Category: Speeches

  • Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) technical support her Department has offered and (b) political engagement with the Afghan government her Department plans in order to ensure that the Afghan government fulfils the commitment it made at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, held on 4-5 October 2016, on amendments to the mining law; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK aims to reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on aid and help make it a more prosperous safe and stable country.

    The UK supports the extractives sector to accelerate economic development and revenue generation. Through the £10.3m Extractive Sector Support Programme, the UK has recommended revisions to the Minerals Law and provided support for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to incorporate amendments.

    The Mining Advisory Council is currently reviewing the amendments. Following this review, the amendments will go to the Ministry of Justice, the Council of Ministers, Parliament and finally the President for enactment. The UK remains committed to working closely with the Government and other stakeholders in support of this process.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many delayed discharges in West Sussex related to people with brain injuries in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not collected centrally.

  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people of each gender work in his Department.

    David Mundell

    As at 31 December 2015, there were 32 men and 27 women working in the Scotland Office.

    Information on staff gender breakdown by grade in the Scotland Office for previous years is published in the Office’s annual reports. The latest annual report for 2014-15 is available in the House of Commons Library.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Syrian opposition to encourage their participation in the Geneva peace talks; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are in regular contact with the Syrian opposition. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Riad Hijab, Chair of the Syrian Higher Negotiations Commission (HNC) on 29 January, expressing his support for the HNC and highlighting the importance of their participation in negotiations. Our Special Envoy for Syria and his team are currently in Geneva alongside other international partners, supporting the opposition and engaging with the UN.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what political representations UK officials have made to the Afghan government with respect to the Afghan Minerals Law and amendments currently being considered by the Afghan government; and whether UK officials have provided technical assistance in the preparation of those amendments.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The British Embassy regularly consults the National Unity Government on improving the Minerals Law to encourage responsible investment into the extractives sector. The UK proposed revisions to the Minerals Law in a review commissioned by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and provided support for the incorporation of recommendations by transparency organisations and donor partners into amendments.

  • 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 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of human rights workers being (a) summoned for questioning, (b) banned from travelling and (c) subject to attempts to freeze their personal funds and family assets by the Egyptian authorities.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We are concerned about the decreasing space for civil society to operate in Egypt, including for Non Government Organisations (NGOs). Human rights defenders have been subject to measures including questioning, travel bans and judicial applications for asset freezing against individuals and their families. I refer you to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) on 22 March. UK officials have raised our concerns with representatives from the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 3.1 of his Department’s Single departmental plan 2015 to 2020, published on 19 February 2016, what percentage of the strategic road network had a (a) charging point and (b) rapid charging point for electric vehicles every 20 miles on the most recent date for which figures are available.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England is analysing current provision of chargepoints on the strategic road network, and will then address gaps and work towards ensuring motorists have a chargepoint available every 20 miles. Progress to date has been encouraging, with 96% of motorway service areas now having at least one rapid chargepoint.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the NHS is not charged a premium price by pharmaceutical companies for general prescription drugs.

    Alistair Burt

    In the main, the National Health Service obtains value for money from the purchasing of medicines through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and the statutory scheme for branded medicines and through competition in the generic medicines market.

    Where we suspect that price rises are excessive, we can, and do, alert the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and ask it to investigate.

    My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has asked the CMA to urgently look at the issues raised in the media recently as part of its continuing investigations into excessive drugs pricing.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indian government on the killing of protestors in the Kashmir Valley in July 2016.

    Alok Sharma

    I remain very concerned by reports of violence and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. The United Kingdom abides by its commitments under international law and expects all countries to comply with their international legal obligations. Our High Commission in Delhi is monitoring the situation closely and we have changed our travel advice. The long standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. It is not for the UK to prescribe a solution or to act as a mediator.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what support the Government plans to provide to Hull for the national LGBT+ Pride festival in 2017; and if she will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government is considering different options for celebrating and supporting pride events in 2017 and will provide further details in due course.

    At Pride this year, the Government demonstrated its commitment to LGB&T equality in different ways: we flew the rainbow flag on top of the government buildings; the Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement of solidarity with the LGB&T community ahead of the Brighton Pride, and I released an op-ed ahead of the Portsmouth Pride.

    We are looking forward to celebrating the diversity of our communities at Pride next year.