Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has been spent on maintenance of (1) the Clifton Suspension Bridge, (2) the Tyne Bridge, and (3) the Severn Bridge, in the last five years.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    It is important to note that the bridges mentioned in the question are not maintained by the Department for Transport. Clifton Suspension Bridge is run by Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust, the Tyne Bridge is run by Newcastle City Council and the Severn Bridge is run on a concession by River Crossing PLC.

    However, I have been informed that the Tyne Bridge spent £58.016 million and the Severn Crossing spent £64.31 million on maintenance in the last 5 financial years. The department has not been given details for Clifton at this current time.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 19 January (HL4885), whether the dates given in fact show that the time from laying down to operational handover for HMS Astute was nine years and seven months, and that for HMS Artful it will be 11 years.

    Earl Howe

    The build time of a submarine is measured between the start of manufacture and operational handover to the Royal Navy. Using this metric, the build time of HMS Astute was 170 months and for Artful was 137 months.

    Keel laying and commissioning have no bearing on the build programme. These are ceremonial milestones only: commissioning can happen before or after operational handover. Using these milestones, however, the time taken from keel laying to commissioning was nine years and seven months for HMS Astute and 11 years for Artful.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment (PIP) claimants in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area will be affected by his Department’s proposed changes to aids and appliances points; and what the average reduction in PIP payment per person will be.

    Justin Tomlinson

    As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to PIP will not be going ahead.

    We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.

  • Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review decisions taken by the Pensions Regulator in connection with the BHS pension schemes.

    Baroness Altmann

    In accordance with Parliament’s wishes, the Regulator has operational independence. Whilst performance against its key targets is regularly reviewed by the Department, this does not encompass its regulatory decision-making or the conduct of its investigations. It would be entirely inappropriate and improper for Ministers to comment on or intervene in these areas.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are in place for environmental health officers to arrange a second observation of excessive noise in a property where a household frequently changes occupancy.

    Rory Stewart

    Local authorities have a range of powers available to them to assess excessive noise from residential properties through various pieces of legislation. It is for local authorities to decide how best to apply the powers available to them.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British nationals are currently detained in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We do not provide information about numbers of British nationals detained in a country when the low numbers involved may lead to individuals being identifiable.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions since the passage of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 have adult victims (a) applied for and (b) been granted the statutory defence for crimes they were compelled to commit while being enslaved or trafficked.

    Robert Buckland

    CPS do not have a central record of cases where the statutory defence has been applied, as it could arise in any category of offences.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications to the Cancer Drugs Fund from people of Bolton West constituency have been successful; and what the financial value of such applications was.

    George Freeman

    This information is not collected centrally.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what statutory provision exists to ensure that the claimant commitments of universal credit claimants with dependent children include adequate protections for the wellbeing of the children.

    Priti Patel

    The Welfare Reform Act 2012 and Universal Credit Regulations 2013 set out the types of requirements which may be imposed depending on the circumstances and characteristics of the claimant. Regulations also make clear the circumstances in which requirements should be limited or even lifted entirely for a temporary period. For example, Regulations 98 and 99, which provide provisions for suspension of requirements where children are in distress.

    All claimant commitments are tailored to the individual and through a discussion between the Work Coach and the claimant, requirements are tailored for a broad range of circumstances – including for matters relating to the wellbeing of children. These reasonable requirements, including any limiting or lifting and the reasons, are recorded within the claimant commitment.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the most recent assessment of progress in the roll-out of the universal credit programme by the Infrastructure and Project Authority is.

    Matthew Hancock

    The most recent assessment of Universal Credit was set out in the MPA Annual Report 2015, published in spring 2015. This is available at: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/major-projects-authority-annual-report-2015)

    The 2016 Report will be published in due course.

    “