speed broadband at all general practice (GP) sites. However NHS Digital does have records for broadband services provided by the Department to GP sites through the BT N3 arrangements.

    Across England, some 6,021 GP sites receive broadband services through the National Health Service N3 connection arrangements; of these 6,010 GP sites are defined as high speed (i.e. 512 kilobits per second or greater).

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on religious freedom in Tibet; and whether he has received reports on expulsions of Buddhist students and the demolition of dwellings at the Larung Ghar Buddhist Institute in Sichuan province.

    Alok Sharma

    ​I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer of 18 October 2016 (PQ 48663). We are aware of, and concerned by, reports of the closure or demolition of churches and monasteries and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China. However, I am unable to comment in detail on the demolitions at Larung Gar, as British diplomats are not currently allowed to travel to the area, so my information is partial. Our Consulate General in Chongqing is seeking further information on the situation.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of whether there are tensions between the British Pakistani/Kashmiri community and the British Indian/Hindu community in (1) London, and (2) Leicester.

    Lord Bates

    The operational policing of protests and demonstrations are principally a matter for Chief Officers of each force in England and Wales. As is the case with visits of this nature, careful plans have been put in place to ensure the safety and security of the visit by the Prime Minister of India, in discussion with the Indian High Commission. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed under UK law and we respect protesters’ rights to express their views peacefully. As part of the planning for the visit the police will have assessed any issues which could give rise to public disorder and will have factored this into their planning accordingly.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to promote gender, orientation and ethnic diversity in the workplace, in particular in the architecture profession.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    This government is committed to promoting equality in all professions, including architecture. The Equality Act 2010 provides a strong legislative framework to prevent and tackle discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in the workplace. The government also funds the Equality and Advisory Support Service, which provides an accessible and inclusive source of advice for people who may have been discriminated against.

    We have committed to closing the gender pay gap in a generation. We will soon require larger employers to publish the difference between the average pay and bonuses of their male and female employees. We are also tackling the root causes of gender pay gap with the introduction of Shared Parental Leave, the extension of flexible working and the offer of 30 hours free childcare.

    The government is proud of its record to support LGB&T people and the UK continues to be recognised as a leader in this area. However, we know there is more to do which is why we have recently published guidance for employers on the recruitment and retention of trans employees in the workplace.

    Finally, the Prime Minister has underlined the government’s commitment to increasing racial diversity in the workplace in his 2020 Vision, in which he made a commitment to increase BME employment by 20% by 2020.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the whereabouts and medical condition of the two Birzeit students who were arrested on 7 October and are being detained in an undisclosed location.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this issue. Officials in our Embassy in Tel Aviv have, however, raised our concerns over the treatment of Palestinian detainees on many occasions, including with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, Attorney General’s Office and National Security Council.

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many three year olds received a free NHS dental check in (a) Nottingham North constituency, (b) Nottingham and (c) the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    Information is not collected centrally on the number of three year olds who received a free NHS dental examination. Information is available for the number of courses of treatment for 0-17 year olds that contained a dental examination.