Category: Speeches

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to tackle child sexual abuse; and what steps she plans to take in regards to such abuse in the next year.

    Karen Bradley

    Tackling child sexual abuse is a top priority for this Government and good progress is being made on delivering the commitments made in “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” – the Government’s response to address on a national scale the failures that had been seen in Rotherham and elsewhere. We are working collaboratively across Whitehall to deliver on our commitments and will publish an update to the “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” report later this year. This will set out our progress to date on what we have achieved in tackling offending, reducing vulnerability and supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. It will also set out what future steps the government plans to take.

    As part of this work, we have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat, providing a clear mandate for police forces to safeguard children and to share intelligence and best practice. We have also rolled out to all UK police forces Child abuse image database (CAID) which provides law enforcement with effective tools to search seized devices. We have delivered a £7 million uplift in funding over the financial years 2014 – 15 and 2015 – 16 for non statutory organisations which support victims and survivors of sexual abuse and have announced that the same amount will be available in 2016 – 17.

    In January this year we launched a new national whistle-blowing helpline, operated by the NSPCC, for any employee who wants to raise a concern about how their organisation is dealing with a concern about a child. The establishment of the Centre of Expertise has formed part of discussions held at the Inter Ministerial Group on Child Sexual Abuse, and we are currently working towards its procurement. In terms of the Centre working with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Inquiry is independent of Government, but the Government is, and will, continue to fully co-operate with it.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the change by his Department in total spend per head of population is in 2016-17.

    Alistair Burt

    The estimated increase in total spend per head of population in England by the Department from 2015-16 to 2016-17 is £51.00 or 2.4%.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of UK negotiations with the EU resulting from the outcome of the referendum on the planned reorganisation of UK Science Research Councils proposed by Sir Paul Nurse.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government will continue taking forward the important legislation that was set before Parliament in the Queen’s Speech, including the Higher Education and Research Bill. This includes the formation of the new body UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Now, more than ever, we need a strong and unified voice to represent the interests of UK research and innovation across Europe and around the world which UKRI will provide.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce knife crime.

    Sarah Newton

    Tackling knife crime is a priority for the Government. On 23 March this year, we published the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy which sets out a range of measures to strengthen our response to knife crime including working with the police and industry to ensure there are effective controls on the sale of knives to under-18s.

    We have also passed legislation to ban the sale and importation of ‘zombie knives’ which came into force in August. We are encouraging the police to undertake a series of coordinated weeks of action to tackle knife crime under the Operation Sceptre banner.

    This includes targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers, and use of surrender bins. The next operation will take place the week of 17 October.

    We are also working with Crimestoppers and other potential organisations in delivering knife crime prevention messages to young people. In July 2015, the Government also introduced the sentencing provision that anyone caught in possession of a knife for a second time will now face a mandatory minimum custodial sentence.

  • Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues on the effect of the increase in the state pension age on women.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Ministers regularly discuss matters of policy that span their responsibilities.

    Reasonable mitigation for those worst affected by changes in State Pension age was introduced in 2011. A concession was made prior to the passing of the 2011 Act which reduced the delay that anyone would experience in claiming their State Pension, relative to the previous timetable, to 18 months. This concession was worth £1.1 billion in total.

    This Government is committed to better outcomes for pensioners. However, the several billions of pounds that it would cost to make further policy changes in this area, that prolong the gender inequality in State Pension provision, cannot be justified.

  • Lord Birt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Birt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of road vehicles in the UK they expect to be wholly electrically powered by 2030.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government has a commitment that nearly every car and van will be zero emission by 2050. Already over 1% of new cars are ultra low emission and we expect uptake to continue to rise over time consistent with this goal. We do not provide interim forecasts or targets as this market is now moving so rapidly. We will spend over £600m 2015-16 and 2020-21 to put the UK on track to meet our ambitious long term target.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of (a) calls attempts to HM Revenue and Customs customer helplines were handled and (b) post to HM Revenue and Customs was handled within 15 working days from customers in (i) London and (ii) Hampstead and Kilburn constituency in each year since 2009-10.

    Mr David Gauke

    Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data by constituency and regularly publishes general performance reports at Gov.uk

  • Suella Fernandes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Suella Fernandes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Suella Fernandes on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 on the Royal Navy’s global reach.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Strategic Defence and Security Review provides the investment necessary to deliver the most modern Navy in the world, capable of supporting the UK’s interests around the globe and keeping our seas safe.

    Both the capability and manpower of the Royal Navy will grow, including a renewed strategic deterrent; 100% aircraft carrier availability; a fleet of at least 19 frigates and destroyers including new general purpose frigates; new offshore patrol vessels, and new tanker support ships.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to review the policy limiting the reuniting of refugee families to children under the age of 18 and partners of refugees who have been granted asylum in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    Our refugee family reunion policy allows immediate family members of a person in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status – that is a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18, who formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin – to reunite with them in the UK. We have no plans to widen these criteria, which are fully compliant with our international obligations and enable thousands of people each year to be reunited with their families in the UK.

    However, where a family reunion application fails under the Immigration Rules, the Entry Clearance Officer must also consider whether there are exceptional circumstances or compassionate reasons to justify granting a visa outside the Rules. This caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances.

    We are currently reviewing our process for dealing with family reunion applications in consultation with the Ministry of Justice and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As part of that review we are working closely with the British Red Cross. We have committed to improving our guidance to caseworkers and redesigning the application form to ensure that applicants better understand the process and what is required of them.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will hold a public consultation on the level of fees charged by the Office of the Public Guardian.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Work to review the Office of the Public Guardian’s (OPG) fee structure is ongoing. Depending on the outcome of that work, a consultation will be published in due course if required.

    No estimate has been made of the average cost to a user of OPG services of the over recovery of costs.