Category: Speeches

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which organisation or company has been commissioned to conduct further environmental impact studies regarding possible expansions at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff have been contracted by the Department for Transport. Their contract is available on https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/17ffaddc-3c19-4462-91ae-bf30029c08d9.

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  • Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many queries the Central Point of Expertise on Timber has received from (a) public sector bodies and (b) businesses in each of the last 10 years.

    Rory Stewart

    The Central Point of Expertise on Timber service closed on 31 March 2016. Defra does not hold complete information on how many queries the service received in the format requested.

    The contractors advised that the number of queries had dropped over time. We hold some information from the final phase of the contract between 2012 and 2016, which illustrates this trend. The service received 257 queries between October 2012 and September 2013, 146 queries between October 2013 and September 2014, and 48 queries between October 15 and March 2016. These figures cover queries on timber, wood fuel and palm oil.

    The government’s policy of buying timber and wood products only from legal and sustainable sources is well embedded within the key systems which govern our procurement, specifically the relevant government buying standards and the centralised procurement frameworks. Comprehensive online guidance is also provided.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 11 May 2016 to Question 36565, when she plans to make the decision on whether to update the statutory guidance on sex and relationship education; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    As stated in my response to the Hon. Member’s previous question 36565, the Government believes that sex and relationship education is essential for children’s development and preparation for responsible adult life. We have received requests about updating the guidance which we will consider carefully.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the potential effect of delays in the processing of criminal record check disclosures on sporting activities.

    Mike Penning

    Protecting the public is a priority for this Government and it is important that checks undertaken are thorough; a proportion of the applications received by the DBS must be referred to one or more police forces as part of the enhanced disclosure process. In the vast majority of cases these checks are completed within target.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the impact of timeliness on sporting activities, it is recognised that delays may create problems for some people. We will not compromise when it comes to the safety of children and vulnerable adults.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Attorney General, whether there are plans to review the nature and type of offences that are capable of referral to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of leniency of sentencing.

    Robert Buckland

    The Government has committed to extending the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and is carefully considering its approach.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Falkland Islands of the results of the recent Argentinian presidential election.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    As my honourable Friend will know, Argentina held an inconclusive first round of Presidential elections last month. A second round is due to take place on 22 November.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people, excluding people participating in the Work Programme, who were claiming employment and support allowance and were previously in receipt of incapacity benefit, ended their claim for employment and support allowance after moving into work during the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Priti Patel

    Detailed information on the reason for leaving Employment and Support Allowance is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to require six-monthly inspections of all licensed houses in multiple occupation and bed and breakfasts catering for homeless people.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Local authorities, familiar with stock in their areas, are best placed to set up appropriate inspection plans that take account of resources available and risk posed by individual properties. The Government has no plans to require six-monthly inspections of licensed houses in multiple occupation and bed and breakfast accommodation occupied by homeless persons.

    Local housing authorities must also exercise their functions in respect of hazards under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System in relation to licensed houses in multiple occupation and ensure any accommodation they secure to accommodate homeless households is suitable. In considering "suitability" authorities must consider whether the accommodation is affordable for the household, its size, its condition, its accessibility and also its location.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much he estimates will have been spent by April 2016 on implementing digitalisation requirements at Calderdale Magistrates’ Court and Halifax County Court and Family Court.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Approximately £35,000 will have been spent at Halifax (Calderdale) Magistrates’ Court and Family Court by April 2016. The expenditure has been in in-court presentation technology. All the hardware which was bought will be reallocated to another court following closure. There has been no expenditure in digitisation of Halifax County Court and Family Court.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 14 March 2016, Official Report, on unemployment, if he will publish the Government’s employer engagement strategy referred to in that Answer.

    Priti Patel

    In December 2015 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published ‘English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision’, which sets out how government will engage with employers and increase the quality and quantity of apprenticeships, achieving three million new starts by 2020. This is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-in-england-vision-for-2020

    A new approach to working with employers is in development. This is a new engagement strategy and is an internal work plan. We have no plans to publish it at this time. The strategy aims to ensure that we engage with the right employers in the right sectors in the most productive ways.

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