Category: Speeches

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the Government’s proposed reductions in tax credits on the pupil premium.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    As my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor announced on 25 November, the government is not proceeding with the changes to the tax credit threshold and taper announced at the Summer Budget 2015.

    We are determined to deliver educational excellence everywhere so that every child, regardless of background, reaches their potential. That is why we are delivering on our commitment to continue providing the pupil premium, protected at current rates, so schools receive additional money for pupils from the poorest backgrounds.

  • Steve Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how his Department plans to monitor whether income from the proposed two per cent rise in council tax intended to contribute to the social care levy is being spent on social care.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    I refer the hon. Members to information accompanying the provisional local government finance settlement 2016-17, which was announced by my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark) 17 December 2015, Official Report, Column 1722.

    This is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/council-tax-in-2016-to-2017 and https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486708/Core_spending_power_supporting_information.xlsx

    “

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the value for money review of the relocation of Oldham HM Revenue and Customs Office to Manchester city centre.

    Mr David Gauke

    The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office at Phoenix House, Oldham was announced for closure in February 2008 as part of HMRC’s earlier Regional Review Programme, and was partially vacated in November 2009 with the majority of staff relocating to Manchester and finally closed in May 2014.

    HMRC has not undertaken a separate value for money review on the closure of the office in Oldham. The Change Programme, of which the Regional Review Programme formed part, has been reviewed by the National Audit Office as part of its role to scrutinise public spending for Parliament to assess value for money. The NAO carried out a specific review on cost reduction within HMRC in 2013. The report can be found on the attached link. https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/HMRC-reducing-cost-full-report.pdf

    “

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his arms export policy to Saudi Arabia of the legal advice on that matter commissioned by Amnesty International and Saferworld, published in December 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    The policy framework for arms export licensing to all destinations, including Saudi Arabia, remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria.

    This requires all export licence applications to be carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria, taking into account all relevant factors at the time of application, including reporting by non-Governmental organisations, the United Nations and others.

    A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2016 to Question 30239, if her Department will collect centrally information on the number of warrants that are being issued in order to establish whether women are being trafficked.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office has no current plans to collect information on the number of warrants issued specifically in relation to trafficking offences. Warrants are one tool used by law enforcement officers to pursue potential perpetrators and collect evidence. We are already seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions and convictions for modern slavery offences and we will continue to ensure that the police have the necessary powers to tackle modern slavery wherever it occurs.

  • 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.

    “

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government with whom refugee children will be required to register in order to be admitted into the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As announced on 4 May we are looking to admit children who were already present in the EU before 20 March 2016. This is the date the EU-Turkey deal came into force.

    We are working with the relevant Member States, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other Non-Governmental Organisations and local authorities to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK.

    We will be flexible in our interpretation of what ‘registered’ means. We are not seeking to impose an overly burdensome legalistic requirement on children to prove they have formally ‘registered’ but we would expect clear evidence that they were present in Europe before 20 March

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on his Department’s work with the European Regional Development Fund.

    Andrew Percy

    This Government remains committed to investment in growth and infrastructure across all parts of the country. As the former Prime Minister made clear, while the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU funding arrangements continue unchanged. It will now be for the Government to begin the negotiations to leave, and set out arrangements for those currently in receipt of EU funds.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 August 2016 to Question 43327, whether his Department has classified the international armed conflict with Daesh to be with or without territorial restriction.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Armed conflict with Daesh is non-international in character and is territorially restricted.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the sale of exotic animals online.

    George Eustice

    We are currently reviewing animal licensing schemes, including that for the sale of pet animals, and aim to consult publicly on a set of proposals shortly. In the meantime, the welfare of all animals, including exotics, at the point of sale is protected by the Pet Animals Act 1951. The Act covers sales over the internet as long as the person selling the animals is based in Great Britain. However, we understand the concerns about internet sales and have been working closely with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), a group of animal welfare, veterinary, keeping and industry organisations, who have agreed, with several internet advertising sites, a set of minimum standards for animals sold over the internet. The work has so far resulted in over 130,000 inappropriate adverts being removed from the internet. We will continue to work with the PAAG so that more internet sites adopt the minimum standards.