Category: Speeches

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of Iraqi and Syrian Christians and other religious minorities who have been murdered or displaced from their homes by the actions of ISIS in each of the last five years; and what specific plans they have to provide practical assistance and asylum opportunities for persecuted Christians seeking to flee that region.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We do not hold figures for the numbers of minorities who have been murdered or displaced by Daesh. The situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yezidis, and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria who continue to bear the brunt of Daesh’s brutality.

    The persecution of Christians, and individuals of all faiths, anywhere in the world is of profound concern to us. The freedom to practise, change or share your faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a fundamental human right that all people should enjoy.

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), announced that the existing Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) scheme would be expanded to resettle 20,000 refugees during this Parliament. The Syrian VPR scheme is based on need and does not discriminate on religious grounds. As many Christians are likely to be particularly vulnerable it is highly likely that some will qualify under the scheme’s criteria.

    Ultimately, the only way to protect Christians and other religious minorities from Daesh is by defeating this terrible organisation, which in turn requires, amongst other things, ending the conflict in Syria. The Prime Minister set out the UK’s comprehensive strategy for defeating Daesh and finding a political settlement to the Syria conflict in his response to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 26 November 2015.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests have taken place related to the death of UK citizens whilst at sea in each year including and since 2010.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the findings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on page 5 of its report, Engineered in Britain, published in December 2015, if he will take steps to increase the confidence of the public and manufacturers in Government support for the manufacturing sector.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government is creating a highly competitive business environment that makes the UK an attractive location for new manufacturing investment and drives strong productivity growth and export success. We are securing the place of UK Manufacturers at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is why we have invested £300m over five years in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to support the commercialisation of the innovation and new technologies that will be crucial to UK manufacturing success.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement recommendation 8 in the executive summary of Public Health England’s March 2015 report entitled, Public mental health leadership and workforce development framework, on working with relevant colleges, faculties and boards overseeing professional training to include mental health within public health curricula.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) has worked with the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), Royal Society for Public Health and Royal College of Psychiatrists in developing and implementing the public mental health leadership and workforce development framework. More recently the Royal College of Nursing, Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH), Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) and Institute for Health Visitors have endorsed the framework and signed up to its Call to Action. Mental health has been made a presidential priority for the FPH, CIEH and ADPH. PHE has provided information and guidance to inform the recent FPH curricula review, the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework review and the new Mental Health Skills and Knowledge Framework. PHE has also presented the framework to the United Kingdom People in Public Health Board, Skills for Care Mental Health Board, Health Education England Mental Health Advisory Board and the forthcoming Health Education England Public Health Advisory Board.

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-04-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the level of investment in public mental health intervention in each of the last three years.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Previously, spend on public mental health has been a sub-category of the miscellaneous reporting category and most councils would have captured this spend locally. From 2016-17, mental health spend from the public health grant has its own dedicated reporting category and the information will be available nationally.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have claimed employment and support allowance after a paper-based review were refused a paper-based review upon re-assessment for that allowance in each year since 2009-10.

    Priti Patel

    The information you have requested is not available.

    The decision as to whether a paper-based review is appropriate is made by the Healthcare Professional. Their decision on whether to do so is based on evidence provided by the claimant to support their claim including all medical evidence from the claimant’s GP, hospital doctor or other appropriate clinicians.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what support the Government offers to UK-based companies involved in investor-state disputes with other nations.

    Mark Garnier

    The Government does not provide legal advice to UK investors involved in investor-state disputes. Ministers or officials may raise them with the relevant authorities, but the decision on whether or not do so is made on a case by case basis.

    Her Majesty’s Government posts overseas offer investment and political information to UK businesses; provide assistance where necessary to resolve problems such as customs or port clearance or those arising from any local practices that are potentially discriminatory against British business; and information to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the economy of changes in the timetable to make a decision on airport expansion in the South East.

    Mr David Gauke

    There has been no change to the timetable for a decision.

    The government has taken a decision on its preferred scheme – this will be announced shortly.

    Following this a draft National Policy Statement for airports will be published for public consultation, and there will be a vote on the final NPS, which we expect in winter 2017.

    The Davies Commission recommended additional south east airport capacity by 2030, and Government still plans to deliver that.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that people eligible to join the Class 3A voluntary contribution scheme are made aware of it.

    Justin Tomlinson

    1. A nationwide communications campaign, called ‘State Pension top up’, has been in place since 2014 to raise awareness of the Class 3A voluntary contribution scheme both before and after its launch on 12 October 2015. This campaign has included the creation of dedicated webpages on GOV.UK, including a calculator tool which has been used over 82,000 times since scheme launch. Printed and digital leaflets have been produced alongside advertising both online, and through national and regional press.

    For over a year prior to launch, individuals were able to register by phone or email for scheme updates.

    The scheme has also achieved widespread coverage, particularly around its launch, in the national and specialist press read by the scheme’s target audience. DWP has worked directly with financial advisory bodies and key pensions industry experts to raise awareness of the scheme.

    DWP officials have attended conferences around the country with IFAs to explain the scheme and Ministers have written articles and conducted interviews on national, regional and international broadcast channels.

    As of 8 November 2015, the scheme had attracted 3460 applications.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on trafficking of Yesidi girls from IS-controlled territories.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We continue to condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all communities throughout the areas under its control. We are working closely with our international coalition partners to assist and protect civilians wherever we can.

    The human rights situation for many living in areas under Daesh control is gravely concerning, including for Yezidi women. We have received reports of the ordeal faced by these women and others abducted by Daesh including rape, sexual abuse, forced marriage, forced conversion and women being sold as slaves. Through the Department for International Development we are funding activities to protect vulnerable civilians including through legal assistance and support groups for women.