UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to ensure that its policies do not encourage discrimination of religion or belief.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office carefully assesses the probable impact of all policy decisions and actions, and avoids taking any decision or action likely to encourage discrimination of any kind, including on grounds of religion or belief.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the travelling public of proposed reductions in spending on public transport in Ribble Valley.

    Andrew Jones

    It is for Lancashire County Council, as the transport authority for Ribble Valley, to decide how to allocate funding for public transport, in consultation with its districts and communities. The County Council has received £6.054m from the Integrated Transport Block for 2016/17. In addition, £1.86m of Bus Operators Services Grant (BSOG) has been provided to support bus services.

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to appoint a new Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The process of identifying and appointing a successor Chief Executive will begin immediately.

  • Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the implications for the security of electricity supply for winter 2015-16 of the announced closure of Longannet, Ferrybridge and Eggborough power stations.

    Andrea Leadsom

    There is no impact on security of supply for winter 15/16 as these power stations are expected to be available for generation throughout this winter. Assessments about plant availability are made during National Grid’s winter outlook process which will inform the final view presented in National Grid’s Winter Outlook Report.

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change takes security of supply very seriously and has worked with National Grid to put in place a plan to secure electricity supplies even in tough system conditions such as cold weather

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will establish a Coastal Watch of volunteers who can work alongside police and other agencies to report unusual or suspicious activities in the UK’s harbours and ports.

    James Brokenshire

    National Crime Agency, police, and Border Force have established Project Kraken, an initiative aimed at increasing public vigilance on matters related along the UK’s coastal and maritime security. Project Kraken encourages the public to report any unusual or suspicious behaviour in harbours, ports and other maritime environments.

    In addition, Border Force is already working closely with the National Coastwatch Institution volunteer network. The network use their expert knowledge of the maritime environment to spot and report unusual or suspicious activities along the coastline. Any such information is provided directly to the National Maritime Information Centre (NMIC) which is a cross-government organisation that is focussed on sharing intelligence concerning maritime security issues. Border Force is actively exploring similar arrangements with other maritime related organisations

  • 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 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a response to each of the recommendations made in Stephen Shaw’s Review into the Welfare in Detention of Vulnerable Persons, Cm 9186, before Report Stage on the Immigration Bill in the House of Lords.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government’s position on the Stephen Shaw review was set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid on 14 January 2016.

    The Government accepts the broad thrust of Mr Shaw’s recommendations. In particular the Government accepts Mr Shaw’s recommendations to adopt a wider definition of those at risk, including victims of sexual violence, individuals with mental health issues, pregnant women, those with learning difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder and elderly people, and to recognise the dynamic nature of vulnerabilities. We will introduce a new “adult at risk” concept into decision-making on immigration detention with a clear presumption that people who are at risk should not be detained, building on the existing legal framework.

    A more detailed mental health needs assessment in immigration removal centres, using the expertise of the Centre for Mental Health, will be carried out and is expected to report in March 2016. NHS commissioners will use that assessment to consider and revisit current provision to ensure healthcare needs are being met appropriately. The Government will also publish a joint Department of Health, NHS and Home Office mental health action plan in April 2016.

    We will also be considering a number of operational recommendations made by Mr Shaw, on a case by case basis, taking account of available resources.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the self-determination movement in Bahrain that seeks to establish a freely elected government.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Governance of Bahrain is a matter for all political parties in Bahrain. We encourage all political parties, to engage constructively in political dialogue in order to reach an inclusive political settlement. Although we were disappointed by the opposition’s decision to boycott the 2014 elections, we commended the participation of a broad range of candidates which saw 14 independent Shia candidates win seats, of which three were women.

    We regularly discuss reforms with the Government of Bahrain including at the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting which was most recently held in November 2015. Reform programme activities delivered through the Causeway Institute have used lessons from Northern Ireland to improve community outreach, participation and communication – particularly to a youth audience.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

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

    Jane Ellison

    75% of Senior Civil Servants in the Department are based in London. Some Departmental team responsibilities are strictly policy matters and others may include, or exclusively involve, operational or corporate business activities. The Department does not impose an artificial distinction between ‘policy’ teams and operational or business teams as many teams will be active in both aspects of Government to varying degrees. The titles and topics covered by all the teams making up the Department can be found in the most recent Departmental organograms / structure charts at:

    http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?dept=dh

    “

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to control the live exports of horses from the UK that are falsely declared to be exported for leisure purposes but where the true intention is for slaughter and human consumption.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government is aware of concerns about horse exports and has been working closely with welfare charities on this issue and in particular on improving intelligence gathering. When reports are received by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that horses are being exported other than for the declared purpose, or are being inappropriately transported, APHA will investigate and will take appropriate enforcement action. This may include suspending transporters.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals were employed by the European Commission in each year since 2010.

    Mr David Lidington

    Whilst the European Commission provides staffing numbers by nationality they do not break them down between permanent and temporary agents. In total the numbers of UK nationals employed by the European Commission in each year since 2010 is:

    April 2010: 1284
    April 2011: 1162
    April 2012: 1134
    April 2013: 1079
    April 2014: 1053
    April 2015: 1008

    The latest figure available is for Feb 2016 and is 982.

    UK representation has been falling across EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture, recognising that this will require a sustained effort. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, promotes EU careers across the UK and supports candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched.