Category: Speeches

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisations have received monies from the £1.12 billion that the UK has allocated to responding to the Syrian crisis since 2012, according to their 29 October Syria crisis response summary, and in what proportion.

    Baroness Verma

    As part of the Syria Crisis Response the UK is supporting a range of implementing partners working in Syria and neighbouring countries, including United Nations agencies, international Non-Governmental Organisations, the Red Cross and other international organisations. For security reasons, some of our INGO partners working in Syria remain undisclosed. The table attached provides details of the £1.12 billion allocated by the UK to date, broken down by implementing partner and country.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Minister attending the Summit Conference on the future Governance of Libya in Rome on 12 and 13 December 2015 discussed the matter of compensation for UK victims of IRA Semtex supplied by the Gaddafi Regime with any parties attending the Summit; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The formation of a Government of National Accord (GNA) is an important step towards engagement with the Libyan Government on reconciliation initiatives relating to Qadhafi-sponsored terrorism. Once stability returns to Libya and our Embassy re-opens we will urge the Libyan authorities to engage again with UK victims and their legal representatives, including those seeking compensation.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been employed on a zero hours contract in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what mechanisms (a) are available and (b) will be available from 2016-17 for applicants for disabled students’ allowance (DSA) who wish to appeal against an assessment by an independent needs assessor; how many students have appealed against such a DSA assessment in each year since 2009-10; and how many of those appeals have been found in favour of the appellant in each of those years.

    Joseph Johnson

    All disabled higher education students who are eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are referred to an independent assessment centre so as to identify the type and level of support they require.

    A DSAs Needs Assessment Report, which sets out any recommendations for support, is agreed between the independent needs assessor and the student. The assessment report is not a decision about the type and amount of support to be provided.

    The assessment report is submitted to Student Finance England (SFE), who makes a decision about the type and amount of support they will fund.

    Student Finance England has an established appeals process which students can use if they do not agree with the final decision made by Student Finance England in relation to any aspect of their support.

    SFE appeals information is categorised by appeal issue type rather than by student support product type. Therefore information on appeals that specifically relate to DSAs is not produced.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the exposure to derivatives is of each bank holding a deposit-taking licence.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England publishes the growth in the notional value of derivatives (see link below).

    http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Documents/fsr/2015/scrdec15.xlsx

    This indicates that notional derivatives growth was -25.9% as of 20 November 2015.

    The Financial Policy’s Committee’s indicator includes all major UK banks.

    Individual bank derivatives exposures may also be found in their published annual reports.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many medals have been issued to men conscripted into UK coal mines under the Bevin Boys Veterans Badge scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Since 25th March 2008, when the first Bevin Boys Veterans Badge was issued, to the end of March 2016 the Department has issued just over 5,100 Badges to former Bevin Boys and their widows, where their husbands passed away after the Badge was announced on 20 June 2007.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the demolition by Israeli forces on 16 May of seven donor-funded residential containers and the confiscation of materials for another three in the Palestinian Bedouin community of Jabal al Baba.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We condemn the demolition of Bedouin homes at Jabal Al-Baba, which is a particularly vulnerable community in East Jerusalem. We have not specifically raised this issue, but we are extremely concerned at the large increase in demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in 2015. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv raises our concerns about demolitions regularly with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 15 May. We call on Israel to provide a legal route for Palestinians to obtain building permits.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 18 July 2016, HC Deb, Official Report, column 538, whether it is the Government’s policy not to impose a devolution deal that includes an elected mayor on any area that does not want an elected mayor.

    Andrew Percy

    The Government’s policy is that if an area is to have an elected mayor, it will be because that area, through its democratically elected representatives, has chosen to have one.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to page 21 of her Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16, what assessment she has made of progress against its target of doubling its funding on improving tax systems in developing countries by 2020.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is recognised as a global leader in tax and development, working to end aid dependency in developing countries. The UK, as a founding signatory to the Addis Tax Initiative, pledged to double our spend on tax and development by 2020. My Department has made strong progress and is on course to deliver this commitment by 2020.

  • Lord Dobbs – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Dobbs – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Dobbs on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees how many people are employed in, and what is the annual running cost of, the House of Lords Press Office.

    Lord Laming

    The House of Lords Press and Media Team has a staff of 3 Full Time Equivalents, and its estimated total running costs are £195,000 a year (based on this financial year’s forecast outturn), including salaries, pensions, employer National Insurance contributions and running costs. The Press and Media Team provides a 24/7 service, including dealing with urgent media issues overnight and at weekends.

    The Press and Media Team promotes the Lords’ role, work and membership through the media. This includes promoting Select Committees’ work, supporting the outreach work of the Lord Speaker, responding to media stories on corporate issues and challenging inaccuracies in reporting both before and after publication, dealing with press enquiries and developing relationships with the press. The team also advises the House of Lords administration and domestic committees on media handling as well as contributing to wider Parliamentary communications work.

    The Press and Media Team is part of the House of Lords Information Office which seeks to increase understanding of the role, work, membership and structure of the House of Lords, by means of outreach work, a public enquiry service, a team developing the Lords’ digital presence, and publications such as the Work of the House of Lords, as well as the Press and Media Team.