Category: Speeches

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her officials have had with the St Helena government on an interim air service solution.

    Rory Stewart

    Discussions are ongoing between my officials and the St Helena Government on the prospects for an interim air service using the southern approach to the runway, where the prevailing winds require aircraft to land with a tailwind. All aircraft have performance limits for the maximum tailwind in which they can operate; technical work is underway to assess the frequencies tailwind speeds at the airport exceed these performance limits.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people caring full-time for a relative; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    “Caring full-time for a relative” is not a term that is defined in data collections and so the data is not collected centrally.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s policy is on the appropriate percentage rate of return on investment for (a) schools and community groups investing in on-site solar power and (b) foreign state owned companies investing in new nuclear power in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    We want to attract cost-effective investment in infrastructure. Investors rightly expect a market rate of return and value for money is achieved through competition and careful negotiation. Individual project rates of return will differ to reflect, among other things, the risk profiles involved.

    The Feed-in-Tariff scheme, for which schools and community groups are eligible to apply, aims to offer rates of return for solar installations between 4% and 8%. Returns for each installation will vary according to their individual costs and the amount of electricity generated and used on site. The Government’s recently closed consultation on the scheme includes a review to ensure that tariffs are within this range, given the fall in costs of solar panels in recent years. It will detail its response to the consultation shortly.

    We are unable to disclose the anticipated rate of return for new nuclear transactions as these are commercially sensitive.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations his Department has received from professional football teams in England and Wales on the potential introduction of safe-standing facilities at higher tier sports stadia in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    Representations have been received from one League One club, Peterborough United, and from Grimsby Town in the National League about the possible introduction of safe standing accommodation at their respective grounds.

    The Minister for Sport has also met Andrew R T Davies, Leader of the Conservative Party at the Welsh Assembly to discuss the possibility of a safe standing pilot in Wales.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 on small businesses.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 introduced a number of reforms to increase transparency, streamline processes and ensure prompt payment. These reforms were introduced to support all businesses, especially smaller ones. The impact of these reforms is being assessed by our Mystery Shopper service, who will publish a report on progress in due course.

    Direct SME spend in central government increased from under £3 billion (direct only) in 2009-10 to over £12 billion in 2014-15 (direct spend and spend through the supply chain).

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with London Underground (LU) on the effect on passenger safety of reducing staffing on LU.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Transport for London (TfL) where many issues are discussed, including TfL’s plans to change the way Underground stations are operated and staffed, and to improve the service they provide to customers. I am assured that the changes introduced by TfL will not have a detrimental impact on passenger safety.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UK can withdraw from EU treaties under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, with 12 months notice or otherwise.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made clear to the House of Commons that “if the British people vote to leave, there is only one way to bring that about, namely to trigger Article 50 of the Treaties and begin the process of exit". The rules for exit are set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This is the only lawful route available to withdraw from the EU.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of UK citizens living in other EU countries excluding Ireland, derived incomes from UK sources in the most recent year for which statistics are available.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information requested is not available.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the library the evidence provided by the Royal Military Police to the (a) Surrey Police and (b) Devon and Cornwall Police inquiries into deaths at Deepcut barracks between 1995 and 2002; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    No. Evidence provided by the Royal Military Police to Surrey police and Devon and Cornwall Police was gathered for the purpose of investigations and proceedings by a public authority. Release of the material may prejudice any current or future investigations by the Police, or by other public authorities such as the Coroners Court

  • Paul Farrelly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Farrelly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Farrelly on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff are working on the NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for (a) Staffordshire and (b) other areas of the UK; and what the NHS staffing budgets are for each of the STPs in progress.

    David Mowat

    Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints are not statutory bodies, but collective discussion forums which aim to bring together health and care leaders to support the delivery of improved health and care based on the needs of local populations. They do not replace existing local bodies, or change local accountabilities. Each footprint has been asked to determine governance arrangements for agreeing and implementing their STP. Individuals who are leading the development of STPs within each footprint, which include NHS provider Chief Executives, Clinical Commissioning Group Accountable Officers, local authority senior leaders, are responsible for convening and chairing system-wide meetings, facilitating the open and honest conversations that will be necessary to secure sign up to a shared vision and plan. In the overwhelming majority of cases this is a voluntary, non-statutory role and they are not being paid over and above the remuneration they receive for their existing role. Their salary details will be available in the individual annual reports of the organisations by whom they are substantively employed.

    As above, each STP footprint has been asked to determine governance arrangements for agreeing and implementing their STP. As these are locally led health and care transformation programmes, resourcing relating to each STP will be available at a local level.