Category: Speeches

  • Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the next phases of the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Northern Ireland, including the numbers of refugees to be resettled in 2016; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I have participated in general discussions with colleagues, including the Home Secretary, on the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the UK. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State sits on the Government’s Syrian Refugee Relocation Ministerial Group.

    The Home Office are working with local authorities and the Devolved Administrations, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to put in place the necessary arrangements for the resettlement of Syrian refugees. My Department is in regular contact with the Home Office about these matters.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Ministry of Defence Police Officers are subject to disciplinary or unsatisfactory performance procedures in the event that they are unable to undertake additional work in excess of contractual hours; and what plans he has to review that policy.

    Mark Lancaster

    In line with the rest of the police service, Ministry of Defence Police officers may be subject to disciplinary action if they fail to attend for duty when directed to do so. There are no plans to review this policy.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training staff in (a) Lancashire and (b) the North West who handle NHS 111 calls receive other that the mandatory training covered by the NHS 111 Commissioning Standards.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not held centrally and is a matter for the local providers and commissioners.

    The NHS 111 commissioning standards issued in June 2014 state that all staff involved in handling NHS 111 calls must comply with the Licensing Requirements of the Clinical Decision Support Software used (NHS Pathways). Staff must also undertake training on: how to interact with urgent care services; the use of local Directories of Services; NHS Values; delivering excellent customer services; and safeguarding.

  • Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people using cannabis in the UK for medicinal purposes; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office does not collect data on this.

    Decisions on disposal options for those who possess cannabis for any reason are an operational matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will outline the decision-making process following their expected announcement on airport expansion in the South East, and at what stage in that process there will be a vote in Parliament.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    On 14 December 2015, the Government formally announced that it accepted the Airports Commission’s case for new runway capacity in the South East, as well as the Commission’s three shortlisted schemes. At the same time, it was also announced that the Department for Transport would undertake a package of further work which it anticipates will conclude over the summer. Alongside this, they would prepare an airports national policy statement as the framework for implementing decisions on airport capacity in line with the Planning Act 2008. National policy statements are designated in Parliament, at which point there can be a vote.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 12 May (HL8031), how many times in (1) 2014, and (2) 2015, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) specialist embassy team carried out risk assessment activities and identified individuals who had not notified their employment to HMRC, and subsequently took action to ensure they paid the tax that was due.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Embassy team in 2014 and 2015 didn’t undertake any specific risk assessment activities with regards to individuals who had not notified their employment. However the team arranged for one of our Central Compliance Teams to undertake a project to review the National Insurance Contributions (NICs) position of various embassies employees using our Risk Profiling system. We reviewed 697 cases and opened checks into 258 of these. Of these 150 were found to be compliant. The checks covered the tax years 2009/10 to 2014/15.

    In the current year we are expecting to open further checks in relation to both tax and NICs on a number of employees.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to continue its participation in the negotiations towards the 2030 EU Climate Framework; and whether the UK plans to commit to meeting the requirements of that framework after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK’s commitment to tackling global climate change remains firm. We are committed to the UK Climate Change Act and the Paris Agreement, and have accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change on the fifth carbon budget.

    Until we leave the EU, the UK remains a Member State, with all of the rights and obligations this entails. We will therefore continue to participate in EU negotiations, including those on the EU’s climate framework up to 2030.

    It is not appropriate at this point to speculate about arrangements for after the UK ceases to be a Member State.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if the Government will take steps to ensure that UK aid to Malawi funds long-term transport infrastructure, irrigation, diversification of farming and food products projects.

    James Wharton

    The UK’s development programme in Malawi works to grow the economy and eradicate extreme poverty. Improvements in the agriculture sector are essential for Malawi’s growth. DFID prosperity programmes aim to deliver increased agricultural production and productivity, including through the expansion of land under irrigation; a diversified economic base and increased investment in inclusive agri-business. DFID has also provided some support to rehabilitating rural roads, and undertaken feasibility work for rail and road corridors.

    We will continue to make transformative investments to help Malawi to move up the agricultural supply chain, improve regional trade and create more jobs. This will contribute to increased food security and agricultural production, helping to boost growth and create off-farm jobs.


  • Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rogan on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how much policing the student march on 4 November in London cost.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office has not made an assessment of the costs of policing this protest. It is an operational decision for the Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis, working with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to determine the levels of resources required to manage such events.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve major transport links between England and Wales.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government has the most ambitious programme of rail upgrades since Victorian times. It will introduce a new fleet of Intercity Express trains, cut journey times, increase the number of seats, and provide a more reliable service for commuters and people in England and Wales. Electrifying the Great Western Main Line from London to Swansea is a UK Government commitment which we will deliver to Cardiff within Control Period 5 and to Swansea as early as possible in Control Period 6.

    In addition the Government is providing £10.4m, in support of the Liverpool City Region Growth Deal, to fund the reinstatement of the Halton Curve which will enable passenger services from North Wales and West Cheshire to directly access Liverpool City Centre and Liverpool John Lennon airport for the first time in decades. The Halton Curve rail link will provide large economic benefits to the Liverpool city region and surrounding areas including North Wales.

    We are working closely with the Welsh Government on the development of the next Rail Investment Strategy to ensure that relevant English and Welsh priorities for rail investment in Control Period 6 are reflected.

    On the strategic road network, Highways England’s Pinch Point Scheme at the junction of the A55 and A483 trunk roads between Chester and Wrexham was completed in June 2015.This addresses significant traffic congestion problems at this junction near the border with Wales and related road safety problems, especially during peak periods, and will help to stimulate economic growth.

    The Government’s first ever Road Investment Strategy has committed £15.2 billion investment for the strategic road network in England from 2015 to 2021. The next iteration of route strategies will inform investment decisions for the next Road Investment Strategy and Highways England will engage with stakeholders to identify future investment priorities.