Category: Speeches

  • David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Hanson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much support from EU agricultural funding has been awarded to UK organic food producers in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    In England between 2010 and 2014, support for organic farmers was provided under the Organic Entry Level Stewardship scheme (OELS) and Organic Higher Level Stewardship scheme (OHLS), which were set up under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). The following table provides details of the annual funding provided during this period. Organic farmers were also eligible for payments under the Single Payment Scheme.

    OELS and OHLS funding in England 2010-2014:

    Year

    Annual funding for OELS:

    Annual funding for OHLS:

    2010

    £1,986,129

    £17,454,578

    2011

    £4,285,822

    £21,059,841

    2012

    £6,088,660

    £24,443,405

    2013

    £7,503,473

    £27,495,231

    2014

    £8,665,682

    £29,486,762

    Total Funding:

    £28,529,766

    £119,939,817

    Footnote 1: Because agriculture is a devolved matter, separate schemes operate in other UK countries. Data on other funding provided is available from devolved administrations.

    Footnote 2: These data include payments to organic farmers under conventional land management options in combined organic and conventional agreements and include payments for existing and new agreements each year.

    Footnote 3: RDPE funding comprises EU funding allocated under the CAP for England and relevant Exchequer match funding.

  • 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 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions work programme providers referred participants for a sanction between (a) June 2011 and November 2015 and (b) August 2015 and November 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The specific information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22263, what procedures, budgets and facilities are in place to compensate tax credit claimants for the cost and inconvenience of losing supporting documents confirming identity and finances lost by the Tax Credit Office.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) policy in respect of compensation payments is that they will consider refunding any reasonable costs that customers may have incurred due to their mistakes and/or unreasonable delays. If HMRC actions are judged to have affected a customer particularly badly, they may pay a small amount to acknowledge their mistake and for any worry or distress they may have caused. These payments are made out of the public purse and are not intended to put a monetary value on any worry and upset.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Nokes on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family courts have designated safe waiting rooms for vulnerable victims and witnesses.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government is committed to supporting victims of domestic violence and abuse.

    The Ministry of Justice is undertaking research to explore how the family judiciary are currently managing cases where unrepresented alleged perpetrators of abuse can cross-examine vulnerable witnesses in the family court, and to establish what, if any, additional provisions could be considered to support them in doing so. A report will be published in due course.

    The research did not aim to assess the psychological impact of any cross-examination on victims of domestic abuse. However, some of the findings relate to the considerations the judiciary make in managing such cases appropriately, and the report will outline options to further protect vulnerable witnesses in the family court. It was out of scope of this research to explore cases where an unrepresented litigant who is a victim of domestic abuse may have to cross-examine their alleged abuser.

    Family judges have a range of powers and training to manage difficult court room situations and to ensure they are handled sensitively for victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable witnesses. Judges can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate. It is for the judge involved, on the basis of the evidence, to determine how the framework will be applied in a particular case.

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework where domestic violence is alleged and all judges receive specific training on this framework.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2016 to Question 30251, how many universal credit claimants have (a) applied for a back payment of more than one month, (b) received a back payment of more than one month and (c) received a back payment of one month.

    Priti Patel

    The information is not centrally collated to this level of detail.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Egyptian government on recent actions taken against Egyptian non-governmental organisations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are deeply concerned by growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, including a proposed asset freeze against investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat and human rights defender Gamal Eid. After issuing a statement on 22 March, I raised this with the Egyptian Ambassador on 23 March, and again on 11 April. Our Ambassador to Cairo raised our concerns over restrictions on civil society with the Minister of Health and with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2016.

    I encourage the Government of Egypt to work with civil society organisations to implement the rights guaranteed by the Egyptian constitution and allow non-government organisations to operate freely.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much EU funding the UK has received to tackle climate change in each of the last 10 years.

    Amber Rudd

    DECC does not hold this information centrally and to collate it would incur disproportionate costs.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to publish the sentencing guidelines for Part 1 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Sentencing Guidelines are issued by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, a body independent of Government.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of cases of each risk type relating to error and fraud completed by SYNNEX-Concentrix under its contract with HM Revenue and Customs between May 2014 and October 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Between the commencement of the contract in November 2014 and the end of October 2015, the number of cases completed by Concentrix by risk type were as follows:

    • 107,677 childcare risk;
    • 84,154 undeclared partner risk;
    • 114,146 work and hours risk.
  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial support his Department has provided to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department has provided the following financial support for the National Suicide Prevention Alliance since its establishment in 2012:

    Year

    Funding

    2013/14

    £60,000

    2014/15

    £60,000

    2015/16

    £60,000

    Total

    £180,000

    Source: Department of Health