Category: Speeches

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to respond to the concluding observations and recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the UK’s sixth periodic report in relation to legal aid and access to justice; and if she will make a statement.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The UN requested that the UK submits its next periodic report under the Covenant (inclusive of a response to all the recommendations from this year’s examination) by 30 June 2021; it would therefore not be appropriate for me to pre-empt this report by anticipating what we, or indeed a future UK Government in 2021, might say.

    We regularly monitor the operation of the legal aid scheme on an ongoing basis. The Legal Aid Agency routinely collects data on the age, sex, disability status and ethnicity of recipients of legal aid and publishes statistics on this topic annually. We have committed to carrying out a Post Implementation Review, which will consider the impact of the legal aid provisions in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 on access to justice. The UK Government is also currently undertaking a review of the introduction of fees into the Employment Tribunals and will publish its findings in due course.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many incidents of disruptive passengers on flights departing from or arriving in the UK have been recorded in 2016; what mechanism they use to record such incidents; and what assessment they have made of the effect of such incidents on the safety of other passengers and cabin crew.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government does not collect specific data on the frequency of incidents of disruptive passengers on flights departing from, or arriving in the UK. As such, no estimates have been made.

    If serious enough such incidents would be counted amongst data for safety related events. In accordance with EU Regulation No 376/2014, safety-related events which endanger or which, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person have to be reported to the Civil Aviation Authority as part of the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme (MORS).

  • Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in the application criteria for the gender recognition certificate.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government takes gender equality issues very seriously and has actively contributed towards the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s inquiry into transgender equality. The Government will consider the recommendations of the inquiry once they become available.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans for part-time taught masters students who study at a minimum of 50 per cent intensity, but not by means of distance learning, to access the proposed new postgraduate loans scheme.

    Joseph Johnson

    A consultation on support for postgraduate study was launched in March of this year. The consultation sought views on the Government’s intention to introduce a new loan scheme for taught Master’s study and a review of how to broaden and strengthen support for postgraduate research. Consultation responses have been analysed and the Department is preparing its response.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which former Government-owned listed properties have been sold either as freehold or on a long lease in London in the last 10 years.

    Matthew Hancock

    Cabinet Office records show that two buildings listed have been sold in central London on a long lease in the last 10 years.

    The first is Admiralty Arch, which is leased on a 250 year long lease,generating over £65 million in capital receipts for the exchequer.

    The second is the Old War Office, leased on a 250 year long lease. Both freeholds remain with Cabinet Office for the perpetuity.

    Information is only held centrally on the Government Estate in central London. Any information outside of this is held locally by departments.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he made of the potential effect on government revenues of changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 before announcing those changes; and if he will make a statement.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to maintain levels of access to A&E provision in Kirklees.

    Jane Ellison

    The provision of front line health services, including accident and emergency, is a matter for the local National Health Service, which has a responsibility to ensure that people have access to the best and safest healthcare possible. Any service changes should be led by clinicians and be based on a clear, robust clinical case for change that delivers better outcomes for patients.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations have been opened by HM Revenue and Customs under IR35 in the last two years.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) opened 216 interventions under IR35 in the year 2013/14 and 199 in the year 2014/15. HMRC has increased the number of IR35 inquiries in recent years and has at least 250 open at any one time.

    The Government published a discussion document on 17 July 2015, inviting views on options for reforming IR35. The discussion period closed on 30 September and the Government will announce next steps in due course.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson’s disease receive personal independence payment at the (a) daily living standard, (b) daily living enhanced, (c) mobility standard and (d) mobility enhanced rate.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The figures below show numbers of people in Great Britain in receipt of Personal Independence Payment as at 31st January 2016 who have either Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson’s syndrome / Parkinsonism as their main disabling condition.

    Parkinson’s disease

    Daily living

    Enhanced

    Standard

    Nil

    Enhanced

    962

    85

    13

    Mobility

    Standard

    489

    307

    44

    Nil

    329

    686

    –

    Source: PIP Computer Systems

    Parkinson’s syndrome / Parkinsonism

    Daily living

    Enhanced

    Standard

    Nil

    Enhanced

    101

    8

    –

    Mobility

    Standard

    56

    34

    7

    Nil

    26

    64

    –

    Source: PIP Computer Systems

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what changes in personnel there have been on the Civil Service Board since May 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    The composition of the most senior collective leadership body (now Civil Service Board) has changed markedly since 2010 and its membership is reviewed on an ongoing basis. The Board has existed in its current guise, under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary, since September 2014. During the past year six new Board members have been appointed, replacing those who have left the Civil Service. The current membership can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service/about/our-governance).

    “