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Category: Speeches

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which EU (a) legislative and (b) other proposals his Department is leading negotiations on for the Government in the Council of the EU.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department for Work and Pensions is leading on one set of negotiations on the following EU proposal:

    • Directive 2004/37/EC – Proposal to amend the Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest figures of how many British Islamists who have fought in Iraq or Syria for Islamic State (1) are believed still to be in those countries, and (2) have returned to the UK; of those who are known to have returned how many (a) have been prosecuted, (b) have received de-radicalisation” treatment

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Approximately 850 UK linked individuals of national security concern have travelled to engage with the Syrian conflict. We estimate that just under half have returned and approximately 15% are now dead. This number includes all those of national security concern, not just those affiliated with Daesh.

    Data from the Crown Prosecution Service shows that they have successfully prosecuted 10 cases involving 14 defendants who have returned to the UK and are suspected of having fought in Syria and /or Iraq. In compiling this answer, we have learned that the data on this subject which was included in our answer to question HL8065 (11 May 2016) was incorrect, as it included all prosecutions related to Syria and / or Iraq, rather than those related only to people who had returned from Syria or Iraq.

    All those who return from engaging in the conflict in Syria and Iraq can expect to be subject to investigation to determine if they have committed criminal offences abroad or represent a threat to our national security. Decisions to prosecute are taken, independently of Government, by the Crown Prosecution Service. Assessments are also made of the appropriateness of other forms of intervention, for example including referral to mental health services or to the Channel programme. For reasons of national security, we do not comment further on action taken with respect to returners from Syria.

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

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department is providing to Iraqi and Kurdish forces to assist in the recapture of Mosul; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    As a leading member of the Coalition, the United Kingdom has assisted in the training and mentoring of over 29,000 local Iraqi security forces (including over 6,900 Kurdish Peshmerga). This includes infantry, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills – including a small team of Royal Engineers mentoring Iraqi forces carrying out bridge building in support of the liberation of Mosul, over 40 km from the city, in response to a request from the Coalition for specialist assistance. Many of the forces British troops have trained are participating in the operation to recapture Mosul.

    The RAF is contributing its advanced air capabilities to Coalition operations in support of Iraqi forces on the ground. Since the start of the Mosul operation, the majority of RAF strikes have been in support of the Iraqi ground operation in and around that city.

    Additionally, the UK has been at the forefront of humanitarian support and recently committed £40 million to the Iraqi government, which will include a contribution to the Mosul aid plan. This brings the total pledged by the UK to help the victims of Daesh to almost £170 million since 2014.

  • Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average frequency of evening and weekend work by junior doctors in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS Employers’ evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration – “Reform of national contracts for consultant doctors and doctors and dentists in training”1 – published in December 2014 during the hon. Member’s tenure as a Minister, included a profile of how the hours worked by doctors in training were spread across the week.

    We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training2 stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors and hospital management, and means that providing more seven-day services is unfeasible, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients.

    Future working patterns are for individual employers to determine. The evidence on doctors’ working patterns has not altered since the hon. Member was a Minister for Health.

    1 http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/pay-and-reward/pay/medical-pay/ddrb-evidence—in-detail/consultants-and-junior-doctors-contract-reform-submission-of-evidence-to-the-ddrb

    2 http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/

    “

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 1.149 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, on what basis the total amount allocated to local authorities for funding temporary accommodation has been calculated.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Spending Review and Autumn Statement announced that funding of the Temporary Accommodation management fee will be devolved to local authorities from 2017/18, giving them more freedom and flexibility in how they use this funding. Current levels of funding will be maintained and, in addition, councils will receive £10 million a year more. The Department for Communities and Local Government will set out the precise detail of how the new funding will be distributed in 2016/17. The Department will work closely with local authorities and other partners to ensure that funding will be allocated in order to most effectively help councils tackle homelessness.

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

    Nigel Huddleston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Huddleston on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the introduction of mandatory defibrillators on aircraft.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is responsible for the regulations relating to equipment to be carried on aircraft operating in Europe and competent national authorities, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) being such a body in the UK, are responsible for oversight of the compliance. The EASA regulations do not require aircraft to carry defibrillators.

