Category: Speeches

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on producing a 25-Year Plan for the environment.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The 25 Year Plan for the environment is a Conservative manifesto commitment and a priority for this government – ensuring a healthy environment and strong economy. Ours will be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than when we found it.

    The decision to leave the EU has meant the scope for the plan needed to be widened. We will now consider a long-term vision for our environment that is tailored to the needs of this country.

    We will shortly be publishing an engagement framework which will provide everyone with the opportunity to contribute toward shaping our environment over the next few years. We look forward to continuing to work with a wide range of interests to determine our approach and work together to deliver it.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government plans to table amendments to the Scotland Bill in the House of Lords.

    David Mundell

    The Government tabled substantive amendments to the Scotland Bill at Report Stage of the Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill subsequently passed third reading without division. The Government’s amendments strengthened the Bill and put beyond doubt that the Smith Commission Agreement has been delivered in full. The Bill is now before the House of Lords where it will be scrutinised further.

  • Gareth Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gareth Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve services for people with coeliac disease; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The treatment of coeliac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. It is therefore important clinicians understand the symptomatic picture of the condition and the investigations required to support an appropriate diagnosis. It is also important that patients who are diagnosed with coeliac disease are given suitable advice and support about how to manage their diet accordingly and can be referred to specialist services if clinically appropriate.

    To support NHS services in the diagnosis, treatment care and support of children and adults with coeliac disease, in September 2015 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated its best practice guideline Coeliac disease: recognition, assessment and management. The new guideline sets out seven recommendations to improve services for coeliac patients and includes implementation advice for the local NHS on the provision of the laboratory testing and interpretation of results and access to healthcare professionals trained to give specialist dietetic advice in relation to coeliac disease. The guidance can be found at the following link

    www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng20

  • Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the Homes and Communities Agency awarded in (1) 2012–13, (2) 2013–14, and (3) 2014–15 to the Empty Homes programme.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Homes and Community Agency made available £110.6 million to bring empty homes back into use over two rounds of funding:

    • Round 1 (2012-13) £69,820,695; and
    • Round 2 (2014-15) £40,790,126.

    The Homes and Community Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme will continue to provide funding to bring empty homes back into use. The Affordable Homes Programme is a competitive scheme and the amount of funding allocated to empty homes will depend on the quality of the bids received.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on reducing reoffending in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office makes an important contribution to the Government’s commitment to reduce re-offending to cut crime and make our streets safer. Integrated Offender Management provides a framework for the police working with other agencies to prevent some of the most prolific and problematic offenders from committing further crime.

    Operational policing matters are the responsibility of Chief Constables in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners. The Home Office does not, however, provide specific funding for this, over and above overall central Government funding provided to the police.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations have been made by whom in her Department to the Indian government on the extradition of the person charged with the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera in 2009.

    James Brokenshire

    An arrest was made in this case in India in July 2011 following an extradition request from the UK. Since then, the case has been before the Indian courts.

    The Home Office continues to monitor the case through the British High Commission in New Delhi. However, the United Kingdom has no involvement in the Indian court process.

    A further hearing is due to take place in India on 21 April 2016.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings of the Intergenerational Foundation in its research report, Toxic time capsule, published in April 2016, on the relative costs to the public purse and generating capacity of solar power, wind power and the Hinkley Point C project.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We do not recognise the figures presented in the report for the Intergenerational Foundation. Hinkley Point C is a good deal for consumers and, once operational will provide 60 years of secure, reliable and low-carbon electricity. This will help us to keep the lights on while meeting our emissions targets in the most cost-effective way.

    My Rt. hon friend, The Secretary of State is minded to proceed with the CfD support package for Hinkley Point C, subject to EDF taking a final investment decision.

  • Ian Paisley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Paisley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government’s policy on the soft drinks levy will lead to a higher rate of tax per volume of product levied on some soft drinks than on some non-spirit alcoholic beverages.

    Damian Hinds

    The tax rates for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy have not yet been set. The levy will not capture drinks with an alcoholic content above 0.5% ABV, which cannot be purchased by children.

  • Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marion Fellows on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons applicants are charged to apply for (a) naturalisation to become a British citizen and (b) registration to become a British citizen; and how those charges are calculated.

    James Brokenshire

    Fees for applications for naturalisation and registration for British citizenship are charged to cover the cost of processing such applications and contribute to the wider costs of operating the border, immigration and citizenship system. Fee levels are set in accordance with sections 68 to 70 of the Immigration Act 2014, and take account of a range of factors including the administration costs associated with an application and the various benefits and entitlements that applicants may receive from British citizenship.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of NHS 111 on reducing the uptake of other NHS services.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    NHS 111 providers are expected to conduct a patient survey every six months for each area they provide services for.

    Considering the latest year for which survey results are available (April 2015 to September 2015 and October 2015 to March 2016 surveys), for 11.6% of triaged calls an ambulance was dispatched by the NHS 111 service and in 8.4% of calls the caller was advised to attend accident and emergency (A&E). However, 18% of patients who responded to the survey reported they would have called for an ambulance if NHS 111 had not been available, and 28.3% would have attended A&E.

    For the full year period (April 2015 to March 2016), 11.3 million calls were triaged. From this we can estimate the impact of the 111 service. The differences mean that due to availability of the NHS 111 service, over 2.25 million people this year were directed away from using A&E and over 750,000 were directed away from calling an ambulance.

    Data about the service to which patients are recommended during an NHS 111 call (“dispositions”) are collected by NHS England and published on a monthly basis. Latest data are for July 2016 and can be found at the following website:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-111-minimum-data-set/nhs-111-minimum-data-set-2016-17/

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