Category: Speeches

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on whether technology in the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation FC-31 aircraft was stolen or copied from the F35-B Lightning II.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I am aware of dated reporting in media that suggests this to be the case. The Ministry of Defence does not comment on such material as to do so would or would be likely to prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and other States.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage more milk processors to comply with the voluntary code on milk contracts.

    George Eustice

    The dairy industry code of best practice on contractual arrangements was created in Great Britain in 2012 in response to concern about fluctuating milk prices. About 85% of producers have signed up to it. There is general acceptance that the code’s introduction has led to some improvement for milk producers.

    Ultimately, the code is voluntary and owned by the industry. However, this is something that I regularly discuss with the NFU and Dairy UK with a view to encouraging other, primarily smaller processors to sign up.

  • 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 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of attendees at the NHS England Mental Health Crisis Care Summit were mental health service users.

    Alistair Burt

    The second mental health Crisis Care Concordat national summit was held on 24 November 2015, hosted jointly by the Department and Mind.

    The event concentrated on progress with improving crisis care since the launch of the Concordat in February 2014. The Summit was full, with 250 delegates and speakers. All delegates were Concordat activists – either involved in their local Crisis Concordat groups or representatives from national signatory and supporter organisations. People with lived experience and carers attended, as well as members of the National Survivor User Network. Some attendees will have been present representing their organisations but also will have had lived experience, and it is therefore not possible to calculate the number of those attendees who were mental health service users.

    All Departmental conferences involve stakeholders and service users as part of the preparation process.

  • Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many court martials have taken place in the last year; and of those how many resulted in (1) convictions, and (2) acquittals.

    Earl Howe

    The Courts Martials tried a total of 477 individuals during 2015. Of these, 362 resulted in a conviction and 115 resulted in acquittal.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 1.37e of the Educational Excellence Everywhere White Paper, when she plans to launch the Excellence in Leadership Fund.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department’s White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere stated that we would launch an Excellence in Leadership Fund to encourage the best Multi-Academy Trusts and other providers to develop innovative ways of boosting leadership, particularly in areas of most need. The Fund will help to better support schools to develop a strong and diverse set of school and system leaders, through specific activity aimed at groups that are still under-represented in leadership positions. Further information about the timing and budget for the Excellence in Leadership Fund will be made available in due course.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the effect of Ofgem’s plans to introduce a Partial View in the Confidence Code Review 2016 on the proportion of the cheapest energy tariffs that will potentially be hidden from consumers using accredited price comparison websites.

    Jesse Norman

    It is vital that customers trust price comparison websites, as they offer real opportunities for improving competition and I expect price comparison websites to be clear to consumers when they are not providing a whole market tariff comparison.

    Ofgem are currently consulting on proposals to allow price comparison websites to only show those tariffs that consumers can switch to through the price comparison website as a default, but they must also provide quick and easy access to a webpage showing all tariffs available on the market. The consultation closes on 28 September and is available online at

    https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2016/08/whole_of_market_consultation.pdf

    “

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which budget will supply funding for the estimated running costs of the Institute of Apprenticeships.

    Robert Halfon

    The Institute for Apprenticeships will be funded by the Government using public funds. It is expected that part of its budget will be provided by funding freed up from savings across the Department.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2015 to Question 8120, what the sensor capability is of the C-130 Hercules; and what the full extent is of its search and rescue resources.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Hercules C-130 aircraft is fitted with radar which can be used to locate vessels in the water. Night vision goggles allow aircrew to conduct visual searches at night. The aircraft is able to provide situational awareness of shipping in the area by interrogating maritime transponder transmissions.

    The Hercules C-130 is also able to drop air sea rescue apparatus containing life-rafts and survival equipment.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the reduction in civilian headcount in his Department required to meet the efficiency and reform savings announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 for the 2015-16 financial year and in each of the next five such years.

    Mark Lancaster

    The civilian staff reductions announced as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review will be managed in a number of different ways. In the short term, the Ministry of Defence has agreed to make further savings and adjustments in this current financial year as part of the Government’s commitment to reducing the deficit. This is still on-going and may mean restrictions on recruitment.

    Over the longer term, a number of change programmes already under way across the Department are reducing our civilian workforce. These programmes will continue, and individuals are already aware if they are affected. We will also drive forward programmes to consider better ways of delivering services, and explore opportunities to deliver outputs in more efficient or innovative ways.

    We are confident these programmes will deliver the required reductions to meet the efficiency and reform savings announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set up a flood partnership group for Lancaster, chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with membership from local authorities, the Environment Agency and community flood defence groups.

    Rory Stewart

    There are currently no plans to set up a flood partnership group for Lancaster chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. The Environment Agency, however, will be leading in Lancashire to ensure that robust partnership working mechanisms are established to protect communities in the future.