Category: Speeches

  • Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to provide long-term funding for the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education.

    Nick Gibb

    Every young person should learn about the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches us today. In recognition of its significance, the Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the national curriculum.

    Since 2008, the Department for Education has funded UCL Institute of Education’s Centre for Holocaust Education which has seen more than 7,000 teachers benefit from their programme since 2011.

    The Department has renewed the funding for 2016-17 and will continue to do all it can to promote, support and fund teaching of the Holocaust.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Government’s proposals to reform the UK’s human rights framework.

    Dominic Raab

    We continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who holds responsibility for (a) funding, (b) commissioning and (c) regulating the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception.

    Jane Ellison

    No specific discussions have been held about the training of healthcare professionals to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception. The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.

    Funding and commissioning of contraceptive services outside of the GP Contract is the responsibility of local authorities though the ring-fenced public health grant. Local authorities are mandated to ensure the provision of open access contraception services that enable reasonable access to a broad range of contraceptive substances and appliances (including intra-uterine methods) and advice on preventing unintended pregnancy. While not directly comparable because of changes in data collection, intra-uterine contraception fitted in sexual and reproductive health services increased from 65,300 in 2004/05 to 121,900 in 2014/15.

  • Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Robert Neill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Neill on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take in relation to SI 1995 No. 2262 to ensure that the interest rate on late payments of compensation in relation to compulsory purchase does not become negative.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Treasury has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government to prepare a new Statutory Instrument to amend the Acquisition of Land (Rate of Interest after Entry) Regulations 1995. The new Statutory Instrument introduces a 0% floor for the interest rate on compensation paid after entry. The Statutory Instrument was laid on 7 September and will come into effect before the next reference day on 30 September 2016.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance is available for police forces on their response to complaints from consumers who find out that accommodation booked and paid for through Airbnb does not exist.

    Brandon Lewis

    The type of fraud committed in this scenario is rental fraud; if an individual thinks they have fallen victim to any type of fraud or cyber crime they should immediately report it to Action Fraud. Action Fraud is the national reporting centre for all frauds and cyber crimes; following receipt of a crime report it will then pass it to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who will assess it for viable leads. Where there is enough evidence available and a viable lead, NFIB will disseminate a crime package to the most appropriate force to launch an investigatory response.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average amount paid for the reimbursement of childcare costs to claimants in receipt of the childcare element of universal credit was in the most recent month for which figures are available.

    Priti Patel

    The information you have requested is not currently available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for UC therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future. These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for official statistics.

    The latest official experimental statistics on UC and the Departments release strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what amount of National Insurance contributions (a) FTSE100 companies, (b) businesses qualifying for Small Employer’s Relief and (c) other companies claimed from HM Revenue and Customs to pay for statutory maternity pay for their employers for the (i) first six weeks of their employees’ leave and (ii) subsequent 33 such weeks.

    Priti Patel

    DWP data on the amount of National Insurance Contributions claimed by employers to pay for Statutory Maternity Pay comes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

    The information is not available in the exact breakdowns requested as:

    • HMRC do not hold information on the amount of National Insurance contributions claimed for SMP from (a) FTSE100 companies; and
    • DWP are unable to provide an estimate of SMP recoveries by employer size and duration of employees’ leave. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19906, for what reasons the Government is considering the report of Lady Justice Macur prior to its publication.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The report needs to be considered by law enforcement agencies and the government before it can be published. This includes considering whether redactions need to be made. Lady Justice Macur has recommended that certain material should be considered for redaction.

    The work is proceeding at pace with a view to publication as soon as possible.

  • Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which body or bodies establishes the final criteria for qualified teacher status; what are those criteria; and where they are made available.

    Lord Nash

    The National College for Teaching and Leadership publishes the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) criteria. These set out entry, training, management and quality assurance criteria with which all accredited providers of ITT must comply with.

    The Teachers’ Standards were published in 2011 and apply to all teachers regardless of their career stage. They define the minimum level of practice expected of teachers. For the purpose of the award of qualified teacher status (QTS), they constitute the ‘specified standards’ within the meaning given to the phrase in Schedule 2 of The Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations. As such, they are used by accredited providers of ITT to assess trainee progress and attainment during, and the end of, a training programme.

    The ITT criteria and Teachers’ Standards have been attached to this answer.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of North Koreans who work in Russia as labourers or who have entered Russia to escape North Korean human rights violations; and of the potential contravention of Russia’s international obligations and violation of human rights should North Koreans be repatriated from Russia to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We estimate that there are approximately 20,000 – 35,000 workers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the Russian Federation. We do not hold detailed information on the number of DPRK refugees currently in the Russian Federation.