Category: Speeches

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of apprentices in the Tees Valley area (a) went on to work full-time with the employer with which they trained and (b) were subsequently unemployed in the last year for which figures are available.

    Nick Boles

    Statistical data broken down by region on (a) apprentices working full-time for the employer with which they trained or (b) were subsequently unemployed, is not available.

    Latest Apprenticeship Evaluation Learner Survey 2016 data show that 9 out of 10 of all recent apprenticeship completers were in employment 12-20 months after completion. And 72% of those in employment were with the same employer with whom they completed their apprenticeship.

    Information on Apprenticeship starts by region and local authority is published as a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link).

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509995/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.XLS

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held

    “

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Written Statement WS368 of 8 December 2015, when the review into the care and management of transgender offenders will be published.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The review into the care and management of transgender prisoners will be published shortly.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the World Chess Federation’s decision to enforce a requirement on all competitors in the Women’s World Chess Championship 2017 in Iran to wear the hijab, and what discussions they have had with, and what advice they have given to, UK Chess Associations about the safety of UK citizens competing in the event.

    Lord Ashton of Hyde

    We have had no discussions with the World Chess Federation on this matter. Visitors to any country should refer to FCO advice when travelling abroad, including abiding by local laws and customs.

  • Lord Ramsbotham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ramsbotham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ramsbotham on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the Shaw review into the welfare of vulnerable persons in immigration detention.

    Lord Bates

    On 9 February, the Home Secretary announced an independent review into the policies and operating procedures that have an impact on detainee welfare. Stephen Shaw CBE, the former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales, has completed the review and has recently submitted his report. His findings are being carefully considered. The report will be published by laying it before Parliament, alongside the Government’s response to the recommendations. We want to ensure that this is before the Immigration Bill completes its passage through Parliament.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process was used to assess the value-for-money that would be achieved from the additional Department for Transport funding provided to Norfolk County Council in relation to the Norwich Northern Distributor Road project.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    A value for money assessment was undertaken on the full revised cost of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road which showed that it remained very high value for money under the Department’s value for money assessment with an adjusted Benefit Cost Ratio of 6.07.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances claimants of personal independence payment may be asked to attend reassessments at an earlier date than initially expected.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Benefit is always awarded on the basis that the level of need at the start of the award will continue at the same level throughout the period of the award. In most cases the length of award is based on an intervention date decided by the decision maker, and informed by a healthcare professional.

    Where a claimant’s circumstances change or doubt arises as to the correctness of the award, the claimant or the department can instigate a review of that award before the planned end date. Where this happens the claimant may be asked to attend a face to face consultation with a Health Professional.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many transfer pricing experts have been employed by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.

    Harriett Baldwin

    I refer the hon Member to the answer that I gave to the hon Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Shabana Mahmood) on 26 February 2015. Link below:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-15/218658/

    “

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce post-mortem TB testing of badgers culled as part of the Government’s bovine TB strategy.

    George Eustice

    Badgers culled under licence have not been routinely tested for tuberculosis (TB), since previous testing between 1998 and 2005 via the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) and Road Traffic Accident surveys provided evidence of the typical prevalence of TB in badgers in areas of high incidence of TB in cattle. TB was found in around one third of all badgers in these areas.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of introducing an import tax on coal and gas imported from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK is part of the EU Single market which has a common EU tariff policy which applies to all imports. Import tariffs are set by the EU. The UK has no legal ability to set its own import tariffs.

    EU tariffs rates form part of our World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments and apply to all WTO member countries. Under WTO rules increases to EU tariffs above the level committed to, or ‘bound’ rate, require us to give compensation to affected countries (in the form of lower tariffs on other products). Any potential benefit of an import tariff increase may therefore harm another UK sector.

    The latest version of the EU tariff was published in Official Journal to the EU L285 on 30 October 2015 (Council implementing Regulation EU No 1101/2014 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC|) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff). Chapter 27 covers the import of fuel including coal and gas. The import of coal has a 0% import duty and the import of gas ranges from 0% to 8% depending on the type and usage.

    WTO rules, do however allow countries to impose import tariffs when goods are being “dumped” e.g. sold on our market at below manufacturing cost price. If there is evidence that imports of coal and gas are being dumped the European Commission could propose imposing anti-dumping duties.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 88 of the Equality Analysis in the new contract for doctors and dentists in training in the NHS, published in March 2016, if he will implement the recommendation that flexible pay premia should apply where a doctor needs to change speciality because of a disability or the need to care for a person with a disability.

    Ben Gummer

    Yes. This is explicit in paragraphs 50-52 of Schedule 2 of the Terms and Conditions of Service published by NHS Employers on 31 March 2016.