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Category: Speeches

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they calculated the amount of funding required for the 100 sink estates” that they have identified for regeneration projects

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Funding has been agreed through the Spending Review which considered requirements for ongoing commitments and scope for supporting new proposals for estate regeneration. We are clear that government funding will be one element of support for estate regeneration going forward and that other investment from the public and private sectors will be needed. We are looking to engage with as many estates as possible to encourage new ideas, innovation and partnerships in regenerating estates.

    My noble Friend, the rt. hon. Lord Heseltine, is leading an Advisory Panel on estate regeneration which will establish an Estates Regeneration Strategy, explore what schemes can come forward and identify barriers that the Government can help remove which hold back estate regeneration.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what contingency plans the Government has in place to ensure security of energy supply in the event of the proposed Hinkley nuclear power station not being completed.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We remain confident that Hinkley Point C will go ahead on schedule. Security of supply is ensured through the Capacity Market, in which National Grid recommends a volume of capacity to secure ahead of each four year- and one year-ahead auction. The process in determining the amount of capacity to secure, uses a thorough plant level assessment of what capacity the UK is likely to be able to rely on from other plants.

  • The Lord Bishop of Leeds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Leeds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Leeds on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK nationals are resident in the other EU member states.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    There are approximately 2 million UK citizens living, working and travelling in the other 27 Member States of the EU.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March to Questions 30367, on vocational guidance, whether he plans that Jobcentre Plus or the Careers and Enterprise company will contact those schools.

    Priti Patel

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2016 to question UIN 32032.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Macedonia.

    Mr David Lidington

    I am very concerned by the human rights situation in Macedonia and by related developments, including most recently the decision of President Ivanov to pardon those individuals currently under investigation over allegations of abuse of power. This decision undermines the principle that all people must be held legally accountable for their actions. I raised my concerns over this decision and its implications for the rule of law in my public statement of 14 April. I, along with international partners, have also spoken to Nikola Gruevski, former Prime Minister and leader of the governing party VMRO, and raised concerns over the credibility of forthcoming elections in Macedonia, attacks on democratic institutions, and the wider level of commitment to the democratic process including the lack of media reform and the intimidation of voters. As I made clear to Mr Gruevski and to other party leaders during my visit to Skopje in March, Macedonia must implement commitments on the rule of law and free and democratic institutions as set out in the European Commission’s Urgent Reform Priorities.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials of her Department have applied for special leave to carry out work for non-governmental departments in the last 12 months.

    Sir Desmond Swayne

    DFID’s policy on special leave is specific and does not extend to working for other organisations. There has only been one exception to this policy in the last 12 months. As this relates to a single individual any further information is being withheld because releasing these details could lead to the individual being identified and would therefore breach the legitimate expectation of an individual’s right to protection of their personal information.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many non-medical prescribing nurses there are at level (a) PL1, (b) PL2, (c) PL3 and (d) PL4.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    This information is not collected by the Department.

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that all health and safety regulations will be (a) protected in the long-term and (b) retained in legislation after the UK leaves the EU.

    Penny Mordaunt

    As a Government, we have been clear that we will do nothing to undermine workers’ rights. The United Kingdom has one of the best records on occupational safety and health in Europe and the wider world and the Government intends to keep it that way. Health and safety regulations are secondary legislation under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Government has no plans to change this.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising in real terms in each year since 2010-11.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s spend on temporary agency staff, consultancy and administration for the financial years from 2010/11 to 2014/15 is published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and is included in the tables below.

