Category: Speeches

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the situation on the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK is concerned about regular ceasefire violations and the increasing use of heavy weaponry both on the line of contact around Nagorno-Karabakh and on the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We encourage both Armenia and Azerbaijan to exercise restraint and accelerate efforts to reach a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on protecting the dual citizenship of people with British citizenship living in Hong Kong.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During his meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on 5 January and in London on 4 February, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), stressed the importance of respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all residents of Hong Kong. He also made clear our expectations that the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law for Hong Kong should be respected. During those meetings, China reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy.

    During the visit to London by Hong Kong Chief Executive C Y Leung on 15 and 16 October 2015, the Foreign Secretary and I also discussed with him the importance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and the need to preserve the rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Joint Declaration.

    The Foreign Secretary’s most recent six-monthly report to the House, published on 11 February (covering the period 1 July–31 December 2015), urged “the Chinese and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region governments to reassure the people of Hong Kong that the fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents will continue to be fully protected, and respected by all, in accordance with the Joint Declaration and Basic Law.” The report also stated that “while we assess that during the reporting period ‘One Country, Two Systems’ has, in very many areas, continued to function well, there have been some areas which have given grounds for concern. These revolve principally around the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Joint Declaration, including academic freedom and the freedom of the press.” We will continue to raise such issues with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.

    We aim to provide consular assistance to all British citizens, and to dual nationals in their country of other nationality in exceptional circumstances, in line with our consular guidance. We acknowledge that some countries do not accept dual nationality.

    In the case of British citizen Mr Lee Po, the Government continues to call at the highest level on the Chinese Government for his
    immediate return to Hong Kong. Despite formal requests which we continue to make, we have not been granted consular access to Mr Lee. We also stand ready to provide consular assistance to Mr Lee’s family.

    The Government will continue to monitor rights and freedoms in Hong Kong through the Foreign Secretary’s six-monthly reports.

    The full report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2015

    “

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of travel overseas by the Government’s Anti-Corruption Champion during the course of his duties.

    Matthew Hancock

    Overseas travel costs for the Anti-Corruption Champion will be included in the next Cabinet Office annual report and accounts, which will be published on GOV.UK in due course.

    There were no costs incurred by the Cabinet Office for the Anti-Corruption Champion in the latest annual report and accounts published. Any costs covered by the Cabinet Office for the Anti-Corruption Champion will be included in the next report which will be published on GOV.UK in due course.

    “

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether  the UK is still bound by the provisions of Directive 2004/83/EC on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals or stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection and the content of the protection granted, despite having not opted in to the recast Directive 2011/95/EU on standards for the qualification of third country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The UK remains bound by the provisions of the Procedures Directive 2005/85/EC and the Qualification Directive 2004/83/EC and not the recast Directives.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to include a dedicated place for a student representative on the Board of the Office for Students, and if so what arrangements they plan to make to ensure that that member has a democratic mandate from the students they represent.

    Earl of Courtown

    Schedule 1 of the Higher Education and Research Bill requires the Office for Students (OfS) to consider the desirability of including members with experience of representing or promoting the interests of individual students, or students generally in higher education.

    The appointment of OfS members will be made by the Secretary of State in accordance with the standard guidelines on public appointments, ensuring fair and open competition.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department plans to spend on supporting low-income communities to access renewable energy in developing countries in each of the next five years.

    James Wharton

    The UK Government has committed to invest £5.8billion between April 2016 and March 2021 through its International Climate Finance (ICF) to support sustainable economic growth and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. The UK aims to spend 50% of this climate finance on adaptation and 50% on mitigation activities, including a range of measures to support access to renewable energy in developing countries.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of adults with learning disabilities using day centres which are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department does not collect information about the number of complaints received or the number of adults with learning disabilities using day centres. Day centres are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is talking to ensure that payroll taxes are collected from employers who pay wages in cash; what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) employers using cash in hand for payroll and (b) employees receiving wages in cash; and what information he holds on the prevalence of payment of wages in cash in different sectors.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) takes a risk-based approach to employer compliance interventions, checking that employers and contractors have complied with their tax obligations. There are a variety of methods by which employers make payment to their employees, and HMRC will check wages have been received net of the appropriate tax and National Insurance Contributions deductions as part of our compliance intervention activity, regardless of the method of payment. Where this activity identifies that there may be non-compliance with other taxes, HMRC takes steps to address this risk.

    Where inaccuracies are found, HMRC will consider whether a penalty is appropriate based on the behaviour which led to the inaccuracy. The penalty will be highest in circumstances in which the behaviour which led to the inaccuracy was deliberate.

    HMRC is conducting research into the role of cash in facilitating non-compliance, and into the trends which are likely to change that role. As part of this work, on 25 November 2015 HMRC published a call for evidence on cash, tax evasion and the hidden economy, which seeks a better understanding of what implications the trend away from cash has for tax compliance.

    The call for evidence is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cash-tax-evasion-and-the-hidden-economy-call-for-evidence

    “

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the £50 million fund established for First World War commemorations has been allocated to or spent in Northern Ireland.

    David Evennett

    The Heritage Lottery Fund has committed £13.9m of Lottery funding to 58 projects across Northern Ireland and continues to welcome applications for First World War projects of any size. One of these projects is the restoration and display of HMS Caroline – the only surviving ship from the 1916 Battle of Jutland – in Belfast’s historic maritime quarter.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure continued Government funding for the Neurology Intelligence Network through NHS England and Public Health England.

    Jane Ellison

    Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s Medical Director, has undertaken a review of the National Clinical Director (NCD) resource designed to focus clinical advisory resources on areas where major programmes of work are currently being taking forward, or areas identified as priorities for improvement. As a result NHS England has proposed to change the way in which clinical advice is received in speciality areas in the future.

    Where there will no longer be a specific NCD role, NHS England will secure expert clinical advice from its clinical networks, through its relationships with professional bodies and by appointing clinical advisors. For neurology, it is planned that advice will be provided through a range of sources such as: clinical leads and members of the NHS England-funded neurology clinical networks; the Neurology Clinical Reference Group; and the Royal Colleges. It is expected that these new arrangements will be in place from 1 April 2016.

    The Neurology Intelligence Network (NIN) is a joint partnership programme between Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England to support the generation and dissemination of neurology-related health intelligence. The NIN, which is currently funded by PHE, faces no change to its current resource for the next financial year.