Category: Speeches

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, by what mechanism residents can challenge a local authority’s assessment of the adequacy of drainage systems for a new housing development where they believe it will contribute to additional flooding in an area which has recently flooded.

    Brandon Lewis

    There are strict tests in the National Planning Policy Framework to protect people and property from flooding, and we are very clear that where these tests are not met new development should not be allowed.

    The Framework must be taken into account in the preparation of local plans, drawn up by local councils in consultation with local communities, which should steer inappropriate development away from areas at risk of flooding. Local Plans should be supported by Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and develop policies to manage flood risk from all sources, taking account of advice from the Environment Agency and other relevant flood risk management bodies. A Local Plan must be published for consultation before it can be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination. This provides a formal opportunity for the local community to consider the local plan which the local planning authority would like to adopt.

    For planning applications, local planning authorities are also required to undertake a formal period of public consultation prior to making a decision. When determining planning applications in flood risk areas, the Framework is clear on the importance of demonstrating that the development will be safe, resilient and not increase flood risk elsewhere. The Framework also sets out when applications should be supported by a site-specific flood risk assessment. These assessments provide a source of information for local residents together with representations on proposed development from flood risk management bodies. Planning law requires that planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Framework is a material consideration in planning decisions, as are the planning concerns of residents.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the collaborative commissioning arrangements for new hepatitis C medicines outlined in the report by NHS England Improving Value for Patients from Specialised Care, Commissioning Intentions 2016/2017 for Prescribed Specialist Services will include plans to ensure that the areas covered by Operational Delivery Networks and Clinical Commissioning Groups are coterminous.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has been supporting Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) to identify the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that are relevant to their geography.

    In many cases boundaries are co-terminous and this will assist in communications. Where this is not the case, this will mean that CCGs, ODNs, and NHS England commissioning hubs will work across a wider footprint to collaborate on relevant matters.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what qualifications are required for Immigration Officers who decide the success or failure of asylum applications.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office does not employ Immigration Officers to assess asylum claims. Staff employed to make asylum decisions are either Executive Officers or Higher Executive Officers with a minimum educational requirement of 2 GCE A Level passes A-C and 5 GCSE passes including Mathematics and English.

  • 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 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the use of steroids on the physical and mental health of people using such drugs.

    Jane Ellison

    Information on the physical and mental health effects of anabolic steroids, as well as other illicit and licit substances, is contained in ‘A summary of the health harms of drugs: A guide to the risks and harms associated with substance misuse’ published by the Department in August 2011 and is available online:

    http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/healthharmsfinal-v1.pdf

    When used in clinical practice, doctors prescribing a course of anabolic steroids are expected to discuss potential side effects and to draw patients’ attention to the additional information contained in the Patient Information Leaflet.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many companies have disclosed information to Companies House on persons with significant control in their company as part of their company register since that requirement came into force on 6 April 2016.

    Anna Soubry

    The requirement for companies to have a register of people with significant control was commenced on 6 April. However, the requirement to disclose this information to the Registrar does not commence until 30 June 2016. In most cases companies will deliver this annually with their Confirmation Statement, which replaces the Annual Return.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Answer Prime Minister of 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 1189, on airport expansion, whether the term summer includes the September sitting of the House.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The government remains fully committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects it has set out.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase the level of defence spending that goes to small firms.

    Harriett Baldwin

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor (Philip Dunne) gave on 27 June 2016 to Question 905485 to the hon. Member for Daventry (Chris Heaton-Harris).

    “

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates meetings were held between Dame Lowell Goddard and officials of her Department between the date of her appointment as chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and the date of her departure from that position.

    Sarah Newton

    Dame Lowell Goddard met with the Permanent Secretary on the following dates between the date that her appointment commenced on 6 April 2015 and resignation on 4 August 2016:

    • 21 April 2015

    • 18 May 2016

    The Permanent Secretary set this out in a letter of 28 October to the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee. There was also a meeting between Dame Lowell Goddard and the former Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime on 7 December 2015 at which Home Office officials were also present.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in bringing to justice those responsible for the arson attack on the Dawabsheh family in Duma.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We understand that the Israeli authorities believe they know the group that was involved, but unfortunately, at the moment, they do not have the evidence needed to bring individual suspects to trial. On 3 November, officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv met the Israeli Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and received assurances that the investigation into the arson attack on the Dawabsheh family is continuing. Our Embassy will continue to request updates from the Ministry of Justice on this case and other cases of settler violence.

  • Mark Spencer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Mark Spencer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Spencer on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information he holds on the average time taken by each Government department to respond to a request by a current or former employee for a job reference.

    Matthew Hancock

    This information is not held centrally. The provision of employee references is the responsibility of each departmental employer.