Category: Speeches

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Terrence Higgins Trust’s report Shh.No Talking, published in July 2016, what steps she is taking to ensure that sufficient resources are given to local authorities and schools to ensure that sex and relationships education lessons are properly resourced and teachers are trained.

    Edward Timpson

    High quality sex and relationship education is a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain. It should also help young people to make informed choices, stay safe and learn to respect themselves and others.

    Our statutory Sex and Relationship Guidance is clear that young people, whatever their developing sexuality or identity, should feel that sex and relationship education is relevant to them and sensitive to their needs.

    Sex and relationship education is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools and many primary schools also teach it in an age appropriate manner. Decisions relating to resources and teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they best know the needs of their staff and pupils.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Frontline and Think Ahead social work programmes.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government remains committed to providing appropriate levels of funding to a range of entry routes to social work.

    An independent evaluation of the Frontline programme was published in March 2016, and is accessible online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509240/DFE-RR507-Frontline-pilot-independent-evaluation.pdf

    The first cohort of Think Ahead participants started the programme in summer 2016. Plans are being made to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to encourage students to become ambulance service paramedics upon graduating.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The latest available data from NHS Digital NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly workforce statistics shows that there are now over 2,200 more paramedics in the National Health Service than in May 2010.

    As set out in Health Education England’s (HEE) 2016/17 Workforce Plan for England, planned paramedic training places have increased by 60%, to over 1,600. The workforce plan estimates that by 2020 there is likely to be an 11% growth in the available paramedic workforce.

    HEE is partnering with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) to give aspiring paramedics the chance to gain the experience, skills and knowledge required to support applications for the Paramedic Science degree programme (BSc) at UEA and ARU for entry in September 2017.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to hospital trusts on the account they should take of the availability of transport links when making decisions on reconfiguring services across two sites; and if he will make a statement.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government is clear the reconfiguration of front line health services is a matter for the local NHS.

    NHS England has issued guidance on Planning and Delivering Service Change for Patients. As part of this guidance, NHS England specifies that: ‘Based on evidence and national clinical reference groups’ advice, commissioners need to determine the appropriate range of providers and interplay of key access requirements such as travel time.’

    All commissioners proposing reconfiguration must include an analysis of travelling times and distances in their Pre-Consultation Business Case. As part of the Best Practice Check guidelines issued by NHS England, commissioners are asked: ‘Has the travel impact of proposed change been modelled for all key populations including analysis of available transport options, public transport schedules and availability/ affordability of car parking?’ and asked to provide evidence of this through a travel impact assessment.

  • Lord Norton of Louth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Norton of Louth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Norton of Louth on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to issue a revised response to the report from the Constitution Committee The office of Lord Chancellor (6th Report, session 2014–15, HL Paper 75).

    Lord Faulks

    I welcomed the opportunity to participate in the excellent debate on this issue in July of last year, and the Lord Chancellor was similarly grateful for the opportunity to discuss his role during his annual evidence session to the Committee in December. We have no plans to revise the written response provided by the previous administration to the Committee’s report.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the merits of refunding money lost by farmers under the modulation scheme to farmers who are taking part in the trial badger cull scheme.

    George Eustice

    The Government decided to transfer 12% of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Direct Payments (Pillar 1) budget to the Rural Development (Pillar 2) budget in England with effect from the 2014 Scheme year. The transfer is irreversible. Farmers in England are also able to apply for Rural Development Programme environmental schemes or for grants to help improve their competitiveness or grow their business.

    Delivery of the badger control policy is led and funded by farmers and landowners. Defra has published details of the resultant costs it incurred in 2013 and 2014.

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the balance of trade between Burundi and the UK.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    In 2015 the UK had a trade in goods surplus with Burundi of £1.7 million (Source: HM Revenue and Customs’ Overseas Trade Statistics database).

    It is not possible to estimate the trade in services balance between the UK and Burundi as data on UK trade in services with Burundi are not published by the Office for National Statistics.

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-03-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the suitability of the length of the current UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) contract, and how the length of that contract compares to previous contracts for the UKMFTS.

    Earl Howe

    The current UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) contract with Ascent Flight Training began in 2008 and will run for 25 years. Contract duration was a key user requirement and was endorsed prior to contract signature. Previous provision of military flying training was delivered through an array of contracts with multiple providers and varying lengths. As such, these contracts cannot be directly compared to the single tri-service training system partner model employed by UKMFTS.

    The Ministry of Defence has not received any representations regarding the duration of the overarching UKMFTS contract.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information he holds on what discussions have taken place between HM Revenue and Customs and former Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair or his advisers about (a) Mr Blair’s tax affairs and (b) charges brought in under the Finance Act 2006 as they relate to those tax affairs.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not divulge details about an individual’s tax affairs.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on his review of the legal and financial implications of an alternative pavement parking regime.

    Andrew Jones

    I chaired a roundtable meeting with stakeholders in March to discuss the practical, legal and financial implications of a possible alternative enforcement regime for pavement parking in England, outside London. The Department aims to build the evidence base on this issue over coming months working with local authorities and other interested parties. The outcome of this work will inform consideration of options later in the year.