Category: Speeches

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to appoint a new Minister of State for the Department for International Development in the House of Lords as a replacement for the current Minister; and if so, when they intend to make that appointment.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Rt Hon Lord Bates has been appointed as Minister of State at the Department for International Development (DfID).

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the likely cost of establishing and running his extended ministerial office.

    Matthew Hancock

    The costs of running all parts of the Cabinet Office will be accounted for in the Department’s annual report and accounts.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Vernon Coaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many homes in Northern Ireland do not have broadband coverage.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Ofcom connected Nations report published in December 2015 reported 100% broadband coverage for all UK premises, including in Northern Ireland.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her contribution of 25 January 2016, Official Report, column 12, what funding streams and programmes made up the £70 million which the Government is spending on careers advice in the current Parliament.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The £70 million announced by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016 is to continue to transform the quality of the careers education, advice and guidance offered to young people. We have not yet finalised how much will be spent each year or the allocation process. It will include funding for The Careers & Enterprise Company to continue the excellent work it has begun, including delivery of the new mentoring campaign also announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January.

    Further information about our priorities for careers education advice and guidance in this Parliament will be set out in our new careers strategy to be published in the spring

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the Transitional Grant in the local government spending review is funded.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    DCLG has reprioritised existing spending in addition to using unallocated and contingency budgets to fund the transitional grant.

  • Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 10 March (HL6471), when they were informed of the NHS England plan to introduce a sugar tax on its premises by 2020.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We have a range of conversations about key issues at Ministerial and official level with NHS England. NHS England is independent and the decision on a sugar levy on the National Health Service estate is a matter for them operationally. We are interested to see the results of their consultation on a sugar levy.

    The Childhood Obesity Strategy will be published in the summer.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the international aid budget has been spent on India in the last five years.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The table below provides details of total UK bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) to India as a percentage of total UK ODA.

    Year

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    Percent of Bilateral ODA to Total ODA

    6%

    5%

    3%

    3%

    2%

    2%

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reports they have received concerning the welfare of refugees and migrants removed from Greece to Turkey, in the light of reports that some are being detained in camps at Düziçi and elsewhere, without access to legal advice or medical services.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government takes very seriously any allegations of the inappropriate treatment of migrants or refugees, and we would urge any evidence substantiating the allegations to be made available to us and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We note Turkey’s strong assurances about the treatment of migrants and refugees in its camps and removal centres. And also note the recent agreements reached betweenTurkey, the European Commission and the UNHCR, providing them with access to the Düziçi Camp and Kirklareli Removal Centre, and the UNHCR’s positive view following its initial visit. We will be following the outcome of future visits closely.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to First Vice-President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan to encourage their political dialogue.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Whilst we have not been able to be in direct contact with President Salva Kiir or First Vice President Riek Machar since the escalation in fighting on 10 July, we have in the past made repeated representations to both, urging them to abide by the terms of the peace agreement they signed up to in August 2015. The further fighting that has broken out is therefore deeply disappointing and we are working with regional and international partners to ensure a clear message on the necessity for a lasting ceasefire and condemnation of violence from all sides.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the international coalition is making in its work to defeat Daesh.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​As recent progress in Qayyarah in Iraq and Manbij in Syria demonstrates, our strategy of supporting local forces, including with airstrikes is working. The Coalition assesses that Daesh has been driven out of around half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and over 20 per cent in Syria. Thousands of people have been freed from Daesh’s rule and many of those who have escaped have now been able to return to their homes. The next major challenges are driving Daesh out of Raqqa and Mosul.