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Category: Speeches

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department sought legal advice in advance of redrafting the Building Bulletin 100 guidance relating to sprinkler systems in school buildings; and what assessment her Department made of that advice.

    Nick Gibb

    We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old. However, there is no change to the policy regarding the installation of sprinklers in new school buildings, and the requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools is consistent with the BB100 guidance from 2007.

    All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

    As there has been no change in policy, no legal advice was required in the development of the draft updated BB100 guidance.

  • Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the allegations directed at the leadership of the International Association of Athletics Federations in the light of the World Anti-Doping Agency report on non-compliance and widespread doping in Russian athletics.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The International Association of Athletics Federation’s (IAAF) near unanimous vote to suspend Russian athletes from all competition reflected the worldwide reaction to the Independent Commission’s report to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

    Russia, the IAAF and WADA must now work together, to not only resolve the findings within the report, but to also re-establish the trust of clean athletes and spectators.

  • Lord Balfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Balfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Balfe on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made, at EU level or otherwise, about the cases of Can Dündar and Erdem Gül who were detained by the Turkish authorities on 26 November.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to monitor these specific cases and regularly underline the importance of freedom of expression and all fundamental freedoms as part of our broader dialogue with the Turkish government. Our Ambassador in Ankara highlighted his concerns about the number of journalists detained in Turkey, including Mr Dündar and Mr Gül, in his public blog released on International Human Rights day. We welcomed the EU Commission’s Annual Progress Report on Turkey, released on 10 November, which highlighted the need for further reforms from Turkey in these areas. Freedom of expression must be respected and all media outlets must be allowed to report freely without intimidation.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs staff in Scotland are deemed to be within reasonable daily travel distance of the two proposed regional centres; and on what assumptions those estimates were based.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Location Programme is the result of an extended period of consultation and deliberation. The Department has taken account of a number of criteria in reaching its decisions, including the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, the cost of buildings and asset value, and the need to retain the staff and skills it needs to continue its transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC’s modelling estimates that the majority of staff in Scotland live within Reasonable Daily Travel of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Reasonable Daily Travel is calculated in line with established HR policies and procedures. Every worker at HMRC will have a one-to-one meeting with their manager to discuss their individual circumstances.

    HMRC conducted high level People Impact and Equality Assessments to inform its planning. The Department plans to update these once discussions have been held with its staff.

    Activities of trade union representatives are governed by long-standing agreements with departments.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) officials, (b) other staff and (c) contracted workers in his Department are working on licensing of taxi and private hire vehicles in the Buses and Taxis division.

    Andrew Jones

    There are currently (a) two officials, (b) one further official on secondment to the Department and (c) no contracted workers working on taxi and private hire vehicle policy in the Department for Transport. All work in the Buses and Taxis division. The subject forms one part of the officials’ roles. This level of staffing for work on taxis and private hire vehicles is essentially consistent with that going back to 2009/10.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27063, what steps she plans to take to ensure oversight mechanisms are put in place when further powers to dredge watercourses are extended to farmers.

    Rory Stewart

    The draft Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2016 include conditions that must be followed by those wishing to undertake dredging under an exemption. If works are not undertaken according to the relevant conditions, then the Environment Agency will be able to take enforcement action. This includes suspension notices to stop any further works being carried out, enforcement and remediation notices requiring remediation within a specified period, and the power to prosecute.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions the chairs of the (a) Defence, (b) Foreign Affairs and (c) Intelligence and Security Committee were briefed on special forces operations in each of the last 10 years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    This Government has demonstrated its commitment to our Special Forces by announcing a £2 billion programme of investment over the course of this Parliament. All military operations, including the activities of the Special Forces, are discussed and scrutinised at the highest levels of Government, including at the National Security Council. However, as it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on our Special Forces, or to release information relating to them, I cannot comment on specific questions about personnel, equipment, discussions or activities in relation to these units.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentre plus offices have been able to issue National Insurance numbers to new arrivals into the UK in each of the last six years.

    Priti Patel

    From 2010 to 2013 DWP had 2 specialist National Insurance number (NINo) Centres (Glasgow and Isle of Wight) able to issue NINos .

    In 2014, DWP issued NINos from 3 sites (Glasgow, Isle of Wight and Tooting).

    In 2015, DWP issued NINos from 5 sites (Glasgow, Isle of Wight, Tooting, Slough and Cambridge)

    In 2016, to date, DWP is issuing NINos from 4 sites (Glasgow, Isle of Wight, Tooting and Slough)

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of investor state dispute settlement mechanisms on the ability of legal systems in developing countries to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is an independent legal process through which investors can seek compensation if they believe a host government is in breach of provisions within a bilateral investment treaty. ISDS should not prevent any Government, which acts in accordance with due process, from changing laws, revoking or terminating contracts or regulating in the public interest. Since 2012, through the Investment and Sustainable Development Programme, DFID has provided technical and legal assistance to 24 developing countries to develop and negotiate Bilateral Investment Treaties that best reflect their own interests and understand the legal implications, including those that may lead to an escalation of an ISDS dispute.

    The Sustainable Development Goals sets out several investment-related measures, including the adoption and implementation investment promotion regimes and creation of sound policy frameworks, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies that accelerate investment. The UK is fully committed to supporting the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) made any arrangements and (b) had any discussions with the governments of each country in the Middle East on the application of Temporary Exclusion Orders in those countries.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government has engaged with a number of international partners on the implementation of the Temporary Exclusion Order power. The Government made clear throughout the passage of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill that the operation of the TEO power would depend on the circumstances of each case and on the country from which an individual is seeking to travel to the UK. We will not comment on individual cases.