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Category: Speeches

  • Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the costs of implementing the Teaching Excellence Framework.

    Joseph Johnson

    We recently published the Green Paper: “Fulfilling our potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice,” which sets out our proposals for delivering the Teaching Excellence Framework.

    Once we have considered the consultation responses, and are in a position to publish our final proposals, we will publish a Regulatory Impact Assessment which will set out the costs of implementation.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on civilian casualties incurred as a result of Turkish government offensives in predominantly Kurdish areas of Turkey.

    Mr David Lidington

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. The Turkish Government has responded by striking PKK targets in Turkey and Northern Iraq. They have also launched large-scale security operations involving curfews in some towns and cities in order to clear them of suspected terrorists.

    We are aware of reports of civilian casualties in the region, and a worsening humanitarian situation in certain areas in south east Turkey. The Turkish Government have said that 48 civilians lost their lives in clashes between 23 July and 23 December 2015. They also said that 93,000 people have fled their homes. We also understand that there have been investigations launched against elected officials and politicians. Any such investigations should be undertaken transparently and fully respect the rule of law.

    We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights need to be fully protected. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can.

    We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process. I raised these issues with my Turkish counterpart the last time we met in August 2015.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits the armed forces made to state secondary schools in (a) Inverclyde and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Armed Forces never visit schools for recruitment purposes and would only ever visit a school after being invited by a teacher to support school activities. Similar contributions to schools are made by the Police, Fire, Ambulance and other emergency services. The Armed Forces receive numerous requests from schools each year and the three Services take these opportunities to both explain their role, and to assist schools in teaching valuable skills such as leadership, teamwork and citizenship.

    These visits can comprise presentations, citizenship talks, meetings with staff, participation in career events, practice interviews and activities with the students, such as science and maths challenges, and other indoor or outdoor exercises.

    Information on the number of visits by the Royal Navy and the Army to secondary schools is presented below, by Financial Year (FY); the category of secondary educational establishment (such as state or independent) is not recorded. Details of visits by the Royal Air Force could not be provided in the time available and I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.

    Royal Navy

    FY

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    Scotland

    267

    176

    176

    150

    88

    Inverclyde

    1

    0

    3

    4

    0

    Note: 2015-16 to 12 February 2016.

    Army

    FY

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    Scotland

    191

    199

    175

    203

    279

    Inverclyde

    Not Known

    Not Known

    Not Known

    6

    1

    Note: 2015-16 includes events confirmed to the end of March 2016.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Annex on a Comprehensive Franco-British Partnership on Civil Nuclear Energy, Franco-British Summit, on 3 March 2016, if she will publish the internal review of the Hinkley Point C project’s organisation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The organisation of Hinkley Point C is a commercial matter for EDF. In the UK it is for developers to fund, build and operate new nuclear power stations.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013, as set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to those Regulations, has been completed, and if so, whether a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

    Lord Faulks

    Work to review the enforcement reforms introduced in April 2014 is ongoing.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received from (a) industry bodies and (b) the public on reviewing the treatment of electricity interconnectors under the reformed capacity market; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We have received a number of representations on this topic, most particularly in response to the three formal consultations on this topic over the last three years. A summary of all the responses we received to these consultations are available on the Government website.

  • Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans for clause 187 of the Investigatory Powers Bill to apply to (a) class bulk personal datasets and (b) specific bulk personal datasets; and if she will take steps to ensure that the protection provided under that clause will encompass all types of warrants, as specified in the Investigatory Powers Bill, in the case of medical records.

    Mr John Hayes

    Clause 187 of the Investigatory Powers Bill applies to specific BPD warrants and provides that, where one of the purposes of the warrant was to authorise the retention or the retention and examination of health records, the warrant may only be issued in exceptional and compelling circumstances.

    On 5 July the Government tabled an amendment to the Bill which would make clear that class BPD warrants could not be used to retain, or retain and examine, bulk personal datasets that consist of, or include, health records.

    Protections for other parts of the Investigatory Powers Bill relating to medical professionals and confidential information relating to an individual’s health will be provided for in the statutory codes of practice made under the Bill. Draft codes detailing these protections were published on introduction of the Bill in March 2016.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many international flights have been taken by (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) special advisers of his Department in an official capacity since his Department was created.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Government publishes information about flights and other expenses incurred on Ministerial and senior official overseas trips on a quarterly basis.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of changes in employment in the renewable energy sector as a result of changes in policy towards feed-in tariffs.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Our consultation on the feed-in tariff review reflects the need to balance sector support whilst keeping bills down for consumers. We strongly welcomed evidence from the sector during this review consultation, which ended on 23 October, and will respond in due course.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive, in order to enable the welcoming of the maximum number of refugees.

    Lord Bates

    The UK Government is discussing and engaging closely with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that each is able to welcome refugees who will be resettled under the Syrian resettlement programme. We are also represented on the task forces in each of the devolved administrations.