Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact on (1) the total number of households whose benefits would be capped under the new limits proposed in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, (2) the number of children in households affected by the cap, and (3) the cost to the public purse, if (a) child benefit, and (b) child tax credits, were not included in the benefits cap.

    Lord Freud

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to paragraph 39 (e) on page 12 of the North East Devolution Agreement, what discussions he has had with the First Minister of Scotland on Government support for joint initiatives between the North East and Scotland.

    David Mundell

    The UK Government supports opportunities for joint initiatives between the North East and Scotland. The Borderlands Initiative is a cross-border project which brings together the five local authorities of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Carlisle City Council, Cumbria Council and Northumberland. It aims to promote economic growth and competitiveness across the Borderlands and is jointly supported by the UK and Scottish Government.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister’s announcement of extra funding for relationship support of 11 January 2016, how many hours of support will be provided to each couple; and whether there will be a financial cost to each couple for that support.

    Priti Patel

    The Department will be working through the details of what will be provided by the contracted relationship support provision in the next few months.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 22089, what plans her Department has to collect subject level retention rates for teachers in funded secondary schools; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education produces statistics on the number of teachers joining, remaining in, and leaving the profession each year using the annual School Workforce Census.

    This census also collects information on teachers’ qualifications and, for a large sample of secondary school teachers, the subjects they teach. We are investigating how best to combine the qualifications and sampled curriculum data with the teacher flow data to produce, for example, entry and leavers rates by subject.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of newly qualified doctors has entered (a) primary care and (b) hospitals.

    Ben Gummer

    The requested information is not collected centrally.

  • Lucy Frazer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lucy Frazer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Frazer on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to undertake the review of shared ownership announced in the report, Proposals to streamline the resale of shared ownership properties, Consultation: summary of responses, published in March 2015.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government carried out an internal review of Shared Ownership policy last year. Following this, the Autumn Statement confirmed £4.1 billion for 135,000 new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership starts by 2021. It also raised the income cap on Shared Ownership in England from £60,000 to £80,000, removed restrictions on who can buy Shared Ownership homes, enabled existing shared owners to climb the Shared Ownership ladder and removed restrictions on how many bedrooms Shared Ownership buyers can purchase.

    The prospectus for the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme 2016 to 2021 was launched on 13 April 2016 and invites applications for up to £4.7 billion of funding to increase the supply of new shared ownership and affordable homes.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to promote an international antiquities code of conduct to prevent the illegal trade in such objects.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The UK welcomes steps towards developing a collaborative approach to tackling the illicit trade in antiquities and plays a key role in supporting international initiatives on this matter.

    The Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003 makes it a criminal offence to deal dishonestly in tainted cultural property from anywhere in the world. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has issued guidelines to the relevant UK sectors.

    In addition, in the UK, trade associations for dealers in antiquities have codes of conduct for their members. For example, the Antiquities Dealers Association’s Code of Conduct obliges its members to ensure to the best of their knowledge and belief that all objects sold are genuine and as described and legal.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38596, on beach huts: Christchurch, and with reference to the Guardian report of 15 April 2016, entitled Dorset residents angry over TV showing beach hut competition, whether Natural England is comfortable with the idea of the development of residential beach chalets on Highcliffe clifftop.

    Rory Stewart

    Natural England has not yet assessed the SSSI consent application received on 7 June. Until Natural England has done this it cannot comment further.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on the devolution of responsibility for broadcasting policy.

    Matt Hancock

    Broadcasting is a reserved matter, in line with the recommendations of the Smith Commission. As Lord Smith has said, the government is delivering the Smith Commission recommendations in full.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department sought legal advice in advance of redrafting the Building Bulletin 100 guidance relating to sprinkler systems in school buildings; and what assessment her Department made of that advice.

    Nick Gibb

    We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old. However, there is no change to the policy regarding the installation of sprinklers in new school buildings, and the requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools is consistent with the BB100 guidance from 2007.

    All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

    As there has been no change in policy, no legal advice was required in the development of the draft updated BB100 guidance.