Category: Speeches

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UK, as one of the three guarantor powers of Cyprus, was consulted in connection with the request by Russia to the government of Cyprus for the provision of military facilities on that island.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have discussed with the Republic of Cyprus their dialogue with the Russian Federation on the provision of facilities for humanitarian and emergency purposes. The Republic of Cyprus have stated very clearly that they have no plans for a Russian military base on the island.

    The UK remains fully engaged on issues of regional security with the Republic of Cyprus, while recognising that it is for the Republic of Cyprus to decide which bilateral agreements to sign.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of people removed from the electoral register since December 2015 are (a) men and (b) women.

    John Penrose

    The electoral registers used for the 2015 General Election contained over 400,000 more entries than the last registers published prior to the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration (IER). As such, suggestions that IER would lead to a decline in registration levels were simply incorrect.

    While data is not available on the number of non-IER registered electors who voted at the 2015 General Election, the Electoral Commission found 96% of the entries on the electoral register in May 2015 were already registered under IER.

    The Electoral Commission is planning to publish a report in February/March 2016 on the state of the December 2015 registers. This is expected to include data on the number of register entries and on the number of remaining non-IER registered entries removed in December.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average hourly earnings of (a) female, (b) male, (c) full-time and (d) part-time employees of his Department were in each of the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    Average earnings are published by the Office for National Statistics, for all departments on an annual basis. The latest publication date was 8 October 2015. Breaking these figures down to an hourly basis could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Detailed breakdowns of mean and median salaries for female, male, full time and part time staff are contained in the Civil Service Statistics Statistical Bulletin Tables available here:

    2011: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-229310

    2012: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-279335

    2013: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-319802

    2014: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-375368

    2015: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-414427

    “

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide an update on their policy on Islamic finance in the UK.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government remains committed to developing the UK as a global centre for Islamic Finance. This work includes issuing sovereign Sukuk of £200 million in 2014; adapting the tax regime to remove the major tax barriers to Islamic finance transactions; and UK Export Finance issuing its first ever Sharia-compliant export credit guarantee for a 10-year US$913 million Sukuk that was issued by Emirates Airlines in March 2015. This was used to finance the acquisition of 4 Airbus A380 aircraft.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how much of the £700m fund for updating the technology on the courts and tribunals estate was spent prior to October 2015.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The five-year £700m modernisation programme of the courts and tribunals, will build a justice system that is swifter and more certain. This programme incurred expenditure of c.£10.2m for the six months to end September 2015.

  • Geraint Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Geraint Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geraint Davies on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) timescale and (b) terms of reference are of the review referred to in paragraph 6.69 of the Educational excellence everywhere White Paper, Cm 9230, of what is happening in practice for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

    Edward Timpson

    The White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere set out an intention to review what is happening in practice for all children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), not only those with statutory plans, and to review what more can be done to improve these children’s attainment, outcomes and experiences.

    This work is being taken forward internally and is informed by our ongoing dialogue and close working relationship with stakeholders.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which EU (a) legislative and (b) other proposals his Department is leading negotiations on for the Government in the Council of the EU.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for measures relating to the telecoms single market; the digital single market; data protection; network information security; cultural objects.

    The Department provides Explanatory Memoranda to Parliament on any proposals defined by the terms of reference of the parliamentary EU scrutiny committees, which can be found online.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce stronger key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of Highways England.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government will review Highways England’s existing performance indicators and targets when setting the next Road Investment Strategy. As part of this process the Government will consider whether existing indicators and targets should be strengthened, and whether new indicators should be introduced.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the Infertility Network UK recommendations on access to IVF treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department funded Infertility Network UK (INUK) to develop advice to NHS Commissioners on standardising eligibility criteria for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The Department has consistently encouraged NHS Commissioners to have regard to this advice. The INUK advice is listed as a resource for clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the NHS England “Commissioning Fertility Services Factsheet”.

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend that eligible couples should receive three full cycles of IVF treatment. The Government has made clear that blanket restrictions on treatment are unacceptable and all decisions on treatment should be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and in line with NICE Guidelines.

    While we have not made an assessment of access to IVF treatment, we are aware of the annual survey by Fertility Fairness. I have written to stakeholders, including Fertility Fairness, and invited them to discuss what could be done to improve the provision of IVF services along with representatives of NHS England and Monitor.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will confirm that stocks of air-launched weapons such as Brimstone used in Syria and Iraq will be maintained at planned levels at no cost to the agreed defence budget.

    Earl Howe

    I am withholding details of stock levels of air-launched weapons as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces and allies. However, the cost of replenishing weapons used for air strikes in Syria and Iraq will be met from the HM Treasury Special Reserve.