Category: Speeches

Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether Russian airstrikes in Syria have breached international humanitarian law.

Mr Philip Hammond

We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Syria. The UK supports the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which is mandated by the Human Rights Council to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law including those that may constitute crimes against humanity in Syria with a view to ensuring perpetrators are held to account. In addition, the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution to refer all those who are alleged to be responsible for war-crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, regardless of affiliation, to the International Criminal Court. Russia and China chose to veto this resolution.

01/01/2023

Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on academy conversions.

Edward Timpson

There have been 4897 academy conversions during the current and preceding five financial years. During the same period, the department has spent £323 million to support schools to become academies.

Further details are in the table below:

Financial Year	Academy Conversions	Costs
2015-16 (April 15 – January 16)	530	£17m
2014-15	899	£48m
2013-14	964	£59m
2012-13	1079	£65m
2011-12	1165	£67m
2010-11	260	£67m
Total	4897	£323m

01/01/2023

David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to provide young offenders with (a) rehabilitation and (b) education to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.

Andrew Selous

Although youth crime is down, reoffending rates are far too high and the care and supervision of young offenders in custody is not good enough.

That is why the Justice Secretary has asked Charlie Taylor to conduct a review of youth justice. He will report back later this year with recommendations on how to improve the treatment of young people in our care.

01/01/2023

Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Tugendhat on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department’s properties classified as void have been empty for over 12 months.

Penny Mordaunt

The number and locations of properties classified as void as of 24 May 2016 are shown in the table below:

County	Voids
ABERDEENSHIRE	5
ANGUS	20
ARGYLL AND BUTE	237
AVON	42
AYRSHIRE	21
BEDFORDSHIRE	194
BERKS	276
BUCKS	183
CAITHNESS	1
CAMBS	373
CHESHIRE	50
CLWYD	1
CORNWALL	46
*COUNTY ANTRIM	647
*COUNTY DOWN	397
COUNTY DURHAM	16
CUMBRIA	14
DEVON	202
DORSET	151
DUMBARTON	4
DUMFRIES	3
DURHAM	8
DYFED	45
EAST SUSSEX	2
EAST YORKSHIRE	4
EDINBURGH	169
ESSEX	155
FIFE	221
GLOUCESTERSHIRE	88
GWENT	45
GWYNEDD	53
**HANTS	1074
HEREFORDSHIRE	8
HERTS	176
INVERNESS-SHIRE	58
ISLE OF BENBECULA	3
KENT	483
LANCASHIRE	86
LEICESTERSHIRE	162
LINCOLNSHIRE	294
LONDON	86
MIDDLESEX	163
MIDLOTHIAN	43
MORAY	121
NORFOLK	209
NORTH LANARKSHIRE	4
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE	3
NORTH YORKS	522
NORTHUMBERLAND	67
NOTTINGHAM	58
ORKNEY ISLANDS	1
OXON	361
OXON	1
PEMBROKE	4
PERTH	3
POWYS	64
RENFREWSHIRE	26
ROSS AND CROMARTY	1
SHETLAND ISLANDS	1
SHROPSHIRE	223
SOMERSET	90
SOUTH GLAMORGAN	111
SOUTH YORKS	2
ST ANDREWS	3
STAFFORDSHIRE	83
STIRLING	1
SUFFOLK	281
SURREY	222
SWINDON, WILTS	19
TYNE AND WEAR	12
WARWICKSHIRE	69
WEST MIDLANDS	9
WEST SUSSEX	14
WEST YORKS	2
***WILTS	1294
YORKSHIRE	29
(blank)
Total Voids	10219

Of these properties 4623 were vacant for more than 12 months.

*The majority of void properties in Northern Ireland are awaiting demolition while 59 have been gifted to the NI Executive.

**Void properties in Hants have been retained due to short term Ministry of Defence requirements and plans have been made to release many of these for disposal.

***In the Wiltshire region a number of properties remain void to accommodate Army personnel returning to the area from Germany as a result of the Army Basing Programme.

01/01/2023

Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s plans are for the Office for Life Sciences; and if he will make a statement.

Joseph Johnson

The Office for Life Sciences was established in 2011 to support the development and adoption of 21st century health and life sciences technology, delivering the improved patient outcomes and increasing wider growth and prosperity. This agenda remains a core part of the Government’s plans for a comprehensive industrial strategy and for transforming health and care.

01/01/2023
William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the level of VAT imposed on women’s sanitary products; and what assessment she has made of the impact of that policy on equalities issues.

Caroline Dinenage

The Government made a legal commitment to apply a zero rate of VAT to women’s sanitary products as soon as we are legally able in this year’s Finance Act, which received Royal Assent on 16 September 2016. While we remain in the EU, we will continue to fulfil our obligations to it, including applying EU law on VAT. The Minister has therefore had no further discussions on this issue.

01/01/2023
Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2015-11-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many women were present as representatives at the recent meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIL in London.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

On 28-29 October, the UK hosted the fourth meeting of the Global Coalition’s Communications Working Group, along with our Coalition Co-Chairs, the United Arab Emirates and the US. Ministers and senior officials from 32 Coalition countries participated. 149 delegates were involved in the meeting over the two days, of whom 43 were women.

The meeting focused on digital communications and what more coalition governments could do, in partnership with civil society and digital industry, to promote positive voices and to ensure those promoting extremism and violent extremism online were not left unchallenged.

The meeting agreed that highlighting women’s voices was a key part of the Coalition’s response to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s propaganda.

01/01/2023
Lord Burnett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Burnett on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many complaints have been raised, and disciplinary proceedings brought, annually over the last 20 years involving the interaction between men and women serving on Royal Navy warships and submarines.

Earl Howe

This information is not held in the format requested.

01/01/2023
Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2016 to Question 21819, what progress has been made on establishing a date of publication for the Macur report.

Caroline Dinenage

Lady Justice Macur’s report is being considered as a matter of urgency with a view to publication as soon as possible.

The report needs to be considered by law enforcement agencies and the government before it can be published. This includes considering whether redactions need to be made. Lady Justice Macur has herself recommended that certain material should be considered for redaction before publication.

01/01/2023
Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report of the independent cancer taskforce, Achieving world class cancer outcomes: A strategy for England 2015-2020, published in July 2015, what progress has been made in developing a new tobacco control strategy.

Jane Ellison

The development of a new tobacco control plan for England is currently in progress and will be published later this year. The recommendations of the Independent Cancer Taskforce will be considered alongside this work.

01/01/2023