Category: Speeches

  • Chris Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to transfer housing benefit fraud investigation powers from local authorities to national investigation service.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The current intention is for Local Authority powers to prosecute Housing Benefit cases to be turned off from 02 April 2016, at which time the Department for Work and Pensions Fraud and Error Service will assume overall responsibility, following the full implementation of the Single Fraud Investigation Service Project.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to respond to the increase in the number of flood related emergencies.

    Rory Stewart

    We have announced a National Resilience Review to better protect the country from future flooding and increasingly extreme weather events. The Review will consider how we calculate flood risk in light of recent events, and will be delivered by a new cross-Government team.

    The Review will also cover ‘worst case scenario’ planning and the future impacts of climate change. It will also carry out a risk assessment of critical infrastructure like electricity substations.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle prejudice and discrimination towards the transsexual community.

    Caroline Dinenage

    For the fifth year in a row, the UK has been recognised as the leading country in Europe for LGB&T equality.

    I am proud of our achievements but we are not complacent; there is more work to be done. Achieving transgender equality is a priority for this Government. We will continue to tackle this prejudice, taking action such as issuing guidance for employers and service providers on how best to support transgender people. We will soon be able to evaluate the impact of the £2 million fund provided to tackle transphobic, homophobic and biphobic bullying in schools and we have sought to strengthen the voices of trans people through funding of the LGB&T Partnership to support the Transgender Organisations Network. The review will engage with relevant stakeholders, including from the transgender community, combined with professional and operational expertise.

    The GEO is continuously exploring relevant policies with other Departments and officials are currently doing so in the context of the recommendations made by the Women and Equalities select committee.

    For the fifth year in a row, the UK has been recognised as the leading country in Europe for LGB&T equality.

    I am proud of our achievements but we are not complacent; there is more work to be done. Achieving transgender equality is a priority for this Government. We will continue to tackle this prejudice, taking action such as issuing guidance for employers and service providers on how best to support transgender people. We will soon be able to evaluate the impact of the £2 million fund provided to tackle transphobic, homophobic and biphobic bullying in schools and we have sought to strengthen the voices of trans people through funding of the LGB&T Partnership to support the Transgender Organisations Network. The review will engage with relevant stakeholders, including from the transgender community, combined with professional and operational expertise.

    The GEO is continuously exploring relevant policies with other Departments and officials are currently doing so in the context of the recommendations made by the Women and Equalities select committee.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been transferred from the UK to other EU countries under the Dublin III Regulation (a) in total and (b) for the purposes of family reunification in the last 12 months.

    Karen Bradley

    An answer is still being prepared. We are currently extracting the data and need to ensure it is correctly quality checked to give the Hon. Member an accurate response and I will write to the honourable Member when it is finished.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason a feasibility study on improving the A595 was not included in the Northern Transport Strategy Spring 2016, published on 7 March 2016.

    Andrew Jones

    The Northern Transport Strategy Spring report did not make any announcements on new feasibility studies on the strategic road network (SRN), but reported on progress made on previously announced strategic studies for the northern trans-Pennine, M60 Manchester north-west quadrant and the trans-Pennine tunnel studies. Consideration of the need for improvements of any part of the SRN will be a matter for forthcoming work by the Department and Highways England Route strategies in coordination with Transport for the North when preparing the next Road Investment Strategy.

  • Baroness Donaghy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Donaghy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, when considering the form of teacher accreditation to be introduced in place of qualified teacher status, what account they will take of the possibility of integrating academic awards such as the PGCE within the initial training of teachers.

    Lord Nash

    Our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, announced that we intend to replace the existing qualified teacher status with a new, more challenging accreditation that will be based on the demonstration of effective teaching in the classroom.

    Teaching is a graduate-level profession; all trainee teachers are required to have a degree or to achieve one as part of their initial training, and we have no plans to change that requirement.

    There is currently no requirement for qualified teacher status to be accompanied by an additional academic award such as a PGCE, and we do not intend to introduce such a requirement to accompany accreditation in future. We know, however, that many trainee teachers value the award of an academic qualification, and we fully expect that providers of initial teacher training – whether school or university-led – will continue to offer the types of award for which there is demand.

    The White Paper also set out the importance of on-going professional development for teachers, and we are keen to support the development of continuity between initial training, early-career support, and on-going professional development. The new accreditation, coming at a point following the completion of initial teacher training, will give schools the opportunity to tailor a package that recognises teachers’ achievements and promotes progression.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women.

    Jane Ellison

    In 2015, figures showed smoking prevalence rates in adults and 15 year olds in England to be at 18% and 8% respectively. The most recent quarterly information on prevalence of smoking among pregnant women, published in March, show this to be 10.6%.

    Smoking prevalence is at its lowest ever level with official figures showing that the Government met each of the targets set out in its Tobacco Control Plan – Healthy Lives, Healthy People. A new Tobacco Control Plan is currently being developed.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted on potential links between rates of stillbirth and exposure to high levels of air pollution.

    George Freeman

    The Department has not conducted or commissioned specific research on this topic.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Environment Agency after the UK leaves the UK.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    While the UK remains a member of the EU we are required to fully participate in the European Environment Agency (EEA) as an EEA member country.

    As we start the process of leaving the EU, we will aim to deliver a stable and clear legislative framework for the environment, including maintaining standards that underpin trade and deliver on our international commitments. It is within this framework that we will plan our future participation in the EEA.

  • 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 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people who made a claim for support for mortgage interest in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13, (e) 2013-14 and (f) 2014-15 went into arrears on their (i) interest repayments and (ii) capital repayments during the 13-week waiting period.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested regarding the number and proportion of people who made a claim for support for mortgage interest from 2009 to date who were in arrears on the interest or capital repayment during their waiting period is not available.