    (a) Temporary Agency Staff

    Temporary Agency Staff (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    6.87

    4.10

    6.85

    12.80

    15.77

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    3.70

    1.00

    3.13

    1.22

    0.98

    Driving Standards Agency

    0.34

    0.00

    0.01

    0.13

    0.80

    Highways Agency

    3.76

    2.45

    1.01

    5.83

    9.82

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.48

    0.17

    0.14

    0.57

    1.07

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.15

    0.12

    0.17

    0.36

    0.14

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

    1.00

    1.59

    2.28

    3.02

    5.39

    Department Total

    16.30

    9.43

    13.59

    23.93

    33.97

    (b) Consultancy

    Consultancy (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    5.54

    5.57

    10.30

    8.12

    19.25

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    0.76

    0.48

    0.56

    0.70

    0.12

    Driving Standards Agency

    0.10

    0.00

    0.00

    0.04

    0.31

    Highways Agency

    3.87

    0.30

    0.19

    0.27

    0.00

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.13

    0.05

    0.10

    0.13

    0.00

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.05

    0.00

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

    0.39

    0.01

    0.07

    0.97

    0.09

    Department Total

    10.79

    6.41

    11.22

    10.28

    19.77

    The figures for temporary staff and consultancy have been produced based on Cabinet Office definitions for these categories of expenditure. Consultancy is defined as work of an advisory nature designed to inform policy or to assist with strategic decisions and complex legal issues. Temporary Staff category includes expenditure where it is clear that specific individuals are being engaged to work on projects and ‘business as usual’ functions.

    Please see (d) Administration for further information

    (c) Non-payroll Staff

    Most non-payroll expenditure is included as either Temporary Staff or Consultancy answered in parts (a) and (b) above, with the exception of:-

    Non-Payroll Staff (£M)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)

    1.68

    1.76

    2.05

    2.18

    3.04

    VCA figures include overseas contractors and locally employed staff. There was a large increase 2013/14 to 2014/15 as they took over a Turkish contract.

    (d) Administration

    Administration costs reflect the costs of running the Department, including staff, accommodation, IT costs, and operating lease rentals. The administration budget figures below are substantially lower than the 2009-10 figure of £297m.

    Department for Transport Spend Category (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Total Administration Budget

    276.26

    216.74

    242.93

    240.08

    271.38

    To ensure that the Department was resourced to deliver its agenda, particularly around letting and managing rail franchise contracts following the Laidlaw and Brown reviews, HM Treasury agreed to switch £25m from DfT’s Programme to Administration budgets, increasing the Department’s 2014-15 Administration budget to £275m, plus £13m for depreciation.

    The increases in (a) temporary staff and (b) consultancy spend was covered in this switch.

    Notes:

    1. Government Car & Despatch Agency disbanded during 2012/13 following which the work has been undertaken within the Department. The Administration therefore falls under Central Administration section from

    2013/14 onwards.

    2. General Lighthouse Authorities consolidated into the Department’s accounts for 2013/14 and beyond.

    (e) Marketing and Advertising

    Spend on marketing, including marketing related advertising, by the Department and its Executive Agencies for the financial years 2012/13 to 2014/15 is set out in the table below.

    Marketing spend in 2014/15 is 83% less than the £48.4 million recorded for 2009/10.

    Marketing related expenditure (£m)

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    3.47

    4.79

    5.96

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    0.56

    Nil

    Nil

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency1

    –

    –

    0.23

    Driving Standards Agency1

    0.04

    0.03

    –

    Government Car and Despatch Agency2

    Nil

    –

    –

    Highways Agency

    0.46

    0.43

    1.91

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.18

    0.16

    0.21

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency1

    0.06

    0.06

    –

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.04

    N/A

    0.05

    Department Total

    4.80

    5.47

    8.36

    Notes:

    1. The Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency became the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in April 2014.

    2. The Government Car and Despatch Agency ceased on 30 September 2012.

    Most of the additional spend in 2014/15 compared to the previous year is attributable to the THINK! Drug Drive campaign in March 2015 supporting the implementation of new enforcement regulations and the Highways Agency public information campaign on the implementation of new traffic management and payment methods at the Dartford Crossing.

    Figures for 2010/11 and 2011/12 were not prepared and could be compiled now only at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the case of Waleed Abu Khair.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to be concerned by the case of Waleed abu Al-Khair and have raised it at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. We will continue to follow this and other cases closely.