Category: Speeches

  • Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effect on the preparedness of complainants to report rape of the use of complainants’ previous sexual history in evidence in rape trials; and if she will make a statement.

    Sarah Newton

    This Government has made protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence a key priority.

    The most recent Crime Statistics published on 20 October by the Office for National Statistics show that police recorded rape increased by 16% (to 36,438) in the year ending July 2016 compared with the previous year. The ONS state that the increases are believed to result from an improvement in the recording of sexual offences by the police and an increased willingness of victims to come forward and report these crimes to the police. In addition, the Crown Prosecution Service annual Violence Against Women and Girls Report, published in September 2016, shows the highest volumes ever recorded of charged defendants, prosecutions and convictions for rape.

    We welcome the fact that more victims of rape are coming forward and reporting these crimes to the police. Victims must have the confidence to report these crimes, knowing that they will get the support they need to go through the criminal justice process and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.

    Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 places a statutory restriction on introduction of evidence and questioning of complainants about their sexual history. Section 41 was introduced to protect complainants in proceedings for sexual offences, introducing a presumption that such evidence and questioning will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

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

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which regulations the Government Equalities Office introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations her Office 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 such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Caroline Dinenage

    I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to Parliamentary Question 15037 on 11 November 2015.

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 2 December 2015 on ISIL in Syria, Official Report, column 323, what the seven locations are in the UK where the security services have stopped terrorist attacks; and in which months each such attempted attack was stopped.

    Mr John Hayes

    In line with our longstanding practice, it would be inappropriate to comment further on operational matters.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants attended his speeches at (a) St David’s Hotel and (b) Salt Bar on 7 January 2016.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Consistent with all official events, the Chancellor was supported by a small number of officials from his private office and the Treasury press office when speaking at the St David’s hotel and at the two associated visits.

    Costs associated with the major economy speech at the St David’s hotel in Cardiff were met within the existing events budget at HM Treasury. Invitations were not issued by the department.

    The event at the Salt Bar was not a Government event and so no costs were met by the Treasury and no civil servants attended.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to create additional capacity on peak weekday rail services on the South West Main Line between Woking and London Waterloo.

    Claire Perry

    In March 2015, I announced a £50 million investment to deliver improvements across the South Western franchise before the end of the current franchise in 2017. This package of improvements included an additional Monday to Thursday late night service from London to Woking, and new ticket machines at Woking and London Waterloo Stations.

    An additional 108 carriages are being added to the South Western franchise which should all be in passenger service by March of this year, with a further 150 carriages on order and due to arrive in 2017. These additional carriages provide additional capacity across a number of the routes operated, including those serving Woking.

    The Department is running a competition to award the next South Western franchise, which is expected to start in 2017. The detailed franchise specification will be finalised following analysis of the responses to the public consultation, which closes on 9 February. It is expected that bidders will be asked to make proposals to provide capacity where it is needed most.

    With regard to road links, Highways England is currently making improvements to the nearby M3 by constructing a smart motorway between junctions 2 and 4a (13.4 miles/21.6km). The aim of smart motorways is to help relieve congestion by using technology to control traffic flows, to assist in the management of incidents and provide information to road users. They deliver these benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with less impact on the environment during construction. This is achieved by converting the existing hard shoulder to a permanent running lane. Work started in November 2014 and is expected to be completed towards the end of June 2017.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2016 to Question 25603, on NHS: Finance, how many meetings Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority has had with NHS trusts to agree plans to improve the financial position of those trusts since 5 February 2016.

    Ben Gummer

    As part of Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority’s fundamental roles, they have regular contact with all trusts and foundation trusts regarding financial planning. This contact is undertaken in various ways from face to face meetings with senior leaders to larger scale events.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is her policy that all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We will continue to ensure that all children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. The introduction of Universal Credit and simplification of the benefits system mean that the eligibility criteria for free school meals will need to be updated. The Department for Education is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions on this. In the meantime, while this work is on-going, any child whose parent or guardian is receiving Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reforms to the UK’s human rights framework on policing in Northern Ireland.

    Dominic Raab

    We will consider the implications of a Bill of Rights on devolved matters as we develop our proposals. We will, of course, fully engage with the devolved administrations. We will set out our proposals in due course.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits to mental health patients of treatments offered by Care Farms.

    Alistair Burt

    There has not been any assessment specifically of the benefits of care farms for people with mental health illness.

    However, there is much evidence on the benefit of taking part in nature-based activities and animal-assisted therapy which is known to significantly reduce stress, anxiety, depression and generally improve well-being in people with a range of mental health problems and other conditions such as dementia.

  • Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Neill on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on SI 1995 No. 2262 since 1 June 2016.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Treasury has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government to prepare a new Statutory Instrument to amend the Acquisition of Land (Rate of Interest after Entry) Regulations 1995. The new Statutory Instrument introduces a 0% floor for the interest rate on compensation paid after entry. The Statutory Instrument was laid on 7 September and will come into effect before the next reference day on 30 September 2016.