Category: Speeches

  • Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on winter fuel payments for UK citizens living in (a) Cyprus, (b) France, (c) Gibraltar, (d) Greece, (e) Malta, (f) Portugal and (g) Spain in 2014-15.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available. However, the annual numbers and amounts of Winter Fuel Payments paid to all recipients in the EEA and Switzerland, by country, are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/winter-fuel-payments-by-eea-country

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  • Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with the operators of the Brae Alpha platform following the gas leak on 26 December 2015 that resulted in the shutdown of that platform.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The incident on 26 December 2015 was a safety-related incident at an offshore oil and gas installation, the regulation of which falls within the Health and Safety Executive’s statutory remit under the Offshore Safety Directive.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the most effective way to implement the use of rapid diagnostic technology for the purpose of accurately diagnosing infections in hospitals.

    Ben Gummer

    An expert group has been looking at how we can improve access to rapid diagnostic testing as part of the implementation of the UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy. The group is currently formulating its conclusions and intends to start working with stakeholders to implement improvements across the system from 2016; a part of this work will include an economic analysis to support the rapid adoption of new tests.

    The Department has been feeding this work into the Accelerated Access Review, which will make recommendations to Government on speeding up access to transformative new medicines and technologies, including diagnostics, for National Health Service patients. The review is due to report in April 2016.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have withdrawn more than the 25 per cent tax-free allowance from their pension fund as a lump sum since 2014.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not have information on all types of taxable pension payments taken since 2014. However, information on the taxable element of pension flexibility lump sums taken since April 2015 is collated and published quarterly. This also provides details of the number of people who have taken these payments. The publication can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/flexible-payments-from-pensions.

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  • 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 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 19,000 remaining refugees to enter the UK by the end of this Parliament have been already identified by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    We work closely with The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify cases that they deem in need of resettlement according to agreed vulnerability criteria for the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. The scheme is based on need and supports those who cannot be supported effectively in their region of origin.

    We cannot therefore provide long term forecasts but have agreed a timetable of referrals. This remains subject to change due to a number of operational factors.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many alternative provision free schools have been graded (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) requires improvement and (d) inadequate in each year since 2012.

    Nick Gibb

    These are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to support fishing any stocks at a higher level than the maximum sustainable yield level in the forthcoming negotiations on the multi-annual plan to manage North Sea fish stocks.

    George Eustice

    The objective of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy is that all stocks will be fished at or below their respective Maximum Sustainable Yield by 2020. We expect to see proposals for a North Sea multi-annual plan soon which will provide the regulatory framework for the management of multi-species fisheries in the North Sea.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many trafficked children she estimates will receive an advocate in the next phase of trials of the Independent Child Trafficking Advocates Service.

    Sarah Newton

    Every child that is identified as being potentially trafficked will be allocated an independent child trafficking advocate in each of the early adopter sites.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on Duro Dakovic TEP and its treatment of its employees.

    Damian Hinds

    DWP has received no representations on Duro Dakovic TEP and its treatment of its employees.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the claim by the Bank of England that up to 15 million jobs in Britain are at risk from increased mechanisation.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Bank of England has made an important contribution to the debate about how technological developments will shape work and the labour market.

    While assessments often focus on the jobs at risk from technological change, the wider effects of such changes can also be to create jobs. The UK economy has adapted well to previous changes related to automation and globalisation, with over 2.5 million people moving between jobs each year, and it is now experiencing record rates (73.7%) and levels (31.2 million) of employment.

    The Government is taking action to provide individuals with the skills that will help prepare them for changes to the labour market. Activities include the new school computing curriculum, developing new apprenticeship standards, growing the apprenticeships programme and recently announcing the Institute for Coding.​​

    Furthermore, the Government’s Horizon Scanning Programme Team is working with officials across departments to explore the implications for policy – including employment – of automation. This has included meeting the experts who created the methodology underlying the Bank of England’s analysis.