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Category: Speeches

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that information given to patients or donors explaining research to which they have consented on genome editing in human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 will be publicly available.

    George Freeman

    The Department has not had any discussions with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) after its authorisation of a licence for gene editing of human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 about the process of ethical approval being granted for such a licence.

    The Francis Crick Institute, which made the licence application to the HFEA, is intending to place copies of the information given to patients or donors explaining this research on its website, once the final draft has been agreed.

    There is no statutory requirement for ethical approval to be in place before an HFEA research licence can be granted. However, the HFEA has developed guidance for its licensing committee that such approval should be in place before a licence is granted and research is allowed to proceed.

    In 2012, none of the three licences granted had ethical approval in place and a condition was therefore placed on each licence that licensed research could not proceed until such approval was in place. In 2013, five research licences were granted, all of which had ethical approval in place. In 2014, seven licences were granted, all of which had ethical approval in place. In 2015, one of the 15 licences granted did not have ethical approval in place and a condition was therefore placed on the licence that licensed research could not proceed until such approval was in place.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make it the policy of the Government that electricity customers across the UK should pay the same for electricity transportation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Electricity network charges vary by region and reflect the costs of running the network in that area and the number of consumers that those costs are spread over. The Government does not plan to move to national network charging, as the current cost reflective approach helps to ensure efficient use of the network and keeps overall costs down for bill payers across Great Britain. In contrast, national pricing risks an overall increase in network costs by weakening each network company’s local accountability to its customers, as well as making charges less transparent. On 23 October 2015, Ofgem published a report on the regional differences in network charges, which found no compelling case from a regulatory perspective to move to a national network charge. The report is available at:

    https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/regional-differences-network-charges.

    The Government will continue to consider any evidence that is presented.

    “

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills tracks the performance of FTSE 100 companies and is able to identify where any company has introduced a cost-cutting measure and correspondingly reduced executive pay, and if so, what percentage of those companies have done so.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

  • Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Cox on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the progress of justice and reconciliation processes in South Sudan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Both accountability and reconciliation remain essential for South Sudan to move forward. The formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity in April marked an important step in political reconciliation and we welcome the ongoing efforts of community groups, including churches, to pursue reconciliation at the local level. We look forward to the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and welcome the steps already taken by the African Union on the Hybrid Court, which needs to be set up as a matter of priority.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games on the success of the competitors at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

    Tracey Crouch

    The London 2012 Olympic Games were a huge success with sold-out venues and the best British performance for over 100 years in winning 65 medals. The Games left a legacy of increased participation and world-class sporting venues which are now being used by our elite athletes as well as local communities.

    The commitment from the Government immediately following the London 2012 Olympic Games to confirm and sustain Exchequer support for the UK Sport World Class Programme was a significant moment in underpinning the success of Rio, providing UK Sport, and the National Governing Bodies of sport, with the necessary financial support to invest in medal success across the Olympic and Paralympic sports.

    I am confident that this success will continue at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and through to Tokyo in 2020 and beyond. Since 2012, UK Sport funded athletes have given back over 18,000 days visiting schools and local projects as part of our commitment to inspire the next generation.

  • 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 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring his Department undertakes of clinical commissioning groups’ safeguarding of access to medical nutrition for patients for whom it is recommended in NICE guidelines.

    Nicola Blackwood

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines represent best practice and we expect National Health Service organisations to take them fully into account as they design services for their local populations.

    NICE clinical guidelines are not mandatory but the expectation is that NHS organisations will implement them over time drawing upon clinical judgement, and commissioners will take them into account when making commissioning decisions.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will assess the effect on the Nigerian (a) economy and (b) society of (i) Boko Haram and (ii) other terrorist groups.

    Grant Shapps

    Terrorist activities from Boko Haram and other groups have killed more than 15,000 people and caused a major humanitarian crisis. There are an estimated 2.2 million internally displaced people, most of them in host communities, putting an additional pressure on what is already a fragile social environment. Around 6.4 million people are in need of humanitarian support due to disruption of food supply, limitation of livelihood activities, and destruction of basic service facilities like health centres or schools. An estimated 600,000 children are out of school.

    Boko Haram violent extremism has destroyed the economy in the North East. Local chambers of commerce in the North East report that business activity has dropped by 80% over the past three years. The national economy is also affected. Major trade routes for the Nigerian market and with neighbouring countries have been disrupted. And the need for the Government of Nigeria to spend significant additional resources on emergency response and defence has reduced funds available for economic and social investments.

    In response to this crisis, DFID is providing a substantial package of security, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria including a £6.5 million in humanitarian programme and a £5.4 million development portfolio in Yobe state. This is complemented by a £12.1 million funding through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) for programmes implemented by DFID and other departments to mitigate conflict and enhance security forces capability. During my visit to Nigeria in October, I saw first-hand the interfaith peace clubs supported by DFID to build community cohesion and the excellent work the UK military is doing in training the Nigerian army in the fight against Boko Haram.

  • Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on ensuring the Trident nuclear weapon system from cyber-attacks in each of the last three years; and how much he plans to spend in each of the next five years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence audits the integrity of the UK’s nuclear deterrent regularly for all threats and hazards and acts to ensure that it maintains the highest possible standards. The Strategic Defence and Security Review acknowledges the growing cyber threat and the importance of investing in cyber security across all of our capabilities. The Government has invested £860 million in new technology and capabilities since 2011 and will invest £1.9 billion over the next five years in protecting the UK from cyber attack and developing our sovereign capabilities in cyberspace. Our approach to protecting Defence capabilities against and mitigating the impact of cyber attacks spans technical, organisational, procedural and physical measures benefiting many different systems and networks, and investment is integrated across these measures. Submarines operate in isolation by design, and this contributes to their cyber resilience. I will not discuss further details for reasons of safeguarding national security.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit applicants who are housing association tenants are informed upon application of the need for a letter from their landlord in order to receive housing cost assistance; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    When someone makes a claim to Universal Credit they are advised of the verification needed to receive the Housing Element of Universal Credit. This is re-iterated when the claimant is contacted to book their initial interview at the Jobcentre.

  • Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how many suspected child victims of modern slavery were subsequently re-trafficked after being referred to the National Referral Mechanism in each of the last three years.

    Lord Bates

    The National Crime Agency is responsible for the assessment of threats, including methods of trafficking by criminals. Information on this is not centrally recorded on the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). Data included in NRM referral forms concentrates on detail specifically required to prove the three constituent elements of human trafficking. This would not necessarily include the detail required to assess methodology used to re-traffick victims and as such does not form part of assessment reporting. The independent evaluation of the trial by the University of Bedfordshire collected data on the number of all potentially trafficked children referred to the trial, along with their characteristics including age, gender and geographical location, as well as the number of children that were recorded as missing. However the evaluation did not collect data on the number of children in the trial that were re-trafficked and it is not possible to determine how many of those children who went missing were subsequently re-trafficked.