Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many decisions on further submissions related to asylum claims that are outstanding have been waiting for longer than (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) three years for a decision.

    James Brokenshire

    There is not a formal service standard for deciding further submissions from failed asylum seekers. The Home Office is balancing resource between those failed asylum seekers with no leave to remain who have made further submissions on the one hand and, on the other, those who were granted a limited period of leave following the refusal of their application who have outstanding applications for Further Leave.

    With regard to further submissions lodged by failed asylum seekers, there is dedicated resource in place to decide cases in the existing stock of further submissions and to also decide new submissions quickly, wherever possible within 5 days of their being lodged. With regard to cases in the stock of further submissions, the Home Office is prioritising cases where applicants are in receipt of asylum support and cases where the applicant may be removed from the United Kingdom in the eventuality their submission is refused. The Home Office will also give priority to further submissions case that have been outstanding for the longest period of time.

    The figures in the below table relate to failed asylum seekers who had outstanding further submissions as of 30 June 2015:

    Timescale (Years) Total

    1 – 2 2383

    2 – 3 1426

    3 or more 1267

    Total 5076

  • 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.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met his Pakistani counterpart.

    Michael Fallon

    I met Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, on 5 August 2015.

    During my visit I also paid calls on the Prime Minister and other key interlocutors. Most recently, I met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif when he visited the UK last October.

  • Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Maynard on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people used the subsidised part of the Number 14 bus service to Peel Park in each of the last 24 months.

    Andrew Jones

    The provision of bus services that require subsidy are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities. Details of the route, fare tariff, frequency and passenger use of the service would be matters for consideration by the authority concerned.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take any action to evaluate the claims to asylum of Afghan interpreters formerly employed by the British Army who are currently in the Calais Jungle” camp

    Lord Bates

    We carefully consider all asylum claims made in the UK, including those made by former interpreters with our armed forces in Afghanistan, but we have no obligation under the Refugee Convention to consider asylum claims outside the UK. Those who need international protection should claim in the first safe country they reach so those currently in Calais should claim in France. Where someone seeking asylum elsewhere in the EU can demonstrate they have close family members legally in the UK, they may be entitled to have their claim processed in the UK under the Dublin Regulation.

    Separate schemes have existed since 2013 to assist interpreters previously employed by the UK Armed Forces. These apply only to those who have remained in Afghanistan and, in recognition of their unique and exceptional service or the danger interpreters may face because of their work, can lead to relocation to the UK if certain criteria are met.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many regulatory bodies there are in the health sector; and what the direct annual cost to his Department is of running each such body.

    Ben Gummer

    The regulatory bodies in the health sector are listed in the table below.

    Arm’s Length Body (ALB) /Executive Agency (EA) Regulatory Bodies [1]

    Care Quality Commission

    Health Research Authority

    Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

    Human Tissue Authority

    Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

    NHS Improvement [2]

    Other Bodies

    Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care

    Professional Regulatory Bodies

    General Chiropractic Council

    General Dental Council

    General Medical Council

    General Optical Council

    General Osteopathic Council

    General Pharmaceutical Council

    Health & Care Professions Council

    Nursing & Midwifery Councils

    Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

    The funding provided via Parliamentary funding or Grant in Aid for 2013/14 and 2014/15 for the ALB/EA regulatory bodies and the Professional Standards Authority is attached. Data for 2015/16 is not yet available.

    The professional regulatory bodies are independent of government and there is no direct cost to the Government because they are funded through the registrants’ fees.

    [1] As defined in the Cabinet Office’s Categories of Public bodies: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/80075/Categories_of_public_bodies_Dec12.pdf

    [2] From 1 April 2016, NHS Improvement is the operational name for an organisation that brings together Monitor and NHS Trust Development Authority.

  • 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 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost to his Department was of hotel bookings made for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials of his Department in each of the last five years.

    Mr David Lidington

    In line with UK government commitments to increase transparency, the Department publishes details on our spend, including data on expenses, travel and hotel costs on GOV.UK. Publication includes all spend which, in compliance with HM Treasury guidance, does not compromise national or personal security, foreign relations or legal obligations under acts such as the Data Protection Act.

    Total travel and subsistence spend is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-and-commonwealth-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015

    Information on our Ministers expenses and hospitality are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data

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  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many employment tribunal claims have been made under the Exclusivity Terms in Zero Hours Contracts (Redress) Regulations 2015 since those regulations came into force.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    There have been no claims made under the Exclusivity Terms in Zero Hours Contracts (Redress) Regulations 2015 since its introduction on 11 January 2016 to 31 March 2016. Data from April 2016 onwards will be published in due course at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

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  • Rishi Sunak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rishi Sunak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rishi Sunak on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the safety of maternity care.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In November 2015, the Department announced an ambitious campaign to halve the national rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth, by 2030.

    The Government has already invested in a capital fund for equipment to improve safety and training programmes for staff.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation officers have been employed by the National Probation Service since its establishment in each month in that period, and for each such month in each region of England.

    Andrew Selous

    Information on the number of probation officers employed in each NPS Division is published quarterly in the National Offender Management Service Workforce Statistics Bulletin. The information on probation officer numbers can be located in table 11 of the publication, which can be found at the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-offender-management-service-workforce-statistics

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