Category: Speeches

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the French government on the deployment of armed police on ferries operating across the English Channel.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Earlier this year officials met, and have since been working closely with, French counterparts to discuss the current trial deployments of French sea marshals.

    Arrangements for maritime security, including on cross -channel ferries, are kept under constant review.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has taken to tackle clustering of betting shops in town centres.

    Tracey Crouch

    In April 2014, the Coalition Government published its gambling strategy “Gambling protections and controls" which includeda number of measures to tackle problem gambling – this was in response to concerns following the implementation of the 2005 Act, brought in under the then Government.As part of this approach, new planning legislation came into effect in April 2015 which requires planning permission forany change to use to a betting shop.

    Councils can use their Local Plans to shape where retail development should go, ensure the right balance of use classes, and prevent any negative cumulative impact of multiple premises in the same vicinity. Some councils have issued supplementary planning guidance to address directly the proliferation of betting shops in a particular local area.

    Councils also have powers under gambling legislation to address problems by individual premises and review the licenses of premises which breach the licensing objectives (e.g. preventing crime and disorder; and protecting children and the vulnerable from harm).

    We believe that this balanced approach allows councils to take targeted action to tackle localised problems. We continue to monitor the effects of existing controls and will take action if these are found to be insufficient.

  • Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in ensuring that management and statistical information concerning asylum claims on grounds of sexuality and gender identity are recorded accurately and comprehensively by the Home Office, and when that data will be published.

    Lord Bates

    We are still looking into the feasibility of publishing figures on the number of asylum applications by sexual orientation of the applicants. Any plans to publish will be subject to the data being of appropriate quality, in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Harriett Baldwin

    No jobs within HM Treasury, Office for Budget Responsibility , Government Internal Audit Agency, Debt Management Office and Government Actuaries Department have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and there are currently no plans for any to be abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    As announced in November 2015, HM Revenue and Customs plans to close Blackburn House in Stoke-on-Trent in 2019/20. The 256 posts currently in Stoke will transfer to new regional centres and the Department has committed to working with its staff to ensure that as many of those who do want to continue working for HMRC will be able to do so.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help limit increases in costs for (i) airport parking and (ii) train travel.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department does not monitor costs for airport parking. Airports are private commercial enterprises operating in a competitive market. Any charges the airport wishes to pass on to passengers or visitors (including car parking) is solely a matter for the airport to manage and justify.

    In terms of train travel, we recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to above inflation (RPI) increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the policy of a cap at RPI +0% for regulated rail fares we introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.

    Mike Penning

    The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Library of the House and online at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

    “

  • 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 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 21 March (HL7013), why the NHS Strategic Projects Team was said to have employees in view of it not being an organisation and therefore not able to employ staff.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Strategic Projects Team is hosted by Arden GEM Commissioning Support Unit. The staff referred to in HL7013 were on secondment from the CSU and NHS England and were therefore employees.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the declaration and publication by civil servants of financial interests other than gifts and hospitality.

    Matthew Hancock

    There are no plans to publish such declarations which are personal information.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to require social housing providers to ensure that a proportion of their properties are adapted for disabled residents.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government already has measures in place to help people with disabilities to live independently. It has committed to support disabled people to live safely in independent accommodation suitable to their needs by investing over £1 billion pounds through Disabled Facilities Grant since 2010.

    There are no plans to require local authorities to require social housing providers to ensure that a proportion of their properties are adapted for disabled residents.

    The Government is also investing over £200 million to develop over 4,000 affordable homes providing specialised accommodation for older people and adults with physical disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health needs, through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund. The statutory ‘reasonable preference’ requirements ensure that priority for social housing is given to those who need to move on medical and welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the obstruction of humanitarian agencies delivering assistance to civilians and the expulsion of international NGOs in South Sudan would trigger the sanctions regime provided for in UN Security Council Resolution 2304.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The sanctions threat in UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2304 relates specifically to the obstruction of the UN Mission in South Sudan or the deployment of a Regional Protection Force. However, the obstruction of the activities of international peacekeeping, diplomatic, or humanitarian missions in South Sudan or of the delivery or distribution of, or access to, humanitarian assistance are some of the criteria set out in UNSCR 2290, which renewed the sanctions regime on South Sudan until 31 May 2017.