Category: Speeches

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce measurable targets on reducing the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy was published in March and set out the Department’s targets for cycling. This included an objective to reduce the rate of cyclists killed or seriously injured on England’s roads, measured as the number of fatalities and serious injuries per billion miles cycled, each year.

    We are in the process of analysing feedback received during the consultation and expect to publish the final Strategy this summer.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Olympic Games in Rio, and the potential adverse impact on funding for elite athletes of Brexit, what steps they will take to ensure proper funding for such athletes to support their successful participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    The London 2012 Olympic Games were a huge success with sold-out venues and the best British performance for over 100 years in winning 65 medals. The Games left a legacy of increased participation and world-class sporting venues which are now being used by our elite athletes as well as local communities.

    The commitment from the Government immediately following the London 2012 Olympic Games to confirm and sustain Exchequer support for the UK Sport World Class Programme was a significant moment in underpinning the success of Rio, providing UK Sport, and the National Governing Bodies of sport, with the necessary financial support to invest in medal success across the Olympic and Paralympic sports.

    I am confident that this success will continue at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and through to Tokyo in 2020 and beyond. Since 2012, UK Sport funded athletes have given back over 18,000 days visiting schools and local projects as part of our commitment to inspire the next generation.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that people who violate the law on protected birds of prey are prosecuted.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Defra Ministers have received a number of representations, including from Members of this House on behalf of their constituents, highlighting their concerns about illegal persecution of birds of prey such as the hen harrier and wildlife crime more generally.

    The Government takes wildlife crime very seriously. All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with strong penalties for committing offences against birds of prey and other wildlife. All incidents of wildlife crime should be reported to the police.

    Raptor persecution is a UK wildlife crime priority and has a taskforce led by a senior police officer to develop a plan to prevent crime, gather intelligence on offences and enforce against it. It focuses on the golden eagle, goshawk, hen harrier, peregrine, red kite and white tailed eagle.

    The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which Defra funds jointly with the Home Office, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities affecting birds of prey and provides assistance to police forces when required.

    It is a matter for the prosecuting authorities to ensure those who commit such offences receive the appropriate penalties as set out in law.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to introduce a standard dementia test for all people aged between 65 and 70.

    Jane Ellison

    Improving the treatment and care of people with dementia, reducing the incidence of dementia and improving dementia research, is a key priority for the Government. That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020 as a successor to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015.

    There are different models of diagnosis which are being utilised for all stages of the condition across all age groups. A range of different tests and diagnostic procedures are needed to diagnose dementia depending on the person and the type of dementia they may be suspected of presenting with, therefore a single standardised test would not be clinically appropriate.

    On 10 September 2014 NHS England published a new Dementia Toolkit aimed at helping general practitioners making a more timely diagnosis and what they can do in terms of vital post-diagnostic support. Decisions on specific health treatments and tests, however, are made at a local level to best meet the needs of the individual concerned.

    We will be raising awareness of dementia as a component of the NHS Health Check for all attendees aged between 65 and 74.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what financial support his Department plans to provide to local authorities to resettle Syrian refugees in years two to five of the vulnerable persons relocation scheme.

    Richard Harrington

    At the Spending Review the Government committed around £130 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 of the scheme. This will be allocated on a tariff basis over four years, tapering from £5,000 per person in their second year in the UK, to £1,000 per person in year five. There will also be support for education and healthcare, and a special cases fund to assist the most vulnerable refugees.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support global efforts against neglected tropical diseases.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID is a global leader on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). At the high profile London Declaration on NTDs in 2012 the UK brought together the International Community including Leading pharmaceutical companies. We are meeting our commitments including spending £195m on NTDs through multi-year programmes and as a result of the London Declaration pharmaceutical companies have pledged drugs valued at US$17.8 billion from 2014 to 2020. We support programmes that tackle a range of NTDs including schistosomiasis (bilharzia), blinding trachoma, lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and visceral leishmaniasis. Eradication of Guinea worm disease is in sight and the UK has played a key role in this, supporting the work of the Carter Center and the World Health Organisation.

    DFID support research through a range of initiatives which include the development of new treatment and diagnostic products, as well as implementation research

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to implement the recommendation of the National Screening Committee, made in January 2016, on making non-invasive prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome available to expectant mothers.

    Ben Gummer

    The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has recommended that non-invasive prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome should be introduced as an additional test into the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme as part of an evaluation. Ministers are currently considering this important recommendation from the UK NSC which has the potential to transform antenatal care.

  • Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Madeleine Moon on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contract for the new Predator ER is predicated on aviation authorities giving clearance for that aircraft to fly in UK and European air space; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department is currently working towards a main investment decision on the PROTECTOR remotely-piloted aircraft announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, rather than contracting for a new Predator Extended Range (ER) programme. As part of this work, the Department is considering the issues and options relating to clearance to fly in UK and European airspace.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason exemptions were granted from the sugar levy for 100 per cent fruit juice and milk; and if he will publish the evidence on which that decision was taken.

    Mr David Gauke

    Pure fruit juices and milk-based drinks have other health benefits and we do not want to discourage their consumption.

    Pure fruit juices are part of the 5-a-day message and have intrinsic nutrients such as containing certain vitamins.

    Milk and milk-products are a good source of protein and calcium, which have health benefits such as aiding bone formation. The government wants to encourage the consumption of milk to help children consume the required amounts of these nutrients.

  • Baroness Nye – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Nye – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Nye on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the new government in Burma about the opening of a UNHCR office in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees already maintain an office in Rangoon, Burma, we have long called for the Burmese government to work with the UN over the opening of a full country office for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This was a prominent recommendation of the Burma Resolution at the UN’s March Human Rights Council, which we co-sponsored. We will continue to encourage the new administration in Burma to follow through on that recommendation.