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Category: Speeches

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the circumstances were of the collision involving HMS Ambush near Gibraltar on 20 July 2016; and whether there will be a board of inquiry investigation into that incident.

    Harriett Baldwin

    It is UK policy that we do not comment on matters relating to submarine activity or operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

    HMS AMBUSH is undergoing repairs at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the duration of which is under review.

    On 28 July 2016, the Director General of the Defence Safety Authority convened an independent Service Inquiry to investigate the circumstances of this incident. It would be inappropriate to comment further while this investigation is on-going.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to undertake tooth checks for incoming unaccompanied child refugees.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Home Secretary’s statement on Calais on 24 October (Column 55) referred to the proper safeguarding, age assessment and security checks we carry out, working closely with local authorities and social workers in the UK, to ensure that the children transferred here are eligible to come and it is in their best interests to do so.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were referred by the NHS England Liaison and Diversion Service for support or treatment in the last three years for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England made almost 40,000 liaison and diversion screenings and more than 10,600 referrals to treatment or support services for people of all ages between 1 April 2014 and 31 August 2015. Data is not available prior to 1 April 2014.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to promote racial diversity in the film industry.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    This Government is committed to promoting diversity in the film industry. We support the British Film Institute’s (BFI) newly launched £1 million Diversity Fund, which works to provide professional development opportunities to people from underrepresented groups, as well as funding to organisations that are looking to support diversity projects. The BFI has also recently extended its Diversity Standards to cover all Film Fund Lottery schemes which support film development, production and distribution, and widen access to film in the UK.

  • Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their most recent estimate of the unit cost of the UK’s F-35Bs has been revised (1) upwards, or (2) downwards, as a result of updated information provided by the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.

    Earl Howe

    We continue to see a reduction in aircraft unit costs which is in line with the estimates shown in the annual US Selected Acquisition Report. The UK’s F-35 programme remains within its cost approval limit as detailed in the National Audit Office Major Projects Report 2015.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will discuss with the Chief Executive of HSBC that bank’s application of money laundering rules to hon. Members of both Houses of Parliament and their immediate and extended families; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Under the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations 2007, the meaning of a politically exposed person does not include an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function by the UK. The Fourth Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, makes no distinction between the prominent functions by the UK and third countries. However, the Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. We will be setting out this view in our consultation which will be published shortly.

    This change should not prevent any Member of this House, or any other individual in this category, from gaining or maintaining a UK bank account. I regularly raise these issues with banks and the regulator and we encourage the banks to implement these measures domestically in the most risk-based manner possible.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has paid to staff in overtime in each of the last 24 months.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The tables below contain information on the overtime spend by the Department for Transport, including the following agencies, for February 2014 – January 2016:

    • Department for Transport (central)
    • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
    • Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
    • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
    • Vehicle Certification Agency
    • Highways Agency (February 2014 – March 2015 only. From April 2015 HA became Highways England.)

    Month

    Feb-14

    Mar-14

    Apr-14

    May-14

    Jun-14

    Jul-14

    Overtime spend

    £1,239,198

    £1,599,619

    £927,703

    £1,280,082

    £1,268,173

    £1,261,126

    Month

    Aug-14

    Sep-14

    Oct-14

    Nov-14

    Dec-14

    Jan-15

    Overtime spend

    £1,249,497

    £1,341,766

    £1,413,538

    £1,160,553

    £1,158,340

    £1,122,994

    Month

    Feb-15

    Mar-15

    Apr-15

    May-15

    Jun-15

    Jul-15

    Overtime spend

    £1,247,224

    £1,664,032

    £1,395,002

    £1,339,767

    £1,290,854

    £1,403,393

    Month

    Aug-15

    Sep-15

    Oct-15

    Nov-15

    Dec-15

    Jan-16

    Overtime spend

    £888,400

    £911,069

    £1,051,989

    £775,587

    £357,148

    £446,784

    Both the twelve month periods shown above – February 2014 to January 2015 and February 2015 to January 2016 – show a reduction in overtime spend compared to the first twelve-month period of the Coalition government in 2010/11.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 31078, on immigration officers, whether (a) her Department, (b) the Interception of Communications Commissioner and (c) any other body has reviewed the use of the power of immigration officers to carry out property interference since 2013.

    James Brokenshire

    The Office of Surveillance Commissioners (OSC) provides independent oversight of the use of property interference powers by law enforcement, including immigration officers. The Police Act 1997 was amended in 2013 to enable immigration officers to carry out property interference. The OSC regularly inspects law enforcement use of the power and scrutinises all individual property interference authorisations. A statutory code of practice for covert surveillance and property interference which can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384975/Covert_Surveillance_Property_Interrefernce_web__2_.pdf

    applies to all agencies with property interference powers.

    The Investigatory Powers Bill will provide enhanced safeguards for the use of equipment interference, including the requirement that equipment interference warrants are subject to the double-lock authorisation safeguard. The Bill will also create a new and more powerful Investigatory Powers Commissioner who will keep the use of this important power under close and regular review. A new Equipment Interference Code of Practice was published in draft alongside the Investigatory Powers Bill. This Code will provide further guidance on the use of equipment interference powers to all relevant agencies.

  • 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 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the total cost to his Department of taxi journeys made by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials of his Department in each of the last five years.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Ministers, special advisers and civil servants in this department undertake a variety of visits to support the delivery of Government’s objectives and other departmental business. Travel and subsistence costs are published annually in the departmental accounts. We do not hold figures for the estimated costs for taxi journeys undertaken, broken down in the format requested and this can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether changes have been made to the way evidence of illegal entry is recorded in response to the recommendations made in the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, An Inspection of General Aviation and General Maritime, published in January 2016, and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Border Force fully accepted the recommendations of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration regarding General Aviation and General Maritime and is implementing changes as quickly as practicable. Border Force is working with other government departments and partners to deliver improvement during 2016-2017 and is closely monitoring progress.