Category: Speeches

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s Local Transport Note No. 2/95, published in April 1995, if he will amend that note to assume a lower walking speed for pedestrian crossing timings.

    Andrew Jones

    Local Transport Note 2/95 provides advice to local authorities on calculating timings for crossings.

    The design walking speed of 1.2m/s used in the guidance covers 85% of the population. It is generally felt that this allows enough time for pedestrians to cross, and is long enough to accommodate people that walk more slowly. Where a crossing might be used by a large number of older people or those with mobility issues, for example outside residential care homes, we recommend that this should be taken into account when setting timings. The guidance for crossings is not statutory and local authorities can choose to use a slower walking speed if they deem it suitable.

    The Department is considering how best to update guidance, including that on pedestrian crossings, in light of the revision to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 which came into force on 22 April.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the amount of student loans outstanding was as of 31 March in each of the last three years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers student loans for each of the UK Government Administrations. Statistics on student loan debt and repayment in England are published annually by the SLC in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Loans in England’. Information on the amount of student loan outstanding as of 31 of March in each of the last three years is available in Table 1. The information can be accessed at the following link:

    http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/england.aspx

    “

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times operating theatres at Warrington Hospital have been closed each evening since January 2016; and what the reason was for those closures.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    These are operational matters for the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and we have written to Mr Steve McGuirk, Chair of the Trust informing him of the hon. Member’s question. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 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.

    George Eustice

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise, Miss Anna Soubry, on 11 November 2015, PQ 15037.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what evaluation his Department made of the number and location of civilian workers who work at the al-Omar oil field in Syria before ordering Royal Air Force planes to bomb that facility; and how many civilians have been killed as a result of UK military action on targets in Syria to date.

    Michael Fallon

    UK air strikes are conducted in accordance with Rules of Engagement and International Humanitarian Law.The risks of collateral damage or civilian casualties are assessed and mitigated based on intelligence and the use of precision guided weapons. There have been no reports so far of civilian casualties as a result of UK air strikes in Syria.

  • 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 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many completed repeat work capability assessments there have been of people with (a) cystic fibrosis, (b) rheumatoid arthritis, (c) motor neurone disease, (d) multiple sclerosis and (e) Parkinson’s disease in each year since the introduction of employment and support allowance in 2008.

    Priti Patel

    The information available is shown in the table below. Repeat assessments are conducted to ensure that individuals receive the right level of support.

    Calendar years:

    Cystic Fibrosis

    Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Parkinson’s Disease

    Multiple Sclerosis

    Other Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Oct-08 to Dec-08

    –

    –

    –

    –

    –

    Jan-09 to Dec-09

    –

    –

    –

    –

    –

    Jan-10 to Dec-10

    –

    –

    100

    700

    600

    Jan-11 to Dec-11

    100

    100

    300

    1,500

    1,500

    Jan-12 to Dec-12

    200

    100

    500

    2,900

    2,500

    Jan-13 to Dec-13

    100

    100

    400

    2,400

    2,500

    Jan-14 to Dec-14

    100

    –

    300

    1,900

    2,100

    Jan-15 to June-15

    –

    –

    –

    300

    300

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people receiving child benefit on behalf of children living outside of the UK.

    Damian Hinds

    I refer the honourable Member to my response of 16 June 2015 (UIN 2064)

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-10/2064/

    “

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits for the UK economy of the completion of a EU single market in services.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Treasury will publish a comprehensive analysis of our membership of a reformed EU and the alternatives, including the long-term economic costs and benefits of EU membership and the risks associated with an exit before 23 June.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-04-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Studio Schools currently exist in the UK; how many of those schools are standalone; and how many of those schools have closed.

    Lord Nash

    40 studio schools are currently open. Of these nine are standalone academies.

    Seven studio schools have closed since 2013, of which three were standalone and the remainder were in multi-academy trusts.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2016 to Question 25870, how many (a) officials and (b) other staff are working on the Government’s response to the Law Commission’s recommendations on taxi and private hire vehicle legislation.

    Andrew Jones

    There are currently (a) three officials and (b) no other staff in the Department for Transport working on taxi and private hire vehicle policy. One of those officials works full-time on taxi and private hire vehicles, and it forms a core part of the work load of the other two. Their responsibilities include scrutiny of the Law Commission recommendations for reform of taxi and private hire vehicle legislation. This level of staffing for work on taxis and private hire vehicles remains essentially consistent with that going back to 2009/10. The Government will respond to the Law Commission report once scrutiny is complete.