Category: Speeches

Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what account his Department plans to take of alleged human rights abuses in Bangladesh in advising on any future trade deal with that country; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on Bangladesh in order to improve that country’s respect for political and other rights.

Alok Sharma

The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the United Kingdom takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully with a broad range of stakeholders, including both governments and business over the coming weeks and months, taking a large number of political and economic factors into consideration.

We are concerned about protection of human rights in Bangladesh, but believe that engagement, not sanctions, is the correct course of action. Sanctions would isolate Bangladesh at a time when it is, like so many, facing the global threat of terrorism. Trade sanctions would have a damaging effect on Bangladesh’s development and on efforts to bring people out of poverty.

01/01/2023
Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has conducted an investigation into how Demie Omol was able to travel through the UK to the Republic of Ireland; and what steps she is taking to prevent further victims of trafficking being similarly transported by the same agents and through the same routes.

Karen Bradley

We do not routinely comment on individual cases. With regard to onward travel through the UK, we have rolled out Safeguarding and Trafficking teams at a number of major UK ports so that trained officers can help identify victims, disrupt organised criminal groups, collect intelligence and provide a point of expertise and guidance for other frontline officers.

With regard to Ireland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland also works closely with An Garda Siochana on an operational basis to tackle cases of suspected cross border human trafficking and exploitation.

01/01/2023
Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many claimants for personal independence payment have been asked to pay for a letter from their GP explaining their impairments or disability whilst being moved from disability living allowance to personal independence payment.

Justin Tomlinson

Claimants are advised during the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim process that they should not request any documents from their GP that they may be charged fees for. Where an Assessment Provider requires further medical evidence to assist in completing the assessment report they may request a GP Factual Report (GPFR). GPs are paid a prearranged fee by assessment providers for GPFRs as the information requested is not included in their contractual agreement. As independent contractors GPs are permitted to charge their patient a fee as the provision of the report is outside their contractual obligations. The BMA provides guidance on appropriate levels of fees for different types of reports.

01/01/2023
Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 February 2015 to Question 224081, on social services: pay, whether HM Revenue and Customs has completed its investigations into the six social care companies.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has investigated over 400 care sector employers involving 330 complaints from workers and 79 targeted using our risking tools. Non-compliance has been found in about a third of completed investigations, identifying over £436,000 arrears for nearly 3,000 care workers. HMRC’s investigations have assured the working practices of the social care providers who employ almost 20% of the total workforce in that sector.

HMRC has not completed all the investigations into the six social care companies. The Department does not discuss the results of specific investigations for reasons of confidentiality.

01/01/2023

Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has paid to staff in overtime in each of the last 24 months.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The tables below contain information on the overtime spend by the Department for Transport, including the following agencies, for February 2014 – January 2016:

Department for Transport (central)
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Vehicle Certification Agency
Highways Agency (February 2014 – March 2015 only. From April 2015 HA became Highways England.)

Month	Feb-14	Mar-14	Apr-14	May-14	Jun-14	Jul-14
Overtime spend	£1,239,198	£1,599,619	£927,703	£1,280,082	£1,268,173	£1,261,126
Month	Aug-14	Sep-14	Oct-14	Nov-14	Dec-14	Jan-15
Overtime spend	£1,249,497	£1,341,766	£1,413,538	£1,160,553	£1,158,340	£1,122,994
Month	Feb-15	Mar-15	Apr-15	May-15	Jun-15	Jul-15
Overtime spend	£1,247,224	£1,664,032	£1,395,002	£1,339,767	£1,290,854	£1,403,393
Month	Aug-15	Sep-15	Oct-15	Nov-15	Dec-15	Jan-16
Overtime spend	£888,400	£911,069	£1,051,989	£775,587	£357,148	£446,784

Both the twelve month periods shown above – February 2014 to January 2015 and February 2015 to January 2016 – show a reduction in overtime spend compared to the first twelve-month period of the Coalition government in 2010/11.

01/01/2023

Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue guidance to NHS trusts on ensuring future reductions in frontline staff numbers are not made for the purpose of reducing trusts’ deficits.

Ben Gummer

The National Health Service has taken a number of steps to reduce trusts’ deficits. We have introduced tough new financial controls to cut down on waste in the NHS – including clamping down on rip-off staffing agencies and expensive management consultants, and introducing central procurement rules.

We are also introducing a £2.1 billion Sustainability and Transformation Fund in 2016/17 to support providers to move to a financially sustainable footing. This will give the NHS the space to transform services so they are world class for decades to come.

The purpose of these actions is to put NHS finances on a sustainable footing to ensure high quality care, now and in the future.

Trusts should focus on the numbers and skillmix needed to deliver quality care, patient safety and efficiency, taking into account local factors such as acuity and casemix.

Two communications to NHS trusts (a letter on safe staffing and efficiency dated 13 October 2015 from NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS England, Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; and a letter dated 15 January 2016 from Chief Executive-designate of NHS Improvement, Jim Mackey, and the CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards) asked trusts to consider quality and finances on an equal footing in their planning decisions; stated that it is not the case that NHS trusts could only achieve their financial targets at the expense of quality, or that improving quality is more important than staying in financial surplus; and emphasised that responsibility for staffing rests (as it has always done) with trust boards.

01/01/2023
Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department’s 25-year food and farming plan will contribute to delivering the Government’s emissions reduction plan.

George Eustice

The Food and Farming Plan will explore the role of technology in reducing emissions through improved feed efficiency, among other issues. It will also set out how we will work with industry to deliver emissions reductions across the rest of the food chain, including supporting the Courtauld 2025 objective of reducing food and drink emissions by 20% between 2015 and 2025.

01/01/2023
Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been of applicants for asylum who have arrived without documents and concealed their identity to frustrate removal in each of the last 10 years.

James Brokenshire

The number of individuals prosecuted for arriving without documents and concealing their identity is 50. The figures are illustrated below.

1st April 2014 – 31 March 2015 26

1st April 2015 – 31 March 2016 22

This information was not held centrally prior to 2014.

The Home Office works closely with the NCA and other law enforcement agencies, and prosecuting authorities in the UK and abroad, to ensure criminal investigations are robustly progressed in accordance with Criminal Justice standards.

01/01/2023
Stephen McPartland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen McPartland on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions officials of his Department have had with their counterparts in (a) Wales on the Welsh Liver Disease Delivery Plan and (b) Scotland on the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework.

David Mowat

There have been no discussions with counterparts in Wales on the Welsh Liver Disease Delivery Plan or Scotland on the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework.

Public Health England contributes to the Lancet Commission on Liver Disease and the Lancet Commission have also reviewed the Welsh Liver Disease Delivery Plan.

01/01/2023
Michael Fabricant – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic on the West Coast Mainline following completion of Phase 1 of High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The construction of High Speed 2 (HS2) will release capacity on the existing network, including the West Coast Mainline, reducing crowding, improving resilience and reliability across the network, and improving journey opportunities for passengers. This released capacity could also provide space for at least an extra 20 West Coast Main Line freight paths helping to meet forecast freight demand and taking lorries off the road network. Phase One of HS2 will also bring substantial benefits in its own right, providing additional capacity and improved connectivity.

01/01/2023