Category: Speeches

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the granting of market economy status to China.

    Anna Soubry

    My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.

    We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.

    The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.

    The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards her Department has put in place to ensure that out-of-country entry clearance applications are rigorously checked and processed.

    James Brokenshire

    All out of country entry clearance applications are subject to an extensive range of mandatory and discretionary checks.

    These include, but are not limited to, identity, travel document verification, searches against national and international police records and against previous Immigration history. But biographic and biometric checks can also be made.

    Applications are then assessed against the Immigration Rules. Decision quality is assured both by local managers and as part of the overall Departmental audit and assurance framework. Further assurance is provided by regular third party inspections and audits.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which (a) fixed and (b) mobile structures funded by her Department in Area C of the Occupied Palestinian Territory have been (i) demolished and (ii) confiscated by the Israeli authorities in (A) 2015 and (B) 2016.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 17 March to Question number 30955

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel from Royal Navy 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group were involved in training Bahraini defence force personnel in January 2016; and what such training consisted of.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK enjoys close links with Bahrain, spanning 200 years, that reinforce our commitment to the Gulf region. While on a visit to the region with HMS ST ALBANS, in suppport of this relationship, two personnel from 43 Commando Royal Marines undertook weapon training with the Bahraini Defence Forces.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Secretary of State for Defence of 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 291, whether the estimated build and commissioning costs of the two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers remains within the £6.2bn budget.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The approved cost of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is £6.2 billion, as announced by the previous Defence Secretary on 6 November 2013 (Official Report, column 251). Whilst there are cost pressures, the Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with Industry to drive the programme to remain within the approved cost.

    We expect the First of Class, HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, to be accepted from the Aircraft Carrier Alliance in 2017 and, as reported in the NAO’s Major Project Report 2015, the ship remains on schedule to enter service with the Royal Navy in February 2018. We remain on course to undertake Platform Sea Trials in 2017, commence Fixed Wing Flying Trials with the F35B Lightning II in 2018 and deliver Initial Operating Capability (Carrier Strike) in 2020.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea in reducing conflict in border areas between those countries.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) gave on 29 June, to PQ 41027.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department made before the announcement of 15 September 2016 of the extent of the potential security issue facing the development of Hinkley Point C.

    Jesse Norman

    Security matters are an integral part of reaching agreement on all new nuclear developments. Following my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State’s announcement on 28 July 2016, the Government undertook a comprehensive review of the Hinkley Point C project; the review considered all component parts of the Hinkley deal. In the interest of security, we do not comment on security-specific matters.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which regulations her Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations her Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate she has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Nick Gibb

    I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to Parliamentary Question 15037 on 11 November 2015.

    “

  • Adam Holloway – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Adam Holloway – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Holloway on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential arrangements for compensation required for people living in Thurrock and Dartford or Gravesend in the event of another river crossing being constructed at Dartford or to the east of Gravesend.

    Andrew Jones

    The route of the new Lower Thames crossing will be subject to public consultation early this year, and local people will be given their chance to express their views. Until the route is decided upon, it is too early to say what arrangements for compensation may be appropriate.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the proportion of (a) public and (b) private investment was in each project in which the Green Investment Bank has invested.

    Anna Soubry

    The information requested can be found in the Transaction Table on the Green Investment Bank website.