Category: Speeches

  • Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord MacKenzie of Culkein on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received advice from the Council of Deans of Health about the future funding of nursing and midwifery students.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department of Health (DH) received joint correspondence from the Council of Deans of Health and Universities UK about a number of issues relating to healthcare education funding in England.

    The Council of Deans of Health and Universities UK also wrote a joint letter to DH and the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Ministers on 7 August 2015 requesting a meeting to discuss a redesigned system. DH and BIS Ministers agreed to a joint meeting, which took place on the 2 December.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Government plans to adapt implementation of the apprenticeships levy for different sectors.

    Nick Boles

    The apprenticeship levy will apply to both the private and public sectors. We understand that employers in sectors where a levy is already in place will want clarity on what the introduction of an apprenticeships levy means for them. We will publish further details in due course.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what UK bilateral and (b) multilateral funding to support health care system strengthening in countries determined by the WHO to be affected by, or at risk from the Zika virus, has been in each of the last six years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The table below shows UK bilateral disbursements, against a number of OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) health related classifications, to countries on the WHO list of those affected, or likely to be affected, by the Zika virus. These include basic health care, communicable disease control, health education and health personnel development, all of which contribute to strengthening health systems.

    Table: UK ODA spend on health 2009-2014

    £’000

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    Barbados

    3

    Brazil

    13

    1,461

    2,779

    491

    1,233

    87

    Costa Rica

    191

    Dominican Republic

    10

    16

    Ecuador

    3

    5

    Guatemala

    26

    Guyana

    2

    2

    Haiti

    1,000

    Honduras

    9

    Mexico

    61

    1,061

    105

    835

    202

    363

    Nicaragua

    219

    0

    Paraguay

    3

    2

    Venezuela

    7

    Total

    322

    2,730

    2,890

    1,349

    1,448

    1,450

    Source: Statistics on International Development 2015

    The UK has also provided support to these countries through core contributions to multilateral organisations, but data on expenditure on specific sectors to specific countries is not available.

    DFID and the Department of Health will request the World Health Organisation to provide further guidance on which countries beyond those currently affected are at greatest risk from Zika, including the risks to other regions including Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia; this is scientifically very challenging.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has made representations to the EU on its funding of aid and development projects in Eritrea.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Between 2013 and 2015 DFID provided UNICEF in Eritrea with £10 million for child and maternal health and the provision of clean water and sanitation.

    In December 2015 DFID provided a further £3 million for nutrition support activities and water and sanitation in areas affected by El Nino in the Horn of Africa through UNICEF’s regional programme, which covers Eritrea.

    Over the past 2 years funding to support primarily Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia totalled £1.6 million and focussed on child protection and related work on anti-smuggling and trafficking.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what average annual tuition fee is charged by further education colleges for higher education courses.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) publishes an annual statistical report summarising the access agreements with Higher Education providers. This report includes estimates of the average fees charged by provider type. The latest statistics refer to the 2015/16 academic year and show that the average fee for the 51 English Further Education Colleges (FECs) with Access Agreements in the 2015/16 academic year was £6,941. Their estimate of the average fee across all 209 FECs was £6,561. More information is available at the following link:

    https://www.offa.org.uk/publications/analysis-data-and-progress-reports/

    “

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Written Statement of 26 April 2016, HCWS701, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the proposed changes to eligibility to student support for people with long residency in the UK.

    Joseph Johnson

    From 2016/17, the average student loan outlay for each additional student eligible for student finance is estimated to be between £15,000 and £17,000 depending on the household income of the students. Students could also be eligible for an average of £300 of support for allowances such as the Disabled Students Allowance. An additional 2,400 students, as estimated, could lead to around £40m in loan outlay and £0.7m in allowances annually. In RAB terms, the annual costs for 2,400 students could be £10m.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the reasons are for the difference in the figures quoted as payments to HM Treasury in respect of its guarantee for the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in paragraph 1.21 of the National Audit Office report on Department of Trade and Industry: Sale of the mining operations of the British Coal Corporation, HC 360 1995-96, and the Answer of 8 March 2007 to Question 125573, HC Deb, Column 2124W.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Analysis by Binder Hamlyn in 2006 for the NAO had estimated the net present value of payments to the Government (net of any payments from the Government arising from its guarantee) at £2bn over 25 years. This reflects the value at the time of the expected future net payments.

    The parliamentary question 125573 answered on 8 March 2007 records that the Binder Hamlyn report found that the total gross payments to the Treasury would be £8bn. This would have been both gross of any payments from the Government and also in cash terms i.e. allowing for the returns achieved on the funds before payment.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK intends to maintain the EU ban on neonicotinoids (a) before and (b) after the UK leaves the EU; and whether the Government plans to conduct a review of the evidence of damage to bees caused by those pesticides.

    George Eustice

    While it remains within the EU, the UK will continue to meet its obligations under EU law. This includes restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids. As part of the preparation for EU exit, we are considering future arrangements for pesticides. Our highest priority will continue to be the protection of people and the environment.

    The Government remains of the view that decisions on the use of neonicotinoids and other pesticides should be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks. Pesticides that carry unacceptable risks to pollinators should not be authorised. The Government keeps the developing evidence on neonicotinoids under active review, advised by the independent Expert Committee on Pesticides.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to safeguard children living in the Calais refugee camp.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As the Home Secretary made clear to Parliament on 10 October, the Government’s priority is to work with the French Government to ensure the safety and security of all children in the camp in Calais. The UK is also committed to ensuring that unaccompanied children in Calais eligible to come to the UK are transferred as quickly as possible.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he or Ministers in his Department will attend the heats and further stages of the Bar National Mock Trials Competition.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I am aware of this valuable initiative for school students organised by the Citizenship Foundation and funded by the Bar. While Ministers have no current plans to attend any of the stages, I wish this competition continuing success.