Category: Speeches

Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with National Grid on its Winter Outlook Report 2015-16, published in October 2015.

Andrea Leadsom

DECC Officials work closely with National Grid counterparts on the analysis in the winter outlook and maintain a constant dialogue as it is developed.

The Winter Outlook Report presents a snapshot view of the forecast security of supply situation which is constantly being analysed by National Grid in cooperation with DECC and Ofgem. The Winter Outlook is part of a wider programme of analysis including National Grid’s Summer Outlook, Winter Outlook Consultation and Ofgem’s capacity assessment.

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01/01/2023

Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 December (HL4116), how many personal interviews with adults applying for a passport for the first time were conducted in each calendar year from 2007 to 2015 inclusive.

Lord Bates

The table below shows the number of interviews conducted in each calendar year since 2007. The lower figures for 2007 reflect the pilot and roll out of the new interview process for all first-time passport applicants and the figures for 2015 are up to week ending 20 December.

Year	Number of Interviews
2007	18,160
2008	293,337
2009	261,593
2010	296,434
2011	269,587
2012	273,680
2013	283,284
2014	253,156
2015	221,759

01/01/2023

Johnny Mercer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Johnny Mercer on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure value for money for passengers travelling on the Cross Country rail franchise.

Claire Perry

I completely understand the concerns about the cost of some rail fares and the impact that this can have on people’s budgets. That is why we have capped the rail fares we regulate at inflation (RPI) for two years running, and will continue to do so for the life of this parliament. We are helping hardworking people with the cost of transport. We’ve put a stop to increases in regulated fares above inflation until 2020. This will save theaverageseason ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and meansearnings growth will outstrip rail fare increases for first time in a decade.

01/01/2023
Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with (i) arms manufacturers, (ii) tobacco manufacturers and (iii) representatives of the Israeli embassy since the period covered in the Cabinet Office’s most recent ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings data release.

Jane Ellison

Departments publish details of Ministers meetings’ with external organisations routinely on Gov.uk.

Details of meetings held during the period October – December 2015 will be published in due course.

01/01/2023
Henry Bellingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Bellingham on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many unplanned admissions took place in North West Norfolk last year; and what estimate he has made of the number of such admissions this year.

Jane Ellison

NHS England publishes the number of non-elective general and acute admissions each month for National Health Service clinical commissioning groups and NHS hospital trusts. This data is published on NHS England’s website at the following address:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/hospital-activity/montly-hospital-activity/mar-data/

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01/01/2023
Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the implementation of the Government’s Digital Inclusion Strategy, published in April 2014.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Government has invested heavily in basic digital skills. For example, BIS continues to fund a programme to help people gain the skills needed to access employment, education and wider opportunities. The Future Digital Inclusion programme aims to support 1 million people, including those with low skills, the unemployed and people with disabilities and learning difficulties. It indirectly supports SMEs and sole traders. Since September 2014 it has supported 482,000 individuals. Last year, Arts Council England oversaw government investment of £2.7m for more than 1,000 libraries to ensure that free WiFi is now available in over 99% of libraries in England.

Increasing the level of digital engagement in the UK requires commitment from all sectors. To date, 93 organisations have signed up to collaborate with government departments to increase digital engagement in the UK. This commits them to working together to join up their efforts where relevant, to scale up good ideas and to devise new and innovative solutions. A wide range of activities and programmes have been delivered by partners across the UK.

01/01/2023
Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support her Department is providing to recipients of Green Deal funding who have had their home improvements interrupted because the contracting companies have ceased trading.

Andrea Leadsom

Under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF), where applicants had their home improvements interrupted, they were free to engage another approved installer to undertake the work within the six month validity period of their voucher. The GDHIF scheme was designed to provide a financial incentive for work to be done at the applicant’s instigation. Installers were required to come from an approved list but applicants were responsible for engaging an installer. The same response applies where vouchers expired before home improvements were completed; the responsibility rests with the applicant to ensure works were completed before the voucher expired.

01/01/2023
Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make it his policy to ensure that (a) UK students can continue to participate in the Erasmus programme and (b) UK universities can continue to participate in cross-European research projects.

Mr David Davis

The UK remains a member of the EU until our withdrawal is completed. There is no immediate change to the rights of UK universities and their students and staff from EU countries. UK researchers can still apply for Horizon 2020 projects. There is no change to those currently participating in, or about to start, Erasmus+ exchanges and Marie Curie fellowships.

01/01/2023
Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which convictions of UK citizens in foreign countries the UK is currently challenging; and what guidance his Department follows in deciding which convictions of UK citizens in overseas courts to challenge.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The British Government does not interfere in the legal systems of other countries by challenging convictions, any more than we would accept interference in our judicial system. We do, however, lobby strongly and consistently against the application of the death penalty, and against the carrying out of such sentences when they are imposed. We always lobby, where apt, to ensure the rule of law for fair trials.

01/01/2023

Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average household bill for water was in (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) Enfield, (c) Greater London and (d) the UK in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2015.

Rory Stewart

Customers in Greater London are served by one water and sewerage company (Thames Water) and three water only companies (Affinity Water, Essex & Suffolk Water and Sutton & East Surrey Water). Customers of the water only companies receive sewerage services from Thames Water.

Customers in both the London Borough of Enfield and the Enfield North constituency receive water services from one of two companies, Affinity Water or Thames Water.

The following table sets out the average water and sewerage charges for each of the companies and for England and Wales in 2010 and 2015.

Company	2010	2015
Affinity Water – Central region¹ (water)	£156	£172
Essex & Suffolk Water (water)	£183	£229
Sutton & East Surrey Water (water)	£162	£184
Thames Water (water)	£189	£197

Thames Water (sewerage)	£114	£171

England and Wales (water)	£165	£182
England and Wales (sewerage)	£174	£203

¹Affinity Water was established in 2012, through the purchase of Veolia Water.

01/01/2023