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Category: Speeches

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to extend railway network services between London and Okehampton.

    Claire Perry

    We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the South West has the best infrastructure possible and we are determined to do everything possible to stop damage like we saw in 2014 happening again. That is why we have invested £31 million into improving the resilience of rail routes in the South West, and Network Rail spent £40 million on repairing and strengthening the line at Dawlish after the extreme weather.

    We are working with the rail industry and the Peninsula Rail Task Force as they explore the potential for longer-term improvements in the area, including the premise of additional routes to the current mainline route via Dawlish.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his Department’s policy to (a) increase economic support to Tunisia and (b) urge the EU to consider fast-tracking its negotiations for a free trade partnership with that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    UK support for Tunisia has doubled in the last year to nearly £6 million for programmes to support economic reform, governance and security sector capacity building. We will continue this high level of co-operation in the next Financial Year, including £3 million from the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund. We also anticipate significant new programmes to provide economic reform in Tunisia over the next four years, with international partners and are ready to help Tunisia access, and make more use of, existing funds from multilateral organisations. However, it is important that Tunisia sets out its plans for economic development and reform.

    We will continue to urge the EU to take forward negotiations on a deep and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with Tunisia.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent from the public purse on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    In the last 12 month period DFID has spent £84.30 on Industrial Tribunals.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the influence of ISIS in Gaza.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are concerned about the rise in the number of small Salafi groups in Gaza that sympathise or self-identify with Daesh. This highlights the urgent need for all the parties to reach an agreement that addresses the underlying causes of conflict in Gaza to restore security under the Palestinian Authority, and reduce the risk of radicalisation inside Gaza. We are monitoring the situation closely.

  • Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the 2015 protocol between the association of chief police officers, the crown prosecution service and HM Courts and Tribunals service to expedite cases involving witnesses under 10 years old.

    Mike Penning

    This Protocol provides additional guidance on support to young witnesses at Court. The protocol came into effect on the 1st April 2015; currently there are no plans to review it.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the NHS England Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group plans to make an announcement on the recommendations of the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group.

    George Freeman

    The Specialised Services Commissioning Committee is due to meet at the end of June 2016. The recommendations of the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group will be announced after that meeting.

  • Mark Pawsey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Pawsey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pawsey on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has given to support children and young adults in social care in (a) Warwickshire and (b) Rugby constituency in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We do not provide funding specifically for children and adults in social care. Local authorities were provided with formula grant in the period 2010-11 to 2012-13, and Revenue Support Grant from 2013-14 onwards, both of which are unringfenced and it is a matter for local discretion how this is spent.

  • Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of medical research spending is directed toward eye disease.

    Joseph Johnson

    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 November 2015 to Question UIN 14200.

    “

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Children’s Society, The cost of being care free, published in June 2016, if he will take steps to provide additional protection for care leavers to reduce the number of benefits sanctions being applied to such people.

    Damian Hinds

    Our primary goal is to help care leavers get into work wherever possible and our interventions are tailored to achieve this. Care leavers aged between 18 and 21 have the opportunity to join the Work Programme from day one of their benefit claim, so that they receive tailored, locally-appropriate employment support at the earliest opportunity. We also provide additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to young claimants, including care leavers, aged 18-24. Work Coaches tailor interventions to the needs of the individual to address a variety of barriers to work, including improving job search skills, referral to skills and other work-related training such as Traineeships, Apprenticeships and work experience.

    We have safeguards in place for care leavers along with other claimants who may be considered vulnerable. Work Coaches support all claimants with complex needs, or who require additional support, to ensure that they fully understand what they have been asked to do to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services.

    Care leavers, like all claimants, take ownership of planning how they will meet their requirements and ultimately secure employment. They will be supported by their Work Coach who will assist them in meeting their requirements through providing encouragement and direction, using a range of communication methods.

  • Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) how much (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Sweden, (e) the Netherlands, (f) France, (g) Denmark, (h) Belgium, and (i) Italy, spent per capita on cancer services, and (2) the national one-year cancer survival rates as a percentage of new patients for each of those countries, for the most recent year for which comparable data is available.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We are not aware of any comparable international data on per capita spending for cancer services. The National Audit Office estimated that the cost of cancer services to the National Health Service in 2012-13 was £6.7 billion, although precise figures are not available.

    The Eurocare-5 study, published in 2014, compares cancer survival rates across Europe, and includes all patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2007. These are the most recent available comparable data for the countries requested. Therefore, these comparisons are not a measure of current NHS performance and practice, but should be regarded as a long-term benchmark.

    Age-standardised, one-year, all-cancer survival rates for the requested countries are as follows:

    Country Age-standardised rate, one-year all-cancer survival (95% Confidence Interval) for patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2007

    England 67.6 (67.5-67.7)

    Scotland 67.5 (67.3-67.7)

    Wales 66.3 (66.0-66.6)

    Sweden 75.1 (75.0-75.3)

    Netherlands 71.9 (71.8-72.0)

    France 75.1 (74.9-75.4)

    Denmark 69.2 (69.0-69.4)

    Belgium 76.4 (76.3-76.6)

    Italy 75.2 (75.1-75.3)

    Source: Baili, P., et al. (2015). "Age and case mix-standardised survival for all cancer patients in Europe 1999–2007: Results of EUROCARE-5, a population-based study." European Journal of Cancer 51(15): 2120-2129.