Category: Speeches

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that companies with which the Government contracts to provide housing or other services for asylum seekers (a) treat such people with care and respect and (b) avoid measures which may make asylum seekers a target for hate crime.

    James Brokenshire

    The general principles section of the statement of requirements within the COMPASS contract is clear: asylum seekers need to be managed with sensitivity, treated in a polite and courteous manner and their safety and security is of absolute importance and must not be jeopardised.

    I have asked for, and received assurances from, all accommodation providers that there are no further policies or practices that allow asylum seekers to be identified as such by the public.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of his Department’s (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) core policy civil servants are based in London.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office currently has 50% of its Senior Civil Servants and 44% of its core policy civil servants based in London.

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 13 April 2016 to Question 904364, whether he has contacted customers of Tata Steel’s strip products division in order to secure the order book; and which customers he has so contacted.

    Alun Cairns

    Last week we made a public commitment to Tata customers to reassure them of Government support in securing a sale of Tata UK operations. We, in conjunction with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, continue to work closely with Tata to ensure that their customers and suppliers are aware of all the efforts the UK Government is making to achieve a long-term future for the industry.

    I have had meetings recently with companies which form part of Tata supply chain. I visited the Tata site at Shotton on Monday and am visiting the Tata sites at Trostre and Llanwern later this week as a continued effort to keep the dialogue open with the steel making communities.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 24630, for what reasons the thematic review of how the mental health needs of children and young people in vulnerable groups have been addressed as part of the Local Transformation Plan analysis has not been published.

    Alistair Burt

    Over 1,300 documents have been considered as part of NHS England’s thematic review of the Local Transformation Plans to ensure they align with the Future in Mind principles to improve children and young people’s mental health. This has required time to ensure that all the thematic reviews, including the report on vulnerable groups, are in an accessible format.

    NHS England is preparing for publication and the thematic reviews will be available shortly.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is giving to women soldiers in Iraq through (a) training and (b) provision of body armour.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK has trained female soldiers from the Iraqi Security Forces in infantry skills, combat first aid and explosive hazard awareness as part of the wider Coalition programme to build security force capacity in Iraq. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced to the House on 2 September 2014 (Column 16WS), the UK has also gifted non-lethal equipment to the Peshmerga including enhanced combat body armour suitable for both men and women.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with representatives of the 53 countries with which Britain holds free trade agreements (FTAs) through its membership of the EU on the timetable for replacing those agreements with bilateral FTAs.

    Greg Hands

    The Prime Minister has been clear, we are not going to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of these negotiations. We recognise the need for a smooth transition as the UK leaves the EU which minimises disruption to our trading relationships. Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working closely with counterparts across a wide range of markets in order to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. We are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to us to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.

  • David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of people sleeping rough since 2010.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society – one person without a home is one too many – that is why since 2010 we have invested more than £500 million to prevent and tackle homelessness in England.

    More rough sleepers are being found and helped quicker. Our measures include supporting the roll-out of No Second Night Out across England through the Homelessness Transition Fund. In London, two-thirds of rough sleepers come off the streets after a single night. We have also commissioned the pioneering StreetLink service, which since its launch has helped over 14,500 rough sleepers by connecting them to local support services and avoid becoming entrenched in a life on the streets.

    We are committed to do more to improve services for homeless people with complex needs. Our investment includes £5 million for the world’s first homelessness Social Impact Bond, which is reaching 830 entrenched rough sleepers in London.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons recipients of personal independence payments are called for reassessment.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Personal Independence Payment is designed to ensure decisions on entitlement, award lengths and timing of reviews are appropriate and evidence-based.

    All ongoing awards, regardless of duration, will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the individual continues to receive the correct amount of benefit. Where we have sufficient evidence to do so, we will conduct a paper based assessment without the need for the claimant to attend a face to face assessment.

    The claimant can also ask for a review if the daily living needs or mobility needs arising change.

    Reviews can result in a higher or lower award or no change.

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will review its aircraft noise policy after the updated WHO guidelines are published in summer 2016.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government’s current policy on aviation noise is to limit, and where possible reduce, the number of people in the UK significantly affected by aircraft noise. The Government will continue to ensure that its policy on aviation noise takes into account emerging evidence that is relevant, including on the health impacts of noise.

    It should be noted that the current WHO guidelines do not refer solely to noise from aviation, but relate to noise levels from any of various sources including other transport sources such as from road, rail, and non-transport sources such as construction, industry and the neighbourhood.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to release the full business case for the recently-announced closure of 15 HM Passport Office interview offices.

    Karen Bradley

    There are no plans to release the business case for this decision.