Category: Speeches

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recommendations in the report by ukactive entitled Blueprint for an Active Britain, published in November 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Departmental officials are currently in the process of organising a meeting with ukactive to discuss the content of the report and wider issues relating to physical activity. I attended and spoke, alongside the Sports Minister, at the recent conference at which this report was launched.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have not received a visit by a UK Minister since 2000.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    This information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

    Ministers regularly make visits overseas in pursuit of UK interests.

  • Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Earl Attlee on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have the power or ability to refer Operation Midland to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office is unable to refer matters to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and cannot comment on individual cases which are a matter for individual forces.

    Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002 places a duty on the appropriate authority to refer a matter to the IPCC under certain prescribed circumstances. The appropriate authority would usually be the chief constable or, where the complaint or conduct matter relates to a chief officer, the local policing body for the force in question.

    The appropriate authority may also refer a complaint to the IPCC if it considers it appropriate to do so because of the gravity of the subject-matter or there are any exceptional circumstances involved. Where the appropriate authority is the chief constable and a case is not referred, the local policing body for the force may refer the matter to the Commission on the same grounds. The IPCC can, at any time, require the appropriate authority to refer a matter to it for consideration.

    As part of the measures to strengthen the powers of the IPCC in the forthcoming Policing and Crime Bill, the IPCC will in future have the power to investigate allegations of police misconduct, death or serious injury and complaints against the police without first awaiting or requiring a referral from a force.

  • Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what infrastructure preparations have been made for the integration of female soldiers into close combat units in the Army; and what is their estimate of the cost of any such preparations to date.

    Earl Howe

    Women are currently excluded from serving in ground close combat roles in the Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps, the Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force Regiment. The Prime Minister stated on 20 December 2015 that he would like to see all roles in the Armed Forces opened up to women in 2016. Further physiological research currently under way will inform a final decision in mid-2016.

    The review "Women in Ground Close Combat" has identified the principle of full integration as a vital element in generating cohesion in combat troops. The subsequent infrastructure work required is being considered as part of ongoing implementation planning, in the event that the exclusion is lifted. Early estimates from the 2014 research paper suggest that a fully integrated solution at the Army’s Infantry Training Centre at Catterick could cost up to £1.6 million. Once a final decision is taken, the Department will be able to identify and cost a fully integrated long-term solution as required.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 March (HL6235), what assessment they have made of whether a procurement process where there are only two genuine bidders complies with the EU rules and procedures for public contracts, which state that a minimum of three bids are required, and whether they have sought from the EU a derogation from that rule.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Rail franchising competitions are governed by Regulation 1370/2007 and not the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Therefore, although the Department fully applies the EU treaty principles of transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination, it is not obliged to follow the processes and procedures set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

    Where a competition is to be held, Regulation 1370/2007 requires a fair competitive procedure, but does not stipulate the minimum number of bidders that is required to evidence this.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Audit Office investigation into the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by government officials (HC 797, 2015-16).

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is currently considering the conclusions put forward by the NAO in its recent report on Gifts and Hospitality.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on bringing Crossrail 2 through Harrow and Wealdstone station; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The proposed route of Crossrail 2 connects south-west to north-east London via 23 miles of new tunnels between Wimbledon and Tottenham Hale. There are no plans to bring Crossrail 2 through Harrow and Wealdstone station.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-07-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to assist the government of Afghanistan in preventing any illegal trade in lapis lazuli and other minerals.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK supports the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) including through strengthening the Ministry’s capacity to detect and report illegal activity such as the illegal trade in Lapis Lazuli and other minerals.

    However, because most of this illegal activity occurs in insecure areas where there is little or no government control, the UK is supporting Afghanistan’s long term security and stability; including through providing additional troops to assist the Afghan Forces boost security in the country, and providing £178m aid per year to 2017 to support Afghanistan’s economic growth and development.

  • Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision to buy Apache AH-64E helicopters through a foreign military sale with the United States government, how many UK companies are part of the AH-64E global supply chain; and by value, what proportion of the total cost of an AH-64E their goods and services represent.

    Earl Howe

    The UK’s Apache AH-64E helicopters are being bought from the US Government through their Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. As such, the UK Government does not have a direct contractual relationship with the Apache AH-64E supply chain. It is understood, however, that at least five UK companies have been successful in securing sub-contracts from Boeing, the helicopter manufacturer and lead system integrator, on the Apache programme. Together, these contracts represent about 5 per cent by value of Boeing’s contribution to the global Apache programme.

  • Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Attorney General, whether he plans to change the arrangements or level of funding for specialist rape and sexual offence prosecutors; and if he will make a statement.

    Robert Buckland

    Any consideration of future funding proposals would form part of the Spending Review which will be announced in due course.

    However, the CPS has been refocusing its existing resources to support Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) units, including through a recruitment exercise to increase the size of the units and an extensive training programme to further support staff within them. The CPS is also working closely with the police through a high-level RASSO Steering Group to further ensure the consistent application of policies, including in relation to the seeking and provision of early investigative advice.