Category: Speeches

Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the UK Embassy in Israel has taken to monitor attacks on Christian places of worship.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Our Embassy in Tel Aviv is in regular contact with representatives of churches on a range of issues, including to discuss concern about attacks on places of worship. The last attack occurred on 17 January 2016 where the Dormition Abbey compound of the Orthodox Church in the Old City of Jerusalem was vandalised with anti-Christian slogans. The ‘Tag Meir’ organisation has listed 44 cases of vandalism and arson on Christian and Muslim places of worship in Israel and the West Bank since December 2009.

01/01/2023
Lord Higgins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2016-02-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether EU member states within the Schengen area are issuing a standard form of passport or other document to those they accept as asylum seekers or whether individual countries decide on the format to use; whether they have examined any sample of such document; and if so, whether they will place in the Library of the House any examples they may have.

Lord Bates

Under Article 25 of the Qualification Directive asylum seekers accepted as refugees in an EU member state will be issued a refugee status travel document, in the form set out in the Schedule to the Geneva Convention, for the purpose of travel outside their territory unless there are compelling reasons of national security or public order which prevent this.

It is normal practice for member states to distribute specimen documents between states. All specimen documents are stored securely in the UK.

01/01/2023

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

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many arbitration proceedings were started by Acas (a) in each employment sector and (b) relating to each topic on its database in each year since 2009-10.

Nick Boles

The table below provides details of Acas collective arbitrations between 2009-10 and 2014-15 broken down by employment sector and topic:

	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15
Total arbitrations	44	31	21	17	15	19
By sector:
Aerospace	1	0	2	0	0	2
Clothing	0	1	0	0	0	0
Education	3	3	0	0	0	0
Energy	24	11	9	10	9	7
Engineering	0	0	0	1	0	1
Food	0	0	0	1	0	0
Health	1	0	1	0	0	0
Law	0	0	0	1	0	0
Logistics	0	5	4	1	0	3
Manufacturing	0	0	0	0	1	2
Media	1	1	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0	3	0
Ports and Shipping	0	0	0	0	0	2
Public	2	4	3	2	1	2
Retail	5	2	0	1	0	0
Security	1	2	0	0	0	0
Transport	2	2	2	0	0	0
Waste	1	0	0	0	0	0
Logistics	3	0	0	0	1	0

By topic:
Annual pay	13	8	2	4	2	6
Other pay / employment conditions	6	2	8	1	1	2
Dismissal / Discipline	24	11	8	10	8	10
Grading	0	2	2	0	0	0
Other	1	8	1	2	4	1

01/01/2023

Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what analysis his Department made of alternatives to the MSI-DSL 30mm gun for deployment on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Mr Philip Dunne

In December 2003 a competition was launched to provide the Royal Navy with an improved defensive anti-surface warfare capability with the preference being for an automated 30mm gun system. A number of companies entered the competition, and the MSI ‘Seahawk’ system was eventually chosen on the basis of cost, capability and through life support. The MSI weapon system, now referred to as the Automated Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) System, was subsequently selected for fitting to HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Four ASCGs will be fitted on QUEEN ELIZABETH.

01/01/2023
Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for workplace inspections by the Health and Safety Executive in the next four years.

Justin Tomlinson

HSE’s Spending Review 15 funding is based upon achieving growth in commercial income and delivery of planned efficiency savings which will enable HSE to seek to maintain current levels of its core regulatory activities including workplace inspections over the next four years.

01/01/2023
Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Jobcentre Plus staff follow the guidance on newly recognised refugees applying for welfare benefits so as to ensure that those refugees are not left without support.

Damian Hinds

We have recently carried out an analysis of the information and instructions available to DWP staff handling claims from refugees and a number of improvements have been made to instructions as a result. These changes have been accompanied by an alert to staff.

Jobcentre Plus leaders use a Quality Assurance Framework as a tool to support their work coaches deliver a quality service. This includes a Quality Assurance Standards observation process, which is used by managers to regularly observe interviews with claimants; this observation includes ensuring specific support for refugees is provided.

01/01/2023
Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there are any remaining staff on the former SSI site responsible for environmental management; what estimate she has made of the number of staff responsible for environmental management who are no longer employed; and what assessment she has made of the minimum level of environmental staffing required.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The Environment Agency has been working closely with the Official Receiver in order to ensure that the site is being safely overseen by staff under his direction. Whilst staffing matters are for the Official Receiver to decide, the Environment Agency are in regular contact with staff overseeing the former SSI site and do not have any concerns with regards to their environment management.

01/01/2023
Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the construction of solar farms in the West Bank on settlement land, and the protection for Palestinians’ solar installations.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While we have not made any representations on this issue to the Israeli authorities, the UK’s position on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and all construction within, is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and take us further away from a two state solution.

On the issue of Palestinian solar installations, we continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.

01/01/2023
Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the budget for the Trade Show Access Programme will be in financial year (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

For 2016/17 and beyond, UKTI will be reviewing how the Tradeshow Access Programme is aligned with other Export Services as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement. It is therefore not possible to confirm the budget at this stage

01/01/2023
Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce accidents involving pedestrians and (a) cyclists, (b) motorcyclists, (c) cars and (d) heavy goods vehicles.

Andrew Jones

The Government has a Manifesto commitment to reduce the number of cyclists and other road users killed or injured on our roads every year. The British Road Safety Statement, published on 21 December 2015, sets out the Government’s vision, values and priorities for improving the safety of Britain’s roads for all road users.

The Government is committed to cycling and walking and making it easier for people to choose them as sustainable travel options. The Government laid an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill that would place into law a commitment of the Government to produce a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). On 17 December 2015, the Government published a CWIS overview document outlining the timescales and work plan for production of the various elements of the investment strategy which is online on GOV.UK The full CWIS is due to be published this year. By ensuring that cycling and walking are the first consideration of any new street design or maintenance programme, we will ensure our streets are safer for our most vulnerable road users.

My Department issued revised guidance in January 2013 aimed mainly at local traffic authorities who are responsible for setting speed limits on local roads. Traffic authorities are asked to keep their speed limits under review with changing circumstances, and to consider the introduction of more 20 miles per hour limits and zones, over time, in urban areas and built-up village streets that are primarily residential, to ensure greater safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

01/01/2023