Category: Speeches

  • Angela Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Angela Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Crawley on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women who have reported (a) sexual abuse and (b) rape whilst in detention have subsequently been deported in each of the last three years.

    James Brokenshire

    All complaints made by detainees are investigated by the relevant supplier in accordance with Detention Services Order 03/2015 ‘Handling complaints’. Any allegations of serious misconduct made by a detainee against staff are also referred to the Home Office Professional Standards Unit (PSU) for investigation. Where a detainee, or someone on behalf of a detainee, alleges that a member of staff has committed a sexual offence against them the police will automatically be notified, even if the detainee does not wish the matter to be reported or to make a formal complaint.

    Management information shows that there have been six allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre between 2013 and 2015. Of these six allegations, one was made in 2013, three in 2014 and two in 2015.

    In the same period there have been two Home Office PSU investigations into allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff in other immigration removal centres. Both allegations were made in 2015. There have been no allegations of rape made by a detainee against staff at any immigration removal centre during this period.

    This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.

    Information on the number of women who have been deported following an allegation of sexual abuse or rape while in detention is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tanlaw on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to identify accurately the GPS Prime Meridian with a corresponding marker at the correct location in Greenwich Park.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As the reference frame for the Global Positioning System (GPS) is established through a mathematical interpretation of satellite radio signals, rather than a physical meridian, it is not conceptually appropriate to represent it in the same way as other meridians have historically been marked at Greenwich.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 906599, for what reason that Answer does not refer to unemployment levels.

    Damian Hinds

    The Department has made no assessment of the effect of the National Living Wage on employment levels. However, in 2015 the Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that the National Living Wage would have a +0.2 percentage point impact on the unemployment rate by April 2020 – equivalent to around 60,000 people.

    The Government is committed to reducing long-term unemployment and youth unemployment, and the overall unemployment rate is currently at the historically low level of 4.9%. The Government will also continue to consider advice on increases of the National Living Wage from the Low Pay Commission, whose remit it is to make sure that wages rise to reward workers while considering the impact on the economy.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the review of the Code of Practice for Privately Kept Non-Human Primates; and whether that review will include consultation with (a) members of the public and (b) animal welfare organisations.

    George Eustice

    Defra plans to review the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-human Primates next year. The review will include a consultation with industry, keepers, veterinarians and animal welfare organisations.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) stolen cars, (b) untaxed cars, (c) uninsured drivers and (d) other crimes have been detected using automatic number plate recognition in each of the last two years.

    Mike Penning

    This information is not held by the Home Office. Some police forces may collate this data, dependent upon local policy.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is providing to the Kurdish Peshmerga in their efforts against Daesh.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    As part of our wider support to the Government of Iraq and in close cooperation with the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, we are providing substantial assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga. In addition to the air support being provided by the RAF, the UK military training team in northern Iraq we have trained over 2,700 Peshmerga fighters in infantry fighting skills, weapons handling and C-IED procedures. We have also gifted weapons and ammunition, including 40 heavy machine guns, non-lethal equipment and airlifted support provided by other Coalition partners.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any proposed special advisers have failed security vetting since May 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    It has been the policy of successive governments not to comment about the individuals subject to security vetting.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2016 to Question 25631, when he expects the investigations into the six social care companies to be concluded.

    Mr David Gauke

    If a worker believes they have not received at least the National Minimum Wage they should contact the Acas helpline in confidence on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently fast track for investigation any care worker direct complaints received through the Acas helpline.

    I refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him to Question 25631 for HMRC’s position on discussing outcomes. I further refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him by my hon. friend the Minister for Skills (Nick Boles) for detail on naming policy, Question 8685.

    The most recent naming announcement from February is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016.

    “

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many major surface warships were ordered between the 2010 general election and the 2015 general election.

    Earl Howe

    Her Majesty’s Government did not order any major surface warships between the 2010 and 2015 general elections. However, the work to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers continued during this period and in August 2014 we placed an order for three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), which will provide valuable capability to the Royal Navy and sustain the skills needed to build the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

    Since the 2015 general election, the White Paper ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015’ (Cmd 9161) has set the Government’s commitment to build eight anti-submarine Type 26 Global Combat Ships, preceded by two additional OPVs, and to launch a concept study and then design and build a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigate. Additionally, the White Paper confirmed we will buy three new logistic ships to support the fleet, in addition to the four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers ordered in 2012.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34235, whether the UN Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 10 specifically covers the potential health risks of electromagnetic emissions by multiple driverless vehicles as well as those from single vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation No 10 seeks to limit the maximum emission of electromagnetic radiation from vehicles. Recognising the rapid changes in technology in new vehicles, the relevant UN-ECE technical committee has established a task force to consider the implications of new technologies such as those used by driverless vehicles.

    The Department is participating in the work of the task force.