Category: Speeches

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department plans to provide to refugees from Burundi.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    HMG is concerned by the ongoing political unrest in Burundi, and its humanitarian consequences. DFID has provided over £21 million since April 2015 to support Burundian refugees in Tanzania and Rwanda. We continue to monitor the situation and will consider further support if need arises.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on whether the same data protection and privatisation obligations will apply for the company carrying out the functions of the Land Registry in the event that it is privatised under the (a) Government’s preferred model of privatisation with a contract between the Government and a private operator and (b) alternative model of privatisation with independent economic regulation.

    Anna Soubry

    Government recognises the importance of data protection and data security. Data protection maintains confidence in the integrity of the register and the services of Land Registry. Under all the proposals put forward in the consultation, statutory data collected through core statutory functions would continue to be owned by government.

    In addition, a private sector operator would be a data processor and would be required to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. This controls how personal information is used by organisations, businesses or government.

    Everyone responsible for using data has to follow strict rules called ‘data protection principles’. They must make sure the information is:

    • used fairly and lawfully;
    • used for limited, specifically stated purposes;
    • used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive;
    • accurate and kept up to date;
    • kept for no longer than is necessary;
    • handled according to people’s data protection rights;
    • kept safe and secure.

    All data controllers are accountable to the Information Commissioner who has powers to enforce data protection law and impose sanctions.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) his EU counterparts and (b) other stakeholders on proposed changes to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (2004/37/EC); and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    DWP Ministers have not held such discussions. However there have been extensive discussions at official level with EU counterparts and with a wide range of stakeholders on the proposed changes.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the actual cost of replacing Trident does not exceed the current estimated cost.

    Harriett Baldwin

    As set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we are taking steps to manage the defence nuclear enterprise and ensure the Successor submarines are delivered to time and budget. As part of this, we have established a new Director-General Nuclear to act as single and accountable focal point within the Ministry of Defence for all aspects of the defence nuclear enterprise. We are also establishing a new submarine delivery body for the procurement and in-service support of all nuclear submarines, including the Successor submarines. We have deliberately moved away from a traditional single ‘Main Gate’ approach, to a staged investment approach with multiple control points. This will enable us to better regulate and control programme funding and delivery.

    The rollout of the Successor submarines supports the programme to maintain a Continuous at Sea Deterrent.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of employer enquiries to the Employer Checking Service resulted in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work in each of the last five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The proportion of checks to the Employer Checking Service resulting in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work, by calendar year are as below:

    2011 41.2%

    2012 43.8%

    2013 51.1%

    2014 56.6% 56.0%

    2015 61.4% 58.2%

    2016 (to date) 67.3%

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to fund employment schemes that were launched on 26 January 2016 after the UK leaves the EU.

    Damian Hinds

    In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

    The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.

  • Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on job numbers in councils and housing associations of the measures contained in the Housing and Planning Bill.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Housing and planning Bill on 22 October. A link to the impact assessment is at: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/housingandplanning/documents.html.

    This document will be updated as the Bill progresses through Parliament.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the IDF Fence that separates nursing ewes from their lambs at Qalqilyah in the West Bank.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not discussed this specific incident with the Israeli authorities, we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the issue of freedom of movement with Israeli National Security Advisor Cohen on 2 November. Our Consul-General in Jerusalem also raised this issue with the Mayor of Jerusalem on 28 October.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions she has visited an Immigration Removal Centre since becoming Home Secretary.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Secretary and Home Office Ministers conduct visits, and host meetings, on the whole spectrum of Home Office business regularly. As with the previous administration, it is our policy not to provide details of such visits.

  • Lord Truscott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Truscott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Truscott on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 11 January (HL4782), what assessment they have made of the terms of reference, composition, duration and cost of the Chilcot inquiry.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Chilcot Inquiry was set up by the Labour Government following consultation with other political parties and with the support of Parliament. The Government looks forward to the publication of the Inquiry’s report in June or July, in accordance with Sir John Chilcot’s most recent letter to the Prime Minister.