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Category: Speeches

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the Ministry of Justice no longer has responsibility for Government policy on freedom of information and data protection.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements of the 17 July [HLWS134] and 17 September [HCWS209]. As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister is responsible for the overall organisation of the executive.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative arrangements have been made for residents of Flintshire to take driving tests during the temporary closure of the Chester driving test centre.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are committed to providing testing in the Chester area, from mid-February DVSA will offer both car and motorcycle practical tests from Cheshire County Sports Club as a temporary measure. In the meantime, DVSA is continuing to look for a new permanent site in the Chester area.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all areas of the UK benefit from the award of 2.3 and 3.4 GHz spectrum bands.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The 2.3 and 3.4 GHz spectrum bands are being made available across the UK as part of the Government’s programme of public sector spectrum release. Ofcom takes independent decisions on how to assign spectrum, including whether and how to auction it and the conditions of licences granted. The licence obligation on Telefonica together with the Government’s 2014 agreement with mobile network operators means that by the end of 2017 95% of premises in Scotland will have indoor 4G coverage and complete not-spots for voice and SMS text will halve.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many appeals against Local Planning Authority decisions by developers he has received under Section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in each year since 2009-10; in how many of those cases in each year did he exercise his powers under Section 79 of that Act to (a) allow under Section 79(1)(a), (b) dismiss under Section 79(1)(b), (c) decline to determine under Section 79(6), (d) dismiss under Section 79(6A) the appeal and (e) amend the planning authority’s original decision in any way; and in how many such cases the Local Planning Authority subsequently paid compensation to the developer as a result of his decision.

    Brandon Lewis

    The attached table only covers Section 79 (1)(a) and Section 79(1)(b).

    We do not hold the data on section 79(6) as the legislation is very rarely used with only a handful of cases in the last 7 years. In addition, the Section 79 (6) ‘compensation’ element only allows for a party to apply for costs. This can only occur where a party has behaved unreasonably, and this has directly caused another party to incur unnecessary or wasted expense. The costs order states the broad extent of the expense the party can recover from the party against whom the award is made. It does not determine the actual amount. PPG ‘Appeals’ section 4 relates.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 March (HL Deb, col GC297), whether they will provide a breakdown of the £45 million spent in Gaza since October 2014.

    Baroness Verma

    In October 2014, the UK pledged £20 million in early recovery assistance at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo. This included funding for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for those injured, clearance of unexploded ordnance, short term employment schemes, shelter and basic services, support to the private sector to reopen factories and businesses, funding for the UN’s new construction materials monitoring mechanism, technical assistance and direct support to the Palestinian Authority. The UK has disbursed this pledge in its entirety. Since then the UK has provided more than £25 million of additional support to Gaza for a range of activities, including basic service delivery and further support to the private sector.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel in the light of the dawn raid on a currency exchange shop in Ramallah.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    No representations have been made to the Government of Israel on this issue.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with NATO allies on the number of troops deployed to the Baltic states; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The 2014 Wales Summit, under UK leadership, delivered an effective and united response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its actions in Eastern Ukraine.

    NATO has agreed to strengthen its defence and deterrence posture to provide further reassurance to Allies and deter Russian aggression.

    In February 2016 Defence Ministers agreed to address specific concerns raised by the Baltic States and Poland. Ahead of the Warsaw Summit in July, work continues within the Alliance to determine the size and scale of an enhanced forward presence in the East. The proposed measures are proportionate, defensive in nature, and not a threat to Russia, but demonstrate unequivocally the unity within the Alliance and the continued commitment of all Allies to the NATO principles of collective defence and security.

    A UK contribution will ultimately be shaped by what is agreed by all Allies.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that police officers are trained to deal with hate crime.

    Sarah Newton

    The Government condemns all hate crimes and is committed to tackling these crimes in partnership with the communities affected.

    We have in place some of the strongest legislation to tackle hate crime in the world – this includes specific offences for racially and religiously aggravated activity and offences of the stirring up of hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation.

    We also have stronger sentences for hate crime. We continue to carefully consider the recommendations from the Law Commission review into hate crime legislation. The Government has committed to taking action to improve our response to hate crime.

    This includes joint training between the police and Crown Prosecution staff to improve the way the police identify and investigate hate crime; building on the improvements to police recording of hate crime by working with the police to break down religious-based hate crime by religion; and working with victims and advocacy groups to improve victims confidence to come forward and report such crimes.

    The police are also improving their operational practices and recording. Last year, the College of Policing published Operational Guidance for officers responding to hate crime which comprehensively covers how to address all forms of hate crime.

    Hate crime statistics show number of crimes recorded by the police by force area. The decision as to how hate crime is resourced in individual forces is an operational matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner for that area. The latest police funding settlement represents a fair deal for the police and reinforces this Government’s commitment to protect the public. No Police and Crime Commissioner who maximised precept income is facing a reduction in cash funding this year.

    Police and Crime Commissioners are also responsible for commissioning local support services for victims of crime. The Ministry of Justice provides the Commissioner with a grant to enable services which best meet the needs of local victims of crime to be funded.

    The Home Office published a new hate crime action plan on 26 July 2016, which sets out Government action over the next four years to tackle hate crime. It includes:

    ● new steps to boost reporting of hate crime and support victims;

    ● new CPS guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime;

    ● a new £2.4 million fund for protective security measures at potentially vulnerable places of worship;

    ● and additional funding to community organisations tackling hate crime.

    Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are and anyone who experiences hate crime should report it to the police, either in person at a police station, online through the True Vision website, or by phoning 101.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase the number of cadet units in state schools.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Government has committed £50 million from LIBOR fines to increase the number of cadet units in UK state schools through the Cadet Expansion Programme. The joint Ministry of Defence/Department for Education programme is targeting schools in less affluent areas and we have had a substantial number of applications to establish new units. This demonstrates the interest that schools around the country have in the programme.

    The expansion programme is well on track to achieve its target of 500 cadet units parading in schools across the UK by 2020. As at June 2016, 350 units were parading and on 4 October 2016 the Secretary of State announced the next wave of 25 new units in state schools which have been approved.

    The list of 25 new schools which have been approved is as follows:

    Arnold Hill Academy – Nottinghamshire

    Askham Bryan College – North Yorkshire

    Bedlingtonshire Community High School – Northumberland

    Bishop Challoner Girls School – London

    Broadgreen International School – Liverpool

    Cardinal Griffin Catholic College – Staffordshire

    Carr Hill High School and Sixth Form Centre – Lancashire

    Central Foundation Boys’ School – London

    Chichester Free School – Chichester

    Ernest Bevin College – London

    Gravesend Grammar School – Kent

    Hugh Baird College – Merseyside

    Khalsa Secondary Academy – Buckinghamshire

    Kings Leadership Academy Liverpool – Liverpool

    Medway UTC – Kent

    Newton Rigg College – Cumbria

    Nova Hreod Academy – Swindon

    Quintin Kynaston Academy – London

    Rockwood Academy – Birmingham

    South Shields Community School – Tyne and Wear

    South Wiltshire UTC – Salisbury

    St Thomas More Catholic School – Tyne and Wear

    The JCB Academy – Staffordshire

    Tudor Grange Samworth Academy – Leicestershire

    West Midlands Construction UTC – Wolverhampton

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average duration of a claim for tax credits was in the most recent (a) 12 and (b) 24 months for which data is available.

    Damian Hinds

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