Category: Speeches

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many lone parent households not in receipt of housing benefit will be affected by changes to universal credit work allowances in (a) Burnley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not available.

    The number of people on benefits is driven by a range of factors. Because of this, the programme measures progress by the successful achievement of its delivery plan rather than numbers of claimants.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries where female genital mutilation is known or suspected to be practised widely receive UK overseas aid.

    Baroness Verma

    Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is one of the most extreme manifestations of gender inequality. It is a form of violence against women and girls and can result in a lifetime of physical, psychological and emotional suffering. It is a global problem – over 200 million women and girls across at least 30 countries, including the UK, have been cut.

    The UK Government remains firmly committed to bringing about an end of FGM. Our Flagship FGM programme supports efforts to end the practise in 17 of the highest burden of these countries. With the support from UK aid over 13,500 communities across these countries have publically declared the abandonment of FGM since 2008.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions for mental health medications were dispensed to people with learning disabilities in (a) England and (b) each NHS England region in each year since 2010.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not collected centrally.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of pupil premium on ensuring children who are classed as behind reach their expected grades at Key Stages 1 to 4.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Government is determined to deliver educational excellence everywhere so that every child, regardless of background, reaches their full potential.

    Information on the proportion of low achieving disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard at key stage 4 is available from the KS2-4 transition matrices for disadvantaged pupils[1] on RAISEonline. These show progression from sub-levels at key stage 2 to grades at key stage 4 for a range of subjects, for both disadvantaged and other pupils. Similar information is not published regularly for progression between other key stages.

    In 2015 the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee reviewed the pupil premium and concluded that while it is too early to assess the full impact of the funding, there is evidence that the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has started to narrow.

    The Department for Education’s gap index provides a more accurate measure over time in light of changes to assessments. It shows that attainment has risen and the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has narrowed – by 7.1 per cent at key stage 2 and 6.6 per cent at key stage 4 since 2011, the year the pupil premium was introduced.

    This means better prospects and a more prosperous life as an adult for this group of pupils. But we refuse to accept second best for any young person, which is why we are continuing the pupil premium at current rates for the duration of this parliament, providing funding to support schools to continue improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

    [1] https://www.raiseonline.org/OpenDocument.aspx?document=381%20

    “

  • 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 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 18 April (HL7720), what representations they now intend to make to the government of Israel to ensure an adequate power supply to Gaza.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We regularly raise Gaza’s energy needs, which are essential to permit recovery and allow the economy to grow, with the Israeli authorities. A long-term strategy for gas provision needs to be established. In the interim, we are focussing on provision of diesel to run the Gazan power plant, and expanded electricity provision from medium-voltage feeder lines into Gaza from Israel.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of reported commercial robberies in London in 2015 were targeted at betting shops.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Home Office does not hold data on the number of police recorded crimes made in licensed premises such as betting shops in London.

    The Home Office collects data on the number of notifiable offences broken down by offence group and police force area, but these do not routinely include information on the specific location.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in the light of the publication in the Guardian on 10 September of Department for Education emails and claims that departmental staff sought to undermine and bring about the departure of Natasha Devon from the role of schools mental health champion.

    Lord Nash

    No further action is required as the appropriate action was taken at the time.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision is in place to support employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants after a successful ESA appeal during the interim period before the reinstatement of that benefit and payment of arrears.

    Penny Mordaunt

    If an employment and support allowance claimant appeals following mandatory reconsideration, benefit can be paid at the assessment phase rate pending the appeal hearing. Following a successful appeal the payment will be backdated to cover the period of mandatory reconsideration, provided medical evidence is supplied.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of competition between airports to the future development of the aviation industry in the South East; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Turkish counterpart on negotiating a ceasefire with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are closely monitoring all of these and related events in Turkey and the region. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces. We support Turkey’s right to defend itself against all forms of terrorism. We have been clear that the PKK must cease its violence and the peace process needs to be resumed. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can in this regard. I last raised this with my Turkish counterpart when we met in August.

    The Government continues to monitor closely Turkey’s democratic reforms, including as part of the EU accession process, focusing particularly on freedom of expression, respect for the rule of law and minority rights.

    We welcome Turkey’s invaluable contribution to the international campaign against Daesh, particularly its agreement for the use of its airspace and airbases, as a member of the Global Coalition committed to defeating it. Turkey has been carrying out military strikes against Daesh since July 2015, and state that they have detained over 2,500 Daesh suspects since 2013, of whom one third are foreigners. Turkey recognises the role that Syrian Kurds have to play in the fight against Daesh, and accepts that Syrian Kurds receive Coalition support.