Category: Speeches

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.30 of her Department’s white paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, published in March 2016, what evidence her Department is taking into account to decide which (a) metrics and (b) other factors will be used to decide which providers are awarded multi-year allocations of initial teacher training places.

    Nick Gibb

    As set out in our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, we plan to introduce ‘Centres of Excellence’ in Initial Teacher Training which will receive multi-year allocations. We are currently engaging the sector and working to establish the criteria for determining which providers will be designated as a ‘Centre of Excellence’. At this stage, no firm decisions have been taken.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2016 to Question 37099, if the Government will support an independent investigation into allegations of attacks on Syrian asylum seekers by Turkish border guards.

    Mr David Lidington

    Turkey continues to show extraordinary generosity by hosting over 2.7 million Syrian refugees. This has included granting Syrian refugees the right to work, and providing education and committing to increase access to it. Turkey also offers humanitarian support to refugees across its border with Syria. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my answer of 25 May 2016 in response to his Written Question of 18 May 2016 (37099). It remains our understanding that the Turkish government has made preparations to accept more Syrian refugees should conditions in Syria necessitate so, but that its approach is to enable humanitarian aid to be provided to affected populations in northern Syria. Turkey has confirmed that its border remains open to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees. We take all allegations about Turkish treatment of migrants seriously, and raise them regularly with the Turkish authorities.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many university technical colleges are (a) open and (b) planned in England in the next five years.

    Robert Halfon

    There are currently 47 open University Technical Colleges (UTCs). A further seven UTCs are in development, which plan to open from September 2017.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many families have been assisted by the Troubled Families programme in Southampton.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    In Southampton, the local authority achieved significant outcomes with 685 families under the first Troubled Families Programme (2012 – 2015).

    In the new Troubled Families Programme (2015 – 2020), they have so far engaged 1,065 families. This means that each of these families has a named key worker or lead worker, a full assessment of the problems they face and an agreed plan with stretching goals to tackle all of these problems.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel have served in UN peacekeeping missions in each of the last 10 years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Over the past 10 years, UK military personnel have been deployed to a number of UN mandated peacekeeping missions including: Cyprus (UNFICYP), Mali (MINUSMA), South Sudan (UNMISS), Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), Liberia (UNMIL), Dafur (UNAMID), UNAMI (IRAQ), UNIOSIL (Sierra Leone), UNMIK (Kosovo), UNOMIG (Georgia), UNMIN (Nepal), UNAMA (Afghanistan), UNSOM (Somalia) and UNSMIL (Libya/Tunisia).

    The number of military personnel who have deployed on the various UN operations is set out below:

    2006*

    2007*

    2008*

    2009*

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015**

    Total number of UK personnel deployed per year

    295

    290

    301

    293

    279

    276

    280

    278

    285

    287

    * The details supplied are correct as of 31 January each year.

    ** Correct as of 10 November 2015.

  • Neil Gray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Gray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants were sanctioned in (a) 2015, (b) 2014, (c) 2013, (d) 2012 and (e) 2011; how many such claimants were (i) disabled and (ii) lone parents in each such year; and how many dependents such claimants had in each such year.

    Priti Patel

    The specific information requested, in respect of claimants who are sanctioned and have dependents and lone parents on Employment and Support Allowance, is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    The information that is available, on the number of sanction referrals and adverse sanction decisions, in respect of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is published and available 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

    Information about Income Support lone parents (ISLP) is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/income-support-lone-parent-regime-figures-on-sanctions-and-work-focused-interviews–2

    “

  • Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Sharp of Guildford on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 18 to 21-year olds in England are (1) in full-time education, and (a) employed, (b) unemployed, and (c) economically inactive, and (2) not in full-time education and (a) employed, (b) unemployed, and (c) economically inactive.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review on the future size and power of the armed forces.

    Michael Fallon

    By 2025 we will have a highly capable expeditionary force of around 50,000. Joint Force 2025 will enable our Armed Forces to project power, deploy quickly and for longer periods and make the best use of new technology. We are investing in our front line by spending £178 billion over the next decade on equipment. We have committed to protecting the size of the Armed Forces by increasing the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force by a total of 700 personnel and not reducing the Army below 82,000.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of their review of the cost of wound dressings to the NHS, they will ensure that clinical expertise is a full component part of the process in order to ensure that the outcome is clinically effective as well as cost-effective.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The review of wound dressings by a dedicated working group resulted in the development of a number of clinical specifications for wound care products.

    In order to progress this work, from April 2016 a new NHS Clinical Evaluation Team will be put in place. The Clinical Evaluation Team will assess wound care products through a comprehensive evaluation process, which will have extensive engagement with NHS clinical staff. Included in the process will be tissue viability and infection control nurses, clinical procurement specialists, doctors, nurses and midwives along with medicine management practitioners from community trusts.

    The project’s remit is to review clinical products to identify those that enable high quality patient care whilst delivering the best outcomes for the NHS. The secondary consideration will be to identify products that could be procured more effectively through combined NHS buying power, to deliver greater overall value for money.

    The Clinical Evaluation Team is made up of practising clinicians.

    The project will therefore undertake assessments of the total costs and benefits of any recommendations to the overall NHS.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce or pilot a system of automatic electoral registration.

    John Penrose

    I have considered a range of proposals from local authorities and civil society organisations that could change how registration is currently delivered. The Government is committed to further modernising and improving electoral registration, building on the successful transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

    We are keen to explore further possibilities in this area but are concerned there may be tension between some forms of automatic registration and the principles underpinning IER, namely individual responsibility and ownership over registering to vote.