Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce nuisance telephone calls.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government is taking forward a range of measures to tackle nuisance calls, which will increase consumer protection and choice by strengthening the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) ability to take enforcement action against organisations that break the law.

    Specific actions include consulting on making it a requirement for direct marketing callers to display calling line identification; strengthening the ICO’s direct marketing guidance; and exploring extending the ICO’s powers of compulsory audit to more of the organisations that generate nuisance calls. Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s speech on the subject to the Direct Marketing Authority can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/baroness-nevile-rolfe-on-data-protection-and-nuisance-calls

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  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each local authority has spent on short breaks in the last 12 months; and how many hours of such support those local authorities provided in that period in total.

    Alistair Burt

    Data on the amount each local authority has spent on short breaks and respite care in the last 12 months and how many hours of respite support each local authority has provided in the same period, is not collected centrally.

  • Gary Streeter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gary Streeter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gary Streeter on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has reviewed the Alternative Fuels Framework as part of its consultation on its National Air Quality Plan.

    Rory Stewart

    The national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide that we published in December last year sets out a comprehensive approach to improving air quality and reducing health impacts. It recognises that the use of alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied and compressed natural gas, where appropriate, presents opportunities to improve emissions from vehicles. The plan sets out some of the measures we are taking to support innovation in this area.

    The Government continues to review evidence concerning the environmental impact of alternative fuels. Any changes to the tax treatment of alternative fuels are announced at fiscal events.

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-06-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the Global Fund in the fight against Malaria.

    Baroness Verma

    The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has played a critical role in the fight against malaria. To date, it has invested $7 billion to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. Between 2002 and 2015, this support has helped distribute approximately 600 million mosquito nets and treated over 515 million cases of malaria. Given that the Global Fund contributes 58% of all international finance for malaria, it has played an important role in helping reduce deaths from the disease by 48% between 2000-2014.

    With 1 in 10 child deaths in Africa still caused by malaria, the UK recognises that more needs to be done to tackle this deadly, but preventable disease. That is why earlier this year, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State committed that the UK would spend £500 million a year to help tackle malaria. This support will contribute towards reducing the death rate from malaria by 90% by 2030.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many unpaid advisers work in his Department.

    Ben Gummer

    There are no unpaid special advisers in the Cabinet Office.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to use the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to prioritise the strengthening of diplomatic and economic ties with Commonwealth countries.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    This Government has worked hard to strengthen the UK’s diplomatic and economic ties with the Commonwealth, including expanding our representation in Commonwealth countries. For example, the Foreign Secretary opened a new Deputy High Commission in Chandigarh, India, in March 2015. Strengthening of Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment commercial teams has taken place in Canada, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea and Guyana. One result of this is the East Africa Oil & Gas High Value Opportunity (HVO), which will support UK businesses in gaining access to local markets.

    However, we agree that the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta is a further opportunity to strengthen these ties, by renewing the Commonwealth and demonstrating unity and a shared sense of purpose around priority issues. The CHOGM non-governmental fora, including the Commonwealth Business Forum to be attended by both the Right Hon. Lord Maude of Horsham and I, will be an additional opportunity for the UK to enhance economic ties across the Commonwealth. The UK looks forward to a successful CHOGM 2015, which showcases the Commonwealth as a united, unique, vital and ambitious organisation that is capable of tackling modern global challenges.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the change in the number of jobs in the UK solar industry has been since the Summer Budget 2015; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government proposed changes to the feed-in tariff scheme (FITs) as part of the FIT review, on which we consulted widely between 27th August and 23rd October. Part of the purpose of that consultation was to gather views on the broader economic impact of the proposals. The actual impact on the sector will, of course, depend on the options taken forward after all responses to the consultation have been considered. We intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.

    The ONS has published first estimates of the UK’s ‘Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy’1 based on 2014; further information from this survey on sub-sectors including solar PV jobs will be published in 2016.

    [1] http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_426448.pdf

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  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what the average salary is for employees of the House of Commons.

    Tom Brake

    The average salary (basic pay) of staff employed by the House of Commons was £36,784 as at 31 December 2015.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the payment of compensation relating to terrorism cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.

    Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

    I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to provide more information to people potentially affected by floods to enable them to access grant schemes from local authorities.

    James Wharton

    Our immediate priority remains doing everything we can to help local communities repair and recover from floods. This means ensuring all those affected can benefit from the £200 million grant schemes offered by the Government and know that they can do so.

    We have provided information on the Gov.uk website and have worked with local authorities to ensure their websites are up to date. We have also developed a simple fact sheet for individual property owners explaining the Property Level Resilience grant scheme and how to apply for it.

    We are in regular contact with local areas and are continuing to look at ways to help support their residents and businesses take full advantage of the grants available.