Category: Speeches

  • Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Calder Valley Line will be used as a diversion during the electrification of the Manchester to Leeds via Stalybridge line; and what assessment he has made of the merits of those diverted trains calling at Sowerby Bridge.

    Andrew Jones

    As announced on 30 September, Network Rail are working with the Department and Rail North to develop a new plan for electrification of the TransPennine line to focus on delivering key passenger benefits as quickly as possible. In his letter to the Secretary of State, Sir Peter Hendy, the chairman of Network Rail, stated that the planning of this work will be concluded by the end of 2017. The intention is to use the Calder Valley Line as a diversion during the works on the North Transpennine Line via Stalybridge. The details of the calling patterns of the diverted trainsare not yet determined, as the works need to be planned first. The Department and Rail North will work with the new train operators over the next few years to plan the calling patterns. The new train operators will take over from April 2016.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates’ courts have been closed in each local justice area in each year since 2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The tables below shows magistrates’ courts that have closed since 2010:

    2010

    Wantage Magistrates Court

    2011

    Aberdare Magistrates Court

    Abertillery Magistrates Court

    Acton Magistrates Court

    Alnwick Magistrates Court

    Amersham Magistrates Court

    Ammanford Magistrates Court

    Ashford Magistrates Court

    Balham Youth Court

    Barking & Dagenham Magistrates Court

    Barry Magistrates Court

    Bingley (Keighley) Magistrates Court

    Bishop Auckland Magistrates Court

    Blandford Forum Magistrates Court

    Blaydon Magistrates Court

    Brentford Magistrates Court

    Cardigan Magistrates Court

    Chepstow Magistrates Court

    Cirencester Magistrates Court

    Coalville Magistrates Court

    Coleford Magistrates Court

    Cromer Magistrates Court

    Daventry Magistrates Court

    Didcot Magistrates Court

    Ely Magistrates Court

    Epsom Magistrates Court

    Flint Magistrates Court

    Frome Magistrates Court

    Goole Magistrates Court

    Gosforth Magistrates Court

    Grays Magistrates Court

    Guisborough (East Langbaurgh) Magistrates Court

    Halesowen Magistrates Court

    Harrow Magistrates Court

    Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court

    Honiton Magistrates Court

    Houghton-Le-Spring Magistrates Court

    Ilkeston Magistrates Court

    Kingston-upon-Thames Magistrates Court

    Knowsley Magistrates Court

    Lewes Magistrates Court

    Liskeard Magistrates Court

    Llandovery Magistrates Court

    Llangefni Magistrates Court

    Llwynypia Magistrates Court

    Ludlow Magistrates Court

    Lyndhurst Magistrates Court

    Market Drayton Magistrates Court

    Market Harborough Magistrates Court

    Melton Mowbray Magistrates Court

    Newark Magistrates Court

    Northwich Magistrates Court

    Oswestry Magistrates Court

    Penrith Magistrates Court

    Penzance Magistrates Court

    Pwllheli Magistrates Court

    Rawtenstall Magistrates Court

    Retford Magistrates Court

    Rochdale Magistrates Court

    Rugby Magistrates Court

    Rutland Magistrates Court

    Salford Magistrates Court

    Sittingbourne Magistrates Court

    Southport (North Sefton) Magistrates Court

    Sudbury Magistrates Court

    Sutton Coldfield Magistrates Court

    Sutton Magistrates Court

    Swaffham Magistrates Court

    Tamworth Magistrates Court

    Thetford Magistrates Court

    Totnes Magistrates Court

    Towcester Magistrates Court

    Tynedale (Hexham) Magistrates Court

    West Bromwich Magistrates Court

    Whitehaven Magistrates Court

    Wimborne Magistrates Court

    Wisbech Magistrates Court

    Witney Magistrates Court

    Woking Magistrates Court

    Woolwich Magistrates Court

    2012

    Batley & Dewsbury Magistrates Court

    Bridgwater Magistrates Court

    Camborne Magistrates Court

    Epping Magistrates Court

    Haringey Magistrates Court

    Harwich Magistrates Court

    Mid-Sussex (Haywards Heath) Magistrates Court

    Stoke on Trent Magistrates Court

    Witham Magistrates Court

    2013

    Andover Magistrates Court

    Denbigh Magistrates Court

    Pontefract Magistrates Court

    Selby Magistrates Court

    Tower Bridge Magistrates Court

    2014

    Alton Magistrates Court

    Bracknell Magistrates Court

    Neath Magistrates Court

    North Liverpool Community Justice Centre

    Spalding Magistrates Court

    2015

    Abergavenny Magistrates Court

    It is not possible to present the above sites by their local justice areas as many local justice area boundaries change over time.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of workers who would be affected if the exit payments cap for public sector workers was set at any other amount than £95,000.

