Category: Speeches

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Royal Navy’s Astute-class submarines for under-ice operations.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Astute class submarines are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in a versatile vessel. The Royal Navy maintains world-wide deployability with its submarines, this includes under-ice capability.

    We do not discuss the detail of such submarine operations, as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK’s trade relationship with (a) Bangladesh and (b) other Commonwealth countries of BHS going into administration.

    Anna Soubry

    We have made no specific assessments.

    Bangladesh is the second largest manufacturer of garments around the world after China, at $26 billion per annum and ready-made garments make up around 81% of total merchandise exports from Bangladesh. If business is lost to Bangladesh from BHS, it is unlikely to have a significant impact at the national level.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps she has taken to raise the profile of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

    Rory Stewart

    Despite being one of the most serious and complex humanitarian crises in the world, Yemen is the world’s most serious forgotten crisis. The Secretary of State is co-hosting an international event on the Yemen crisis at the UN General Assembly on 21 September to shine a spotlight on the crisis and call for a step change in humanitarian delivery on the ground.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the benefits of teaching first aid in schools on public health outcomes.

    Edward Timpson

    This Government believes that the teaching of first aid skills is important. The Department for Education works closely with expert organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance who provide learning materials to schools, including life-saving training kits produced by the British Heart Foundation. These kits provide young people with first-hand experience of life-saving skills and we have promoted the use of these via the termly school email and social media channels.

    How first aid is provided is up to teachers and is taught as part of personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) education in schools. In line with the continued drive to reduce bureaucracy and burdens on schools, we do not ask schools to routinely collect data on this.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) which UK terrestrial broadcasters produce annual original homemade content for children, and (2) how much those broadcasters spend annually on such content.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Ofcom’s 2015 report into the future of public service broadcasting included an assessment of the amount of UK originated Children’s television programming by the public service broadcasting channels.

    In 2014, the BBC spent £84 million on children’s television programming. The combined spend of ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 was £3 million.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that best practice is shared with each of the devolved institutions on development among employers of agri-tech and skills strategies.

    George Freeman

    We are supporting the efforts of the agri-tech sector to ensure that it has the skills it needs for the future. In agriculture this is led by the Agri-Skills Forum, comprising bodies such as Lantra, Landex, National Farmers Union, and the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board, which takes a UK wide perspective of skills needs in agriculture and horticulture, and provides a direct link to employers. The Biological and Biosciences Research Council has provided £13 million of funding through its Advanced Training Programmes to support high level skills in food and farming throughout the UK.

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

    Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of attacks on Christian places of worship in Israel in each of the last three years.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The ‘Registry of Attacks on Holy Sites in the Holy Land’ has listed 22 cases of vandalism and arson on Christian places of worship in Israel and the West Bank since February 2013, most recently vandalism against the Dormition Abbey compound on 17 January. We condemn all such attacks.

  • Lord Polak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Polak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Polak on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial assistance they provide to charities and NGOs in Israel.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We currently supply funding for projects delivered by twelve non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (including East Jerusalem); ten through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund and two through the Bilateral Programme Budget. The following ten Israeli NGOs deliver projects through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund: The Peres Centre for Peace; Injaz – Centre for Professional Arab Local Governance; Kids Creating Peace; Yesh Din; Gisha; Peace Now; Terrestrial Jerusalem; The International Peace and Cooperation Centre; Rabbis for Human Rights; and the Jerusalem Community Advocacy Network. We also fund projects delivered by the following NGOs through the Bilateral Programