Category: Speeches

  • Bob Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bob Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to improve health literacy among children; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    Schools have a key role to play in teaching children about healthy lifestyles.

    The new national curriculum set the expectation that pupils are taught about the importance of leading healthy and active lives, across a variety of subjects. The new design and technology curriculum strengthens requirements for maintained schools to teach children about food, nutrition and healthy eating, and how to cook a repertoire of meals. Pupils in maintained primary schools should learn about healthy eating and a good, balanced diet. In maintained secondary schools, food education is now compulsory in years 7–9 for the first time. The new science curriculum makes young people aware of different types of diseases and the impact of lifestyle factors on the incidence of some diseases.

    Physical Education is a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum in maintained schools. The programme of study makes clear that a high-quality PE curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically active in a way which supports their health and fitness.

    In addition, the Department is actively engaged in work across government to develop a national childhood obesity strategy.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Iraq’s National Identity Law, and the impact that it will have on religious minorities in Iraq and their right to freedom of religion or belief.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are concerned by Iraq’s proposed National Identity Law, in particular Article 26 which could restrict freedom of religion or belief, which is a basic human right.

    We welcome the resolution adopted by the majority of the Iraqi Council of Representatives on 17 November declaring its intention to amend the law.

    The National Identity Law is yet to be discussed since Parliament has been in recess. We will continue to monitor this issue closely.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the review of the NHS Commissioning Board’s policy on the autonomy of Commissioning Support Units will impact those units’ options for becoming staff enterprises or staff mutuals.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England’s Commissioning Committee will shortly be asked to review its current policy on Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) autonomy.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how the response provided by the British Hydropower Association to her Department’s Consultation on feed-in tariffs was taken into account by her Department in the assumptions used to determine that hydropower load factors are site specific.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The load factor data used to calculate hydro generation tariffs were drawn from individual sites but then aggregated to calculate a load factor range on which to base the tariffs. This included data collected by external consultants and evidence submitted by various individuals and organisations, including the British Hydropower Association, in response to the consultation.

  • Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Northover on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to support proposals at the World Humanitarian Summit in May to ensure that women are involved in planning and decision-making during a humanitarian emergency response.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK supports proposals to ensure that women are involved in planning and decision-making during responses to humanitarian emergencies. It will be a priority of the UK to secure outcomes from the summit that promote the protection and empowerment of women and girls, strengthening their voice, choice and control in crisis settings.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of parents eligible for tax-free childcare who do not have access to the internet; and what plans he has to ensure all such families are not excluded from access to tax-free childcare due to lack of access to the internet.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government will publicise the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme in good time ahead of its introduction through a range of digital and print channels. HMRC will also work with the childcare industry and representative groups who interact regularly with parents to raise awareness of the scheme.

    HM Revenue and Customs is developing an online childcare calculator to help parents understand their eligibility for government childcare support. From early 2017, parents of the youngest children will be able to enter the scheme first, with all eligible parents brought in by the end of 2017. Parents will not be able to open childcare accounts prior to the launch of the scheme.

    TFC will be straightforward and quick to apply online for the vast majority of parents. We estimate that up to 9% of the families eligible for the scheme of that population may have issues with either accessing or using the internet. HM Revenue and Customs will ensure that assistance is provided, usually by telephone, so these families do not miss out on the support available.

    Tax-Free Childcare is part of the wider government childcare offer which will be worth over £6Bn per annum and together provide generous support to families on all levels of income.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on voting in favour of referring as genocide the acts committed by Daesh in Iraq and Syria to the International Criminal Court in the event of another member of the UN Security Council proposing such a referral.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    It is not possible for the UN Security Council to refer Daesh itself to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Any referral would cover all potential crimes within a specified geographic area, rather than by a specified organisation or set of actors.

    We would consider carefully any suggestion from another member of the Security Council to refer the situation in Iraq and Syria to the ICC.

    However, we judge that a referral to the International Criminal Court by the UN Security Council is not practical at this time.

    When efforts were made to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC in 2014, it was vetoed by Russia and China. We expect that any Security Council resolution at this time seeking to refer the situations in Iraq or Syria to the ICC would likewise be blocked.

    We continue to discuss with partners on the UN Security Council further ways to ensure that the perpetrators of crimes committed in Syria and Iraq are held to account and face justice.

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 40017, on NHS: drugs, what the value is of the five contracts listed in that Answer.

    George Freeman

    We cannot provide the values of the contracts because it is possible that such information, if taken with other information already in the public domain, may make it possible to deduce the purchase prices of the products concerned. Suppliers will regard product pricing as commercially sensitive. The publication of commercially sensitive drugs pricing information is likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the contractors concerned as well as those of the Department itself.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many doctors have taken the Royal College of General Practitioners online awareness module on Lyme disease.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department does not hold this information.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will confirm which Minister of his Department has responsibility for (a) Akrotiri and Dhekelia and (b) Gibraltar.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for Cyprus and Gibraltar is the Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan Duncan MP). The Secretary of State for Defence, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) is responsible for the Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.