Category: Speeches

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long the review on blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs is expected to take.

    Jane Ellison

    The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.

    It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.

  • Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Stewart on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings he has had with Network Rail in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Patrick McLoughlin

    I and my ministerial team regularly meet with senior officials of Network Rail to discuss a wide range of key issues facing the company.

    We recently discussed progress against the recommendations made by Dame Colette Bowe. In my letter to her on 25 November 2015, I committed to publishing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and Network Rail. This is the formal framework which resets the rail enhancements framework. It will improve and strengthen the governance and day-to-day management of the process for planning and overseeing rail enhancements, providing clearer accountability for associated costs and project management. It is deposited in the libraries of the House and available on the GOV.UK website.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many lifetime disqualification orders have been issued under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in each year since that Act was passed.

    George Eustice

    There are no central records of disqualification orders issued by the courts under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Each individual court would have the details of any disqualification order they have made.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to allow pensioners to draw down all funds within any public pension schemes that existed before 2016-17.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Members of funded public sector defined benefit pension schemes can take advantage of the pension freedoms by transferring their pension savings to a private defined contribution pension scheme before cashing in their pension. Members of unfunded public sector defined benefit schemes cannot transfer to access the pension freedoms. In unfunded defined benefit public service pension schemes, there is no fund of assets with which to finance transfer payments. Instead, they are funded from contributions and through general expenditure.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people working for her Department or its executive agencies on a (a) directly employed, (b) agency or (c) outsourced basis are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation; and how many of those people are employed on zero-hours contracts.

    Nick Gibb

    All directly employed staff, agency workers and outsourced contractors who work for the Department for Education and its executive agencies are paid at least the Living Wage Foundation rate.

    No staff or agency workers are employed via zero-hours contracts and only 23 of 164 outsourced contractors are employed on this basis.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with local authorities on the possible expansion of Heathrow and Gatwick airports; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr John Hayes

    There have been no discussions with local authorities on the possible expansion of Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to her Written Statement of 21 October 2015, HCWS 257, on energy investments, how many waste transfer contract documents for Hinkley Point C have been agreed; where such contract documents are being published; and how many such documents will be withheld for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Two waste transfer contracts are proposed (but have not yet been entered into) for Hinkley Point C, one for intermediate level waste and one for spent fuel. In line with the published Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology, we would expect to publish as much of the waste transfer contracts as possible, except for material of a sensitive nature, if the Secretary of State decides to enter into the Contract for Difference and the waste transfer contracts are signed. We would expect to make these documents available on the www.gov.uk website.

    “

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2015 to Question 17136, what the cost to the public purse will be of each Watchkeeper ordered by his Department by the time it reaches full operating capacity.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Watchkeeper is expected to achieve full operating capability in the second quarter of 2017.

    The original cost estimate for the development and delivery of Watchkeeper to full operating capability, at the time of Main Gate approval in 2005, was £847 million.

    With regards to the cost of each Watchkeeper, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 October 2014 to question 211342 to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what export licences have been granted to UK manufacturers since 2010 to export (a) military and (b) police-related equipment to Israel.

    Anna Soubry

    Information on arms export licences are published as Official Statistics (from January 2015) in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view at GOV.UK.

    The most recently published information covers the period until 30 June 2015.

    All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

  • Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department took steps to respond to the violent protests at an Israel Society event at King’s College London in January 2016.

    Mike Penning

    I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer I gave to 24779 on 04 February 2016.