    Greg Hands

    At the 2015 Spending Review the Government announced it will consult on further cross public sector action on exit payment terms. This consultation will provide a good opportunity to collect further information on the trends in the level of exit payments between the private and public sector.

    Exit payment terms vary significantly across the private sector, and there will be examples of terms that match or even exceed those in the public sector. However, the Government has seen no evidence that redundancy terms such as employer-funded early retirement, which are widely available across the public sector and often cost employers tens, or even hundreds of thousands of pounds per person, are replicated to anything like the same extent in the private sector.

    The precise number of those affected by the public sector exit payment cap will depend on the number and type of exits in coming years.

    However, as the average cost of an exit in the public sector in recent years has been around £25,000 the vast majority of exits are below the level of the cap. For example, less than 2% of recent exits in local government were above the level of the cap.

  • Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-02-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for financial system resilience of the Prudential Regulation Authority’s proposed rules on ringfencing; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government is confident that the Prudential Regulation Authority’s proposed rules on ring-fencing are beneficial for financial system resilience. These are fully consistent with the Banking Reform Act (2013), and are necessary to ensure the full and timely implementation of the legislation.

  • Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal in the report from the charity Sense, Making the case for play, that play be instated as part of the ministerial brief for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare.

    Lord Nash

    I refer my Rt Hon. Friend to the answer given on 8 March to PQ 29735, which I have also set out below:

    The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is already recognised within the early years legislation covered by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education’s portfolio.

    Play is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework and states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.”

    Staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

    Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.

    In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have been awarded employment and support allowance (ESA) under regulation (a) 29 and (b) 35 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008; and how many such claimants were originally in the ESA support group.

    Priti Patel

    Information on the outcomes of initial Employment and Support Allowance claims awarded under regulation 35 of the ESA Regulations 2008 can be found in Table 5 of the published statistics:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-claims-made-to-jun-2015-and-appeals-to-dec-2015.

    The rest of the information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on (a) the mass arrest of members of the Baha’i community in Golestan province, Iran and (b) the length of their sentence of imprisonment.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have had no specific reporting nor have we made representations on behalf of the group mentioned. However, we consistently raise our concerns about the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran with the Iranian Government. We call on Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of religion to all Iranians.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of differential rates of apprenticeship completion by sector; and if she will make a statement.

    Robert Halfon

    Apprenticeship achievement rates by sector subject area vary from 60.4% (Science and Maths) to 78.9% (Information and Communication Technology). With the exceptions of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care, Arts, Media and Publishing and Science and Mathematics, the achievement rate for all Sector Subject Areas increased between the 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic years.

    Our reforms are improving the quality of all apprenticeships. We have insisted that they must all be paid jobs with substantial training, develop transferable skills and have a minimum 12 months’ duration. Ensuring that, at the end of their apprenticeship, apprentices have transferable skills and can progress their career will all help encourage people to complete their apprenticeship.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2016 to Question 45944, on Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff, how many offers of pro bono support from consultancy firms his Department has (a) been offered and (b) taken up.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Department for Exiting the European Union has received a significant number of offers of support from individuals and businesses. To date, the department has utilised the services of seven consultancy firms on a pro bono or nominal (£1) basis.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the costs of infrastructure improvements at RAF Waddington were in each year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

    Mark Lancaster

    The costs of infrastructure improvements at RAF Waddington in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15 are shown in the following table:

    Financial Year

    Grand Total

    2010-11

    £1,494,929.99

    2011-12

    £2,794,486.46

    2012-13

    £2,503,485.61

    2013-14

    £1,044,565.26

    2014-15

    £18,857,704.44

    Grand Total

    £26,695,171.76

    The significant increase in Financial Year 2014-15 is due to the Waddington boiler replacement work, the upgrade of Single Living Accommodation, and the start of the construction phases of the reconstruction and resurfacing of the runway and hangar refurbishments.