Category: Speeches

David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure that the Government publishes a family impact test in respect of all future primary and secondary legislation.

Priti Patel

While we encourage departments to publish Family Test assessments, there is no requirement to do so, as this may not always be appropriate. Assessments against the Family Test are completed by policy officials in the course of developing advice on new policy; this may include some ideas that do not progress beyond the design stage.

01/01/2023
Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many places through Health Education England have been available for Healthcare Cadet apprenticeships in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16; and what forecast he has made of the number of such places that will be made available in 2016-17.

Ben Gummer

Health Education England (HEE) is committed to supporting a range of vocational based learning programmes, including the healthcare cadet apprenticeships in the North West.

Health Education England North West make approximately 400 places available through the programme every year. HEE undertook an extensive consultation with National Health Service trusts and dental practices, about the Healthcare Cadet Scheme. On the basis of the feedback received, HEE decided to close the programme and have developed a new model for vocational training to start in April 2017.

Healthcare cadetships are available in other areas. No data is collected centrally on these.

There are several Healthcare Cadet apprenticeship schemes in operation across England. No data is available on national spending on these schemes. No national assessment has been made on the effectiveness of Healthcare Cadet schemes.

01/01/2023
Lord Sharkey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Leader of the House what was the average time in (1) the 2015–16 Session, and (2) each of the last five Sessions before that, between the publication of a select committee report and its being debated; and how many select committee reports published in the 2015–16 Session and the previous five Sessions were undebated (1) 12 months, and (2) six months, after publication.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston

My office does not hold the information requested.

My Noble Friend the Government Chief Whip makes regular offers of time for debates on Select Committee reports to the Committee Office. The Committee Office then coordinate among Chairmen to determine which reports are debated on such occasions and in what order.

Sixteen select committee reports were debated in the last session and debates on nine reports have been arranged thus far this session.

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

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure the long-term future of S4C.

Matt Hancock

We are strong supporters of S4C and Welsh language broadcasting . We have committed to a comprehensive review of S4C in 2017 which will look at a range of issues including funding arrangements, remit, accountability and governance.

In order for S4C to continue to provide a first-class service and have a sustainable future, we announced (on Wednesday 3rd February) an extra £400,000 funding for 2016/17.

As set out in the BBC White Paper, the BBC will maintain a commitment to Welsh language broadcasting services – we expect the BBC to continue its partnership with S4C to deliver TV services in Wales during the next Charter period.

01/01/2023
Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish his Department’s negotiating priorities for a free trade deal with the EU.

Mr Robin Walker

We are about to begin these negotiations and it would be wrong to set out unilateral positions in advance. At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.

01/01/2023
Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will urge his Australian counterparts, on the grounds of the right to democratic self determination, to return Norfolk Island to its previous system of self-government.

Mr Hugo Swire

Governance of Norfolk Island is a matter for Australia, in consultation with Norfolk Islanders. I am confident that Australia’s respect for democratic self-determination is undimmed: before introducing recent reforms, it ran a full consultation process, which included a number of public hearings with Islanders, and have committed to retaining a local regional council with responsibility for local services and with powers to legislate on local issues.

01/01/2023
Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which weapons were identified in health and safety near misses reported by his Department involving an unplanned or faulty discharge in each of the last five years; and how many such near misses there were for each of those weapons in each of the those years.

Mark Lancaster

We are investigating the compilation of the requested statistics and I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

01/01/2023

Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs have been deployed against targets in (i) Iraq since September 2014 and (ii) Syria since December 2015.

Penny Mordaunt

The number of weapons fired by each weapon type in each country during the period requested up to 24 January 2016 is shown below:

RAF Weapon Usage on Op SHADER in Iraq and Syria

Weapon Type	Number of weapons fired at targets in Iraq From September 2014	Number of weapons fired at targets in Syria From 2 December 2015
Hellfire	311	7
Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone	117	9
Paveway IV	540	34

The Ministry of Defence provides a regular update on airstrikes at http//www.gov.uk/government/news/update-air-strikes-in-Iraq

01/01/2023

Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring staff from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to the Institute for Apprentices to allow continuity of collected labour market information when government funding for that commission ceases in 2016-17.

Nick Boles

The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) will have a very small research role, focused around its tight set of core functions. It will not continue the UKCES function of carrying out research into the wider labour market.

BIS has consulted the Devolved Administrations and other users of labour market information on future research priorities. These discussions have identified the significance of the Employer Skills Survey, the Employer Perspectives Survey and the LMI (Labour Market Information) for All Portal. We are considering how these can best be delivered in future and will announce future arrangements as soon as final decisions are made.

01/01/2023
Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-03-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of investment through local revenue raising in the development of sustainable health systems capable of detecting and responding to disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Baroness Verma

Domestic financing has a central role to play in all countries to strengthen health systems and improve accountability. In April 2001, African Union Heads of State agreed the Abuja Declaration which set a target of allocating at least 15% of budgets to improve the health sector. Subsequently, the share of budgets allocated to health increased from 8.1% in 2000 to 9.6% in 2010. However, even at 15% of government expenditure, many African countries would still lack the funding necessary to improve their health systems significantly. The international community therefore plays an important supporting role in strengthening health systems to contain disease outbreaks and to ensure global health security.

01/01/2023