Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times the Sexual Health Forum has met in each of the last five years; what the dates were of each such meeting; and who attended each such meeting.

    Jane Ellison

    The Sexual Health and HIV Forum met 15 times between March 2011 and March 2015. The Forum was discontinued in September 2015. Details of dates of meetings and those who attended are shown in the attached document.

    Public Health England is considering how to take forward appropriate stakeholder relationships in the future.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposed restrictions on access to in-work benefits mentioned in paragraph 2(b) of Section D of the draft Decision of the European Council published on 2 February will apply to Universal Credit, and if so, to which elements of Universal Credit those restrictions will apply.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    The number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament is recorded in the sessional returns. The House of Commons Library produce publications on this matter which show that the numbers peaked in the 2005-2006 session. The latest figures show that the number of UK statutory instruments laid before the House of Commons in each session since 1997 are as follows:

    • 1997-98: 1856

    • 1998-99: 1479

    • 1999-00: 1456

    • 2000-01: 868

    • 2001-02: 1788

    • 2002-03: 1474

    • 2003-04: 1281

    • 2004-05: 793

    • 2005-06: 1885

    • 2006-07: 1361

    • 2007-08: 1319

    • 2008-09: 1302

    • 2009-10: 823

    • 2010-12: 1809

    • 2012-13: 964

    • 2013-14: 1173

    • 2014-15: 1378

    • 2015-16: 540 (so far in this session)
  • Baroness Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Crawley on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of HMRC’s pilot of the Codentify system, why no other companies or systems have been asked to participate in such a pilot.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) takes the restrictions in the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) very seriously. These require that the development, implementation and enforcement of tobacco policies as part of public health policies should be protected from the influence of the tobacco industry.

    Codentify is a system, developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. The trial HMRC is undertaking is to see whether these existing codes could help officers in the field to authenticate products and help tackle illicit tobacco. No other companies currently provide such codes.

    The use of Codentify by HMRC is not part of an exercise to evaluate the wider use of potential tools available on the market. Any such exercise would be undertaken in the context of the implementation of the EU Tobacco Products Directive track and trace security feature requirements, which will be implemented by May 2019 for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco.

    The European Commission is still considering, with Member States, proposals for new pan European security features and track and trace systems, and has yet to determine any technical specifications. HMRC are not evaluating Codentify as a track and trace tool or potential security feature; the aspects of the system being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.

    The use of Codentify is not a formal pilot and there will not be reports or results to publish. Instead the trial will identify the strengths, weaknesses and usefulness of using Codentify to HMRC as an authentication tool in the field. HMRC will review this later in 2016. Some resource has been spent providing access to the system and training officers in the use of the tool. However, this has been minimal and has not been separately identified. The Department of Health leads on public health policy and has been consulted on this initiative. HMRC sees no conflict between its current use of the Codentify system and FCTC requirements.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions has he had with Volkswagen on the timeframe that has been agreed to complete software and technical fixes for all its UK consumers.

    Andrew Jones

    The Secretary of State has met with the Chief Executive of Volkswagen UK to press him to ensure that the technical fixes are completed as quickly as possible for UK consumers.

    The UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency issued the type approval for some Volkswagen Group vehicles. For these the agency is working with the manufacturer to review and approve the proposed fixes. They are carrying out tests to ensure that after the fix is applied the vehicles do not have an illegal defeat device, that they meet all the legal requirements including emissions, and that other vehicles characteristics are unchanged, including fuel consumption and engine noise.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many senior staff have transferred from Network Rail to HS2, either on a temporary or on a permanent basis.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    HS2 Ltd has a Senior Leadership Team comprising its 74 most senior people. Of these 74 people, 13 people have transferred from Network Rail to HS2 Ltd, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Public procurement policy is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office through the Crown Commercial Service.

    The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the total annual value to the UK of each trade deal to which the UK is a party as a consequence of the UK’s membership of the European single market.

    Greg Hands

    Fifteen per cent of the UK’s exports of goods and services in 2014 went to countries with which the EU has negotiated free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes FTAs that have been implemented and those where negotiations have been completed but are still awaiting ratification. It does not include UK exports to EEA countries or non-EU members of the Customs Union.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobseekers have been sanctioned in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency in each of the last five years.

    Priti Patel

    The available information on JSA sanctions, including those with a disability (which refers to the disability status of the claimant undergoing a sanction and is self-recorded by the claimant) is published at:
    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
    Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

    “

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assessed the humanitarian impact of increasing the capacity of the Kerem Shalom goods crossing between Israel and Gaza; and whether they have plans to discuss that issue with the government of Israel.

    Baroness Verma

    The biggest impediments to Palestinian economic progress are the Israeli-imposed movement and access restrictions. The current movement and access restrictions relating to Gaza are leading to a stagnated economy and worsening situation for the people living there. An improved economy is not only essential for the people of Gaza, but is firmly in Israel’s security interests. We have consistently called on Israel to improve movement and access into and out of Gaza, including extending operating times at Kerem Shalom and will continue to do so.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when (a) her Department and (b) the contractor G4S became aware of concerns that asylum seekers were being housed in properties with doors that are all uniform or nearly uniform in colour.

    James Brokenshire

    Home Office officials are working closely with our housing providers to ensure that asylum seeker accommodation is not easily identifiable. I am not aware of a uniform door colour being the practice in any other region. My officials have also spoken to our housing providers to tell them that such a practice is not acceptable.

    I was first made aware of this issue when The Times contacted the Home Office in mid-January. G4S has investigated correspondence and discussions on the issue of external door colour in the North East and has confirmed that it was raised in 2012 by a Middlesbrough local councillor and was considered by the G4S audit and assurance team, no complaints from asylum seekers relating to this matter were found and a response was issued.

    As I said to the House on 20 January, I instructed officials to look into this issue as a matter of urgency and I expect that the audit will be concluded on the Home Office side very shortly.