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Category: Speeches

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to review the number of types of identification documents with which a person may register to vote.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Ensuring the accuracy of electoral registers and taking steps to reduce fraud is critical to building confidence in the systems underpinning our democracy. In the majority of cases, applicants registering to vote will have their identity matched against government records or local data sources successfully. Where this is not possible, most applicants can be asked to provide supporting documentary evidence, which can be drawn from a wide range of sources and there are no plans to change this.

  • Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support people with personal savings.

    Simon Kirby

    This Government has taken radical steps to support savers. From April 2017 the Lifetime ISA will mean People under 40 can use it to save for their first home and retirement and receive a 25% bonus from the Government. From the same date, all savers will also be able to benefit from the largest ever increase in the annual ISA allowance from £15,240 to £20,000 per year.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to improve flood defences in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey and (c) the South East since 2010.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    In the Woking constituency, the Hoe Valley Flood Alleviation Scheme opened in spring 2012 resulting in better protection to almost 200 properties.

    In Surrey, the Environment Agency together with the Lead Local Flood Authorities, are developing a range of flood schemes under the Government’s 6 Year Investment Programme.

    The River Thames Scheme for example, will seek to reduce the risk of flooding to 15,000 properties in Surrey and Berkshire. Schemes are also being developed in Guildford, Godalming, Leatherhead and Byfleet.

    In the South East the Environment Agency has better protected 42,000 homes between 2010 – 2015 and forecast to better protect nearly 80,000 more homes by 2021.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to review the VAT threshold.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government keeps all tax rates and thresholds under review.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average reduction in entitlement to universal credit was which resulted from a claimant taking up paid work in the most recent month for which figures are available.

    Priti Patel

    The information you have requested is not currently available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for UC therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future. These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for official statistics.

    The latest official experimental statistics on UC and the Departments release strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics.

    “

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to Question 18667, tabled on 3 December 2015.

    Nick Boles

    The proposals in the Bill are not about party funding. The Trade Union Bill is about employment and industrial relations. We are introducing a greater level of transparency into union activities by requiring union members to make an active decision to contribute to a union’s political fund.

    If union members want a political fund, this will not necessarily lead to a reduction in the funds available. Therefore no assessment has been made in relation to the impact on the finances of any political party.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations how to maximise the practical steps being taken across the UK to increase female participation in sports.

    David Evennett

    The Government is determined to get more girls and women playing sport and to remove any barrier that prevents women and other under-represented groups from taking part in sport and wider physical activity. In December we published a new cross-Departmental strategy for sport and physical activity, ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation’, which sets out a new vision for a successful and active sporting nation.

    While grassroots sport is a devolved matter, we recognise the complicated landscape of reserved and devolved powers around responsibility for sport and physical activity. To help improve co-ordination and sharing of best practice among the the devolved administrations and the UK Government, the ‘Sport Cabinet’ will be re-established. It will bring together the four sports ministers who represent Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and both England and the UK as a whole.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on levels of exports of changes in the budget of UK Trade and Investment between 2015 and 2020.

    Anna Soubry

    Savings will broadly be delivered through implementing a new digital infrastructure to provide cost-effective access to export services; contractual efficiencies; and prioritising market and sector opportunities that will add most value to UK export levels. This is about being more efficient and delivering for UK businesses, including through enhancing direct support and developing the private sector market.

    HM Treasury has recognised the importance of the exports agenda by agreeing that £175m of further proposed savings between 2016-17 and 2019-20 should be reinvested in priority areas. The Government is committed to driving a step-change in UK exports and the reinvestment secured to refocus UK Trade & Investment will help us deliver this.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to lower the blood alcohol limit for drivers from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government has no plans to lower the drink drive limit. We believe that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many live births of children affected by (a) spina bifida, (b) hydrocephaly and (c) anencephaly there have been in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    Information on the number of live births affected by congenital abnormalities including spina bifida, hydrocephalus and anencephaly has been collected by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers and is currently available for the years 2009–2012 at:

    http://www.binocar.org/publications/reports

    There are no current mechanisms in place for monitoring the take-up of advice given on the NHS Choices website about preventing spina bifida.

    “