Category: Speeches

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the purpose was of the visit of his officials to the USS Ronald Reagan on 8 January 2016; and what the rank of the visiting officials was.

    Michael Fallon

    The purpose of my visit to the USS Ronald Reagan was to share US thinking about security challenges in North and Southeast Asia. I was accompanied by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, the Director General for Security Policy, the UK Ambassador and the Defence Attache.

  • Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Maynard on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 will be implemented.

    Andrew Jones

    We aim to bring the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 into force in the Spring, subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the number of people aged under 18 who travelled to parts of Syria and Iraq controlled by IS/Daesh in each of the last two years.

    Mr John Hayes

    We believe approximately 800 UK linked individuals of national security concern have travelled to take part in the Syrian conflict since it began. Of those who are known to have travelled, about half have returned. This number will include some individuals who were under 18 at the point of travel.

  • 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 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the conclusion of the report from the charity Sense, Making the case for play, published in February 2016, that a misguided interpretation and approach to health and safety is creating a barrier to accessing play settings and activities for children with multiple needs.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The government recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning, and the Early Years Foundation Stage is clear that “practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care… to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development.” Health and safety should not create a barrier to accessing play activities for children with multiple needs.

    The staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

    Ofsted conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards and assesses the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have SEND.

    The Childcare Act 2016 expands the free childcare entitlement from 15 to 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds of working parents. As part of the Early Implementer Package announced on 2 February 2016, local authorities involved will be using the opportunity to test and showcase how childcare can be delivered in a way that improves access for children with SEND. The department also launched a consultation on 3 April 2016 seeking views on key elements of the operation and delivery of the 30 hours and we welcome views on provision for children with SEND. The consultation is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/30-hour-free-childcare-entitlement

    “

  • Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Jenrick on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of racially motivated attacks in England and Wales targeted Jews in each of the last five years.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office does not hold the requested information. The Home Office receive data on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales for the five centrally monitored strands (race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity) but these data cannot be broken down by race or religion of the victim and cover all offences, not just “attacks”. The most recently available data relate to the financial year 2014/15 and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2014-to-2015

    The Association of Chief Police Officers also publishes data on hate crimes for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These figures separate out the number of crimes that were anti-Semitic. Data for 2014/15 can be found at:

    http://www.report-it.org.uk/files/hate_crime_data_npcc_2014-15.pdf

    From April 2016, the Home Office will collect a breakdown of religion-based hate crime data from the police to help forces build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to better hold them to account. This information will be provided voluntarily in 2016/17, but we intend to make it mandatory from the following year.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Europe of 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 136WH, when his Department last made representations to Saudi Arabia to encourage abolition of the death penalty in that country; and at what level those representations were made.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. We regularly raise human rights issues, including in relation to the death penalty with the Saudi Arabian authorities. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) visited Saudi Arabia on 29 May as part of a regional tour of Gulf Cooperation Council countries and raised our human rights concerns, including the death penalty.

  • 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 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her French counterpart on the conditions at the refugee camp in Calais; and what assistance the UK is providing to improve living standards at that camp.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The management of the migrant camp in Calais is the responsibility of the French Government, and they have made suitable alternative accommodation places available for migrants inside the camp.

    With the support of the UK, the French Government has also created more than 160 new centres away from Calais where migrants can consider their options, including whether to claim asylum, in comfort and safety away from the traffickers. Both Governments are clear that there is no reason for migrants to live in the difficult conditions in the camp, there is a reasonable and accessible remedy available in France.

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on evidence that was made available to the Government on the dangers of the pregnancy testing drug Primodos in 1967; and what steps he has taken as a result of those representations.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The Government has maintained an ongoing and close dialogue with campaigners over the course of the last eight years, involving face to face meetings and extensive correspondence. As a result of these discussions, the Government committed to an independent review of all the evidence relating to a possible link between hormone pregnancy tests and adverse effects on pregnancy. An ad-hoc Expert Working Group of the Commission on Human Medicines is conducting this review and has so far met on five occasions. It is anticipated that the review will be complete early in 2017, at which time a report of the Group’s findings will be published.

    The Government remains committed to open engagement on this important issue.

  • Dawn Butler – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dawn Butler – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce new sentencing guidelines recommending strict penalties to assist magistrates in prosecuting caces under the Equality Act 2010 where a private hire or taxi driver has refused to provide transport to a visually impaired passenger and their guide dog.

    Andrew Selous

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 September 2015 to Question 8187.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2015 to Question 2734, what changes to phosphate pollution levels in Hertfordshire’s chalk rivers have been recorded over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Overall, the phosphate levels in Hertfordshire’s rivers have remained stable over the past 12 months. Phosphate can remain present in river sediments for a number of years, and it can take five to 10 years to show any signs of ecological recovery following phosphate reductions.