    Cases of sudden cardiac arrest are very rare when compared to the number of passengers carried. There is no evidence that airline passengers are at increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and it would not be proportionate to make carrying defibrillators in an aircraft compulsory.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children and women were seriously injured by a perpetrator of domestic violence after a Family Court decision to allow child access for a perpetrator of that crime in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    Every family court has a system to support vulnerable court users. Protective measures are put in place whenever a court is aware that an individual involved in a case may be violent. These can include separate waiting areas, additional security and the use of separate entrances where appropriate.

    Information on the number of children or women injured by a perpetrator of domestic violence after a Family Court decision relating to child contact is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by manually checking case files in criminal and family courts and matching records.

    The family court takes the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. Where domestic violence or abuse is admitted or proven, any child arrangements order put in place must protect the safety and wellbeing of the child and the parent with whom the child is living, and not expose them to the risk of further harm. In particular, the court must be satisfied that any contact ordered with a parent who has perpetrated violence or abuse is safe and in the best interests of the child.

    Where the court does conclude that direct contact is safe and beneficial for the child, it can impose conditions such as supervised contact to protect the child.

  • Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage the putting in place of a system of verification for violations during the Cessation of Hostilities in Syria; and when he expects such a system to be in place.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Cessation of Hostilities is an important step towards ending the terrible violence in Syria and bringing about a lasting political settlement.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met with the HNC Representative, Riyad Hijab in Paris on Friday 4th March to assess the current situation. Since the Cessation of Hostilities came into effect, we have seen a significant reduction in violence, which is of course a huge step forwards. But we need to see this sustained, and to see a reduction in the number of reported violations. To this end we are working with the UN and other members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), to urgently consolidate a robust verification mechanism to monitor alleged violations of the Cessation of Hostilities. The UK had a number of staff in Geneva last week working on this.

    This mechanism is already starting to work through assessments of violations and we will continue to refine the operation as we continue.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Army Air Corps pilots have resigned due to his Department’s plans to recover over-payment of flying pay; how many of those pilots (a) are currently serving and (b) have retired; what assessment he has made of the effect on (i) staffing levels and (ii) the effectiveness of that corps; whether any of those pilots affected have been subject to disciplinary proceedings due to non-repayment of such over-payments; what the value is of such over payments; over what period such over-payments relate to; and if he will make it his policy to not recover such over-payments.

    Mark Lancaster

    I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence, the Rt Hon. Earl Howe, to the noble Lord, the Rt Hon. the Lord Trefgarne, in the House of Lords (Official Report, column 2379). In addition to this I can confirm that an overpayment of recruitment and retention pay amounting to £829,000 in total was made to 146 Army aircrew personnel over a number of years. Of the 146 personnel affected, 97 are still serving. We have apologised and explained the circumstances of the overpayments to all affected. Each individual has the opportunity to object, appeal, and if necessary submit a Service Complaint against recovery action receiving individual and tailored advice as required. Since notification of the recovery action, the Army Air Corps is not aware of any resignations as a direct result. The error was caused by differing interpretations and use of the Recruitment and Retention Pay (Flying) policy across the Army Air Corps. As such there are no disciplinary issues associated with the overpayment.

    Although there are manning pressures within the Army Air Corps they are able to meet all current commitments. In recognition of these pressures a Financial Retention Incentive was introduced in 2015 and 81% of the eligible personnel have taken up this offer resulting in a stabilisation of Army Air Corps pilot manning levels.

    In accordance with HM Treasury Policy and Guidance, pay has been reverted to the correct levels and recovery action has now begun. This guidance requires that efforts are made to recover incorrect payments in all cases across the public sector. I am satisfied that this is the correct approach to take under these circumstances and reflects the previous recovery of overpayments within the Armed Forces.

  • Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Cox on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the Beja people in Eastern Sudan, in particular to prevent kidnapping and people trafficking.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is supporting the people of Eastern Sudan, including the Beja people, in a number of ways. The Department for International Development (DfID) spends £30million in Eastern Sudan to help improve vulnerable communities’ food security and nutrition, provide sustainable water supplies and improve sanitation. DfID also provides core funding to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees which supports host and refugee communities across Sudan to improve livelihoods and reduce the risk of human trafficking. The UK is also taking a lead role in the Khartoum Process, which prioritises tackling smuggling and trafficking across the Horn of Africa, including Sudan.