Category: Speeches

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they are giving to the call by Save the Children for the UK to stop selling arms to any party involved in the conflict in Yemen while there is a risk that they might be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Yemen by the Coalition, including alleged airstrikes resulting in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, and take these very seriously. We have regularly raised our concerns with the Saudi-Arabian authorities and received assurances that they are complying with IHL. We continue to engage with Saudi Arabia on those assurances and have offered advice and training to demonstrate best practice and to help ensure continued compliance with IHL.

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of arms and controlled military goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the UK Licensing Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL.

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the current waiting time is for a PCV driving examination at Watnall test centre; what steps his Department is taking to reduce that waiting time; and when he expects that waiting time to be reduced.

    Andrew Jones

    The current waiting time for a vocational, LGV or PCV test at Watnall test centre is 11 weeks.

    The Driver and Vehicle and Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce waiting times. It is recruiting for driving examiners across the UK and has specifically targeted high-wait areas. Watnall was targeted in a recent recruitment campaign DVSA launched. Once new examiners are in place in Watnall, DVSA is confident waiting times will reduce. In the meantime, DVSA is continuing to monitor waiting times closely, deploying examiners from low-wait centres and offering weekend testing wherever possible.

  • Lord Smith of Hindhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Smith of Hindhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Hindhead on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many arrests were made in 2015 within establishments that hold a premises licence as defined under Part 3 of the Licensing Act 2003.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of arrests made in establishments operating under a premises licence or under a club premises certificate, or the number of arrests under the Licensing Act 2003.

    The Home Office collects data on the number of arrests broken down by offence group and police force area. This data cannot be broken down to the level of detail requested.

    The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of times the police were called to attend an incident at establishments operating under a premises licence or under a club premises certificate.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 25802, what the source of the data is on outcomes achieved by disabled children that her Department will use.

    Edward Timpson

    The source of the data published in the statistical first release Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19 is matched data from the Schools Census, Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data and information provided by awarding bodies. Any other data that is subsequently published will also use these data sources.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the rent review will take place on 1 Victoria Street; and what plans he has to publish the results of that review.

    Joseph Johnson

    The due date for the rent review is 1st January 2016.

    In line with standard commercial practice there are no specific plans to publish the results.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the Indian government and (b) other parties involved on the release to its owners of the vessel Seaman Guard Ohio.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I have made no representations to the Indian Government or any other parties on the release of the vessel Seaman Guard Ohio.

  • Lord Young of Cookham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Young of Cookham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Young of Cookham on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when local authorities have to make the first payment under section 69 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Before any determination is issued and any payments made under that determination, regulations on the definition of higher value assets must first be passed by both Houses of Parliament. We are currently working on the detail of the regulations.

    We shall consult with local authorities and other stakeholders before issuing the determination.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure that any future UK Bill of Rights covers all of the UK.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    We will set out our proposals for a Bill of Rights in due course.

  • Lord Forsyth of Drumlean – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Forsyth of Drumlean – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Forsyth of Drumlean on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the Ofcom Content Board are former employees of the BBC.

    Lord Ashton of Hyde

    There are 13 members of Ofcom’s Content Board which advises the Ofcom Board and Executive on content matters, covering television, radio and video-on-demand quality and standards. The Board’s members have experience from across the broadcasting industry including Sky, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and S4C. 9 of the current 13 members have previously been employed by or have worked for the BBC. The amount of experience and the seniority of these roles varies considerably within that.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are consulting (1) Barnardos, (2) Save the Children, (3) Oxfam, (4) Citizens UK, (5) the Trussell Trust, (6) Magic Breakfast, (7) FareShare, (8) FoodCycle, (9) Baby Basics, (10) The Children’s Society, and (11) any other organisations, about food and fuel poverty and the relationship between benefit sanctions and food and fuel poverty; and if not, why not.

    Lord Freud

    The Department for Work and Pensions constantly engages with a wide range of stakeholders, interested parties and other organisations across a wide range of issues that affect those receiving benefits.

    The All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger, and the Church report ‘Time to rethink benefit sanctions’, amongst others, all recognise that the reasons that people use food banks are complex and overlapping. There is no robust evidence that links sanctions and food bank use.