Category: Speeches

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to which destinations (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have taken flights as part of their official duties since his appointment as Foreign Secretary.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The details of overseas visits undertaken by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, including the mode of transport used, are published in quarterly returns, which are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data

    “

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on measures to tackle avoidable winter deaths.

    Jane Ellison

    Work with European counterparts continues to be seen as an important way of reducing avoidable winter deaths and the building of partnerships and programmes will remain an ongoing focus of effort. For example, Public Health England (PHE) produces the annual cold weather plan for England (CWP) a framework intended to protect the population from harm to health from cold weather. The CWP was developed in consultation with WHO Euro.

    The global disaster risk reduction and seasonal influenza teams at PHE also work with European counterparts to reduce avoidable winter deaths. Key initiatives include engagement with the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre and the flu surveillance network.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department is making on doubling the proportion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education by 2020.

    Joseph Johnson

    We have taken significant steps to widen participation in higher education. In particular, from 2015/16, we have removed the cap on student numbers, enabling more people than ever before to benefit from higher education. We have also established a stronger framework with increased responsibility placed on providers to widen access. The Director of Fair Access has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 containing an estimated £745m to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds – up from £404m in 2009/10.

    The Green Paper Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, CM 9141 sets out additional steps the Government plans to take to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged background entering higher education including through the new guidance that we plan to issue to the Director of Fair Access, and through the social mobility taskforce being set up by Universities UK.

    We will work with the Higher Education Funding Council for England to target the Student Opportunity Fund in the most effective way and with the Director of Fair Access to ensure that universities take more responsibility for widening access, prioritising activities that demonstrate the greatest value for money.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast he has made of the return on spending on preventative sexual and reproductive health spending in each of the next five years.

    Jane Ellison

    We have no plans to produce forecasts on the return on investment of spending on sexual health prevention services. Investment to prevent sexually transmitted infections, (including HIV) and unplanned pregnancies offers benefits to individuals, local economies, the National Health Service and wider society. Our Framework for Sexual Health Improvements includes the evidence and information to support local authorities to commission effective services.

  • 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 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations on anti-Muslim violence in India to the government of that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) discussed religious tolerance in India with Prime Minister Modi on 12 November. Mr Modi reassured the British government that he remained committed to diversity and fundamental freedoms. Mr Modi was clear in his commitment to and respect for India’s core values of tolerance and fundamental rights, as well as reaffirming the importance of social harmony and inclusive development. I also discussed concerns about religious tolerance with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on 5 November.

  • 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 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the Government no longer funds the NSPCC helpline on modern slavery; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    Between 31 July 2014 and 31 July 2015, 849 contacts were made to the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline including 57 contacts made by potential victims themselves. 403 referrals were made to the police during the same period. Many calls to the helpline are made by concerned members of the public rather than victims themselves and so the number of potential victims is based on the information provided by a third party. The helpline refers information to the police or social services if the operator believes someone to be in danger or at risk of modern slavery.

    From the 849 contacts the NSPCC was notified of a potential 1,163 victims. Of those potential victims, 340 were reported as female, 530 were male and 293 were recorded as both or unknown. The table below shows the breakdown of those potential victims by age group.

    Age group

    Total

    0-17

    83

    18-25

    152

    26-35

    114

    36-45

    46

    46-50

    17

    51-60

    37

    61-70

    10

    Unknown

    704

    Grand Total

    1163

    The Home Office does not maintain a record of how many potential victims were subsequently found or referred to the NRM as a result of these contacts. However, all potential adult victims who contact the helpline are signposted to The Salvation Army for support and referral into the National Referral Mechanism, if they consent. Potential child victims are referred to the NSPCC’s Child Trafficking Advice Centre for further action.

    No funding has been allocated for the NSPCC helpline for the financial year 2016-17. Polaris, a US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is establishing an enhanced UK helpline in collaboration with a UK-based NGO, which will supersede the current NSPCC helpline. The NSPCC helpline will remain in operation until the enhanced helpline is up and running. Start up funding of up to £1 million has been provided by Google.org. The new helpline is expected to be in operation later this year.

  • Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of retaining his Department’s office at St Paul’s Palace, Sheffield.

    Joseph Johnson

    I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 27113 from the Hon Member for Sheffield Central.

    “

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the number of pupils recorded in the annual school census is who do not have English listed as their first language in (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools in each year since 2000; what the first language was of those pupils in each such category in each such year; and if she will provide the information by (i) local authority area and (ii) region.

    Nick Gibb

    The number and proportion of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English in primary, secondary and special schools in England is available at the following links:

    For years prior to 2010: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120504203418/http:/education.gov.uk/rsgateway/sc-schoolpupil.shtml

    For years from 2010 onwards: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers

    These tables contain figures for each local authority individually.

    Information is not readily available on the first languages of pupils whose first language is not English. Data for the years requested for local authorities and regions could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given by Lord West of Spithead to the Defence Committee on 7 June 2016, HC 221, at Question 20, what current budget is allocated to procurement of and building Type 26 frigates; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    For equipment procurement programmes the cost and schedule is set at the main investment decision, and the Type 26 Global Combat Ships programme has not yet reached that decision point. I am therefore withholding budgetary information regarding the procurement and building of the Type 26 frigates as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s policy is on rewilding lynxes.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits the release of species that are not ordinarily resident in the wild, without a licence granted by Natural England.

    If a licence application for the reintroduction of lynx is received, Natural England would consider it carefully in accordance with appropriate international guidelines, taking account of socio-economic impacts and the impact on the welfare of the animals themselves.