Category: Speeches

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have conducted into the bacterial infection spread by the Agrilus biguttatus beetle.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Over the past five years Forest Research, in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, has conducted a systematic survey to model the distribution of acute oak decline (AOD) in England and Wales. The results show that the condition currently affects several thousand oak trees, mostly across East Anglia, the Midlands and southern England.

    The complex nature of the condition means it is often associated with other pathogens, as well as insect defoliators and the research has not yet concluded whether AOD kills trees or not. A large proportion of the infected trees monitored have entered remission suggesting some level of host resistance. We do not have information at the landscape level on the number of oak with AOD symptoms that die every year.

    Since 2013, Defra has invested £1.1 million in research to understand the causes, distribution and scale of AOD in the UK. This includes work to investigate the bacterial species associated with the condition and to understand whether the Agrilus biguttatus beetle plays a role in the dispersal of these bacterial species. Early findings from this research are still inconclusive. There is currently no firm evidence of transmission by the beetle.

    Earlier this year, Defra in collaboration with the Research Councils, Scottish Government and the Forestry Commission launched a further £2 million call for research proposals on ‘oak health’ and Phytophthora. The successful bids from this call are due to be announced shortly.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the new Argentinian government to emphasise the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and the right of self-determination.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Government has engaged with both President Macri and Foreign Minister Malcorra. Whilst we are eager to improve relations with the Argentinian government we continue to make it clear that this does not, and will not, change our position on the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the administrative costs of delivering means-tested benefits were in each of the last three years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information is not available.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 27121, what the implied average annual season ticket fare referred to in that Answer is.

    Claire Perry

    The cost of annual season tickets varies by route. The Department for Transport has access to commercially confidential information which allows us to assess how many season tickets have been sold at which prices, to determine the average season ticket price. This process was originally carried out using 13/14 sales data and then increased in line with regulated fares policy. Because this information is derived from information we are licensed to use, from the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), we are not able to share this publically.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage older professionals to enter the teaching profession for the first time.

    Nick Gibb

    Career changers are an important source of new teachers and bring relevant knowledge and skills from their previous employment. The number of teachers returning to the profession has increased from 11,710 in 2011 to 14,100 in 2014.

    In 2015/16, 21% of new entrants to initial teacher training (ITT) courses were aged 30 and above. Our marketing campaign, Your Future Their Future, uses a range of advertising to promote teacher recruitment. As part of this we run a month-long ‘New Year New Career’ sub-campaign in January of each year which is dedicated to attracting more career changers to teaching.

    We provide specific support for career changers to make the transition to teaching and particularly for the subjects that are needed the most, which includes:

    • The School Direct (salaried) route, which is specifically targeted at career changers with three years’ work experience and allows them to earn a salary whilst they train to teach.

    • Working with 18 School Direct lead schools to develop and recruit to flexible School Direct (salaried) courses in mathematics and physics, starting in September 2016.

    Career changers can access support including bursaries or scholarships of up to £30,000 tax-free; advice and guidance from the expert advisers on the Get Into Teaching Line; help with arranging school experience to assist with their ITT application; and access to our free Train to Teach events.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2016 to Question 33647, whether he plans to continue the Fit for Work programme for the full length of the contract.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In England and Wales, the Fit fir Work contract was awarded on the 25th July 2014 for a period of 5 years. DWP continues to undertake contract management with the supplier. In Scotland, the service is delivered via an agency agreement with the Scottish Government, made in November 2015 and reviewed annually.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to establish social services and psychosocial support for unaccompanied minors brought to the UK from refugee camps in Europe.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 May and now reflected in the Immigration Act 2016, we will work to admit unaccompanied refugee children to the UK from elsewhere in the EU, where this is considered to be in the child’s best interests.

    The legislation is clear that consultation with local authorities is needed before any figure is set. We are working closely with local authorities and consulting NGOs, the UNHCR, UNICEF and relevant Member States to establish suitable processes to im-plement this initiative.

    We are committed to act as quickly as we can but we must take the necessary time to ensure we have the capacity to resettle and support those who are resettled.

    We must also ensure that we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK. We will be working closely with local authorities to find suitable placements within the UK. Statutory agencies at a local level are best placed to understand and meet the needs of all children and will continue to make decisions about the right accommodation and support services for those who are looked after. Unaccompanied children will be eligible for foster care if it is considered that that this placement type will provide appropriate support and best meet their individual needs.

    The UK has well-established and effective safeguarding procedures to ensure the safety of children who come to the UK. All children brought to the UK will be given the care, support and education they require.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on maintaining that Department as a stand-alone government department and on strengthening its role; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Theresa May

    This Government remains committed to continuing the UK’s leading role on international development, including through spending 0.7% of GNI on aid. The Department for International Development has a critical role to play not only in tackling poverty but helping the UK play a confident, engaged and ambitious role in the world.

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust, (b) St Helens and Knowsley Hospital Services NHS Trust, (c) Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (d) Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, (e) Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust and (f) Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spent on agency medical staff in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department does not collect data on which specific area of employment provider expenditure was incurred under. Data is however collected in totality for employees under temporary or agency contracts. The total temporary and agency staff expenditure incurred by the six providers for 2014-15 and 2015-16 is shown in the table below.

    Provider body

    2014-15 £000

    2015-16 £000

    Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen

    11,652

    11,244

    St Helens and Knowsley

    8,403

    12,251

    Aintree

    14,927

    11,253

    Wirral

    6,181

    12,849

    Southport and Ormskirk

    11,115

    15.080

    Warrington and Halton

    11,562

    15,957

    In addition to payments made for medical staff, the figures in the above table include the costs of temporary and agency workers engaged in other activities, such as employees contracted for provision of other administration and support services.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of potential savings to the NHS arising from an expansion of the availability of Take-Home Naloxone.

    Jane Ellison

    No estimate has been made of the potential savings to the National Health Service arising from expanding the availability of take-home naloxone.

    The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ ‘Consideration of naloxone’ (2012) reported that there is a lack of published research on the cost-effectiveness of naloxone provision and said that naloxone provision in local areas would be a local decision including an assessment of its cost-effectiveness.

    To help local areas introduce effective and efficient take-home services, Public Health England published advice on promoting wider availability of naloxone to reduce overdose deaths in February 2015.