Category: Speeches

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what applications for unitary authority status his Department has received in the last year.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Whilst we understand a number of local areas are considering moving to unitary structures, we have over the last year received no applications for unitary status, which in future will be considered under the provisions of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016

  • Chloe Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chloe Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chloe Smith on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients with hearing loss (a) in each age group, (b) who (i) were and (ii) were not eligible for free prescriptions and (c) treated by each of the Any Qualified provider suppliers in Norfolk were treated by (A) Norwich, (B) South Norfolk and (c) North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group in each of the last three years.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of hotel bookings her Department made for its (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    Core Defra uses a single provider for all travel and hotel bookings. Provision of this service began in May 2012. Information relating to hotel bookings made prior to that date, through a different provider, is not available.

    This table sets out spend on hotels in financial years 2012-13 (from May 2012 onwards) to 2015-16:

    2012-13 (£)

    2013-14 (£)

    2014-15 (£)

    2015-16 (£)

    Ministers

    1,530

    2,461

    3,157

    1,139

    Special Advisers

    2,952

    1,598

    2,066

    563

    Officials

    425,676

    665,583

    743,896

    472,544
  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of teachers in state schools have (1) masters degrees, and (2) doctorates.

    Lord Nash

    The information requested is not available in the format requested.

    The Department publishes statistics showing the highest post A-level qualifications held by teachers in state funded schools in England. This information does not show those with masters degrees and doctorates separately.

    The latest statistics for November 2015, which were published on 30 June 2016, are provided in Table 10 of the statistical first release ‘School Workforce in England, November 2015’, which is attached and available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2015

    The statistics show that 97.3% of teachers have a degree or higher level qualification. This is an increase on the previous year when 96.6% of teachers had a degree or higher level qualification.

    “

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials of his Department work in the Propriety and Ethics team.

    Ben Gummer

    Transparency data on Cabinet Office staffing can be found online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-staff-and-salary-data-as-at-31-march-2016

    “

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to facilitate a transition in Burma from dictatorship to democracy.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The United Kingdom has supported Burma’s reform process which started in 2011 and led to the parliamentary elections on 8 November. We have allocated around £25m over five years to strengthen democratic governance in Burma. This included support to the elections through the provision of technical advice to the Burmese election commission, voter education and monitoring and observation of the electoral process. While the elections were not perfect, they were largely peaceful, orderly and well–run on the day. We are monitoring closely the tabulation of the voting and the formation of the next government which will follow. We hope to continue our policy of engagement with the next Burmese government to continue to encourage Burma along its journey of democratic reform.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many legal challenges have been made against her Department related to renewable energy policy in the last year.

    Andrea Leadsom

    There have been no such legal challenges in the last year.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent children from purchasing knives and other weapons online.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government continues to work with the police and partners to ensure we reduce violence and knife crime, and in the year ending June 2015, knife crime recorded by the police was 17% lower than 2010. We are aware of concerns about zombie knives and we are currently considering representations including the letter of 13 January from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands and on 21 January from the prospective mayoral candidate for London Zac Goldsmith. A reply will be sent shortly and we will offer to meet with the PCC.

    We are currently considering what action to take against the prevalence of zombie knives on our streets. We are talking to retailers, including Amazon, about the action they can take. There are strict laws on the sale of knives to under 18s and on how knives can be marketed. We are concerned about any knives being carried in public especially if used to threaten and inflict violence. It is a criminal offence to possess a knife in public without good reason, and if a person is convicted a second time they now face a minimum mandatory custodial sentence following the introduction of this change by the Government in July 2015.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the amendments to the Child Poverty Act 2010 in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill are included in the welfare clauses referred to in the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Order 2015.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 does not include any reference to the Child Poverty Act 2010.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that there are safeguards against flooding for the construction of new houses in potential flood-risk areas.

    Brandon Lewis

    There are strict tests in the National Planning Policy Framework to protect people and property from flooding which all local planning authorities are expected to follow, underpinned by our planning practice guidance. The Framework is clear that local planning authorities should avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it must be demonstrated that it will be safe, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and be appropriately flood resilient and resistant. Mitigation measures, such as land raising, raised building thresholds and improved flood management infrastructure, to make development acceptable in flood risk areas can be made a requirement of any planning consent.

    We are clear that where the strict tests on flood risk set out in national planning policy are not met, new development should not be allowed.