Category: Speeches

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many disguised stun weapons have been seized at the UK border in each year since 2011-12.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

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

    We are able to identify seizures of stun weapons from our last data sets, but can not easily identify those which have been disguised. In order to obtain this information, we would have to examine individual records to establish which stun guns were disguised.

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has made an assessment of whether tariff free trade between the UK and EU member states would be possible under World Trade Organisation rules.

    Mr Robin Walker

    A World Trade Organisation member can enter into a preferential trade deal, such as a Free Trade Agreement, with another member.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the likely effect on household electricity bills of the agreement of a £92.50 MWh rate for the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Under the CfD consumers will not pay anything for electricity until the plant is powering their homes and businesses. Payments under the CfD are expected to make up around £10 (real 2012 prices) of the average household energy bill in 2030. This should be seen in the context of Hinkley Point C meeting 7% of the UK’s energy needs, and set against our estimate that a new nuclear programme could reduce average household bills by up to around £30 in 2030. This is calculated by comparing the costs for consumers in a modelled scenario for the future electricity mix with Hinkley Point C and a further role out of the new nuclear programme with the cost for consumers in a scenario where there are no new nuclear power stations by 2030. Savings could be higher or lower depending on changes in the cost of alternative generation technologies and what mix of technologies would ultimately be used.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to replace the 7.62mm chain guns on Warrior infantry fighting vehicles.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    A contract was placed in October 2011 for the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme which will keep this highly successful armoured fighting vehicle at the front and centre of combat capability for the next 25 years. The programme will include an improved turret with a new stabilised 40mm cannon and a tailored armour mounting system. The 7.62mm coaxial chain gun from the current in-service Warrior vehicle will be retained , but will receive a number of modifications including to the ammunition feed system

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-01-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment the Financial Conduct Authority has made of the effectiveness of its regulatory instruments, including enforcement action, in ensuring compliance by banks and other financial institutions regarding record keeping.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government.

    The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Rt Hon Joan Ryan MP by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 2.41 of the Government’s paper, The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union, published in February 2016, what contribution he expects UK environmental and energy safety regulators to make to the annual survey referred to.

    Anna Soubry

    The European Commission’s Annual Burden Survey will support the Commission’s Regulatory Fitness (REFIT) Programme of withdrawals, repeals and reviews of existing EU legislation.

    Anyone, including UK environmental and energy safety regulators, can now submit comments about any area of EU legislation to the Commission’s ‘Lighten the Load – Have Your Say!’ website*. Suggestions received will be analysed by the Commission and may subsequently be put forward for action via the REFIT Programme. The Government will use the REFIT Programme and the Annual Burden Survey to ensure that the EU meets its commitments to simplify legislation, avoid over-regulation and reduce burdens on business.

    * http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/democratic-change/better-regulation/feedback/index_en.htm

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of mental health trusts provide mental health services and support by female staff in female only settings; what funding is provided for such services; and what minimum standards are required for training, supervision and support for staff and volunteers providing those services.

    Alistair Burt

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many infraction proceedings the EU has initiated against his Department in each of the last 10 years; what the reasons were for each such proceeding being undertaken; and what the outcome was of each such proceeding.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is publicly available on the website of the European Commission where the infringement cases for each member state can be found. This includes the infringement and the decision. These records go back to 2002 and can be found here.

    http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-proceedings/infringement_decisions/?lang_code=en

    “

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of how many full-time equivalent civil servants will support the West Midlands Combined Authority in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Mark Francois

    A range of officials from across Government will work to support the West Midlands Combined Authority in the delivery of their policy outcomes. Civil Servants from my Department, including those based in Birmingham, and from the Homes and Communities Agency, will support the authorities of the West Midlands on a number of key local delivery priorities, including on planning, housing, and programmes to drive local economic growth, such as Enterprise Zones and European funding.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the concluding observations and recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the UK’s sixth periodic report in relation to welfare support for asylum-seekers; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The report recommends that the cash allowance provided to destitute asylum seekers, currently set at £36.95 per week, is raised. The level of the allowance is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is sufficient to cover essential living needs of individual asylum seekers and we will announce the result of this year’s review later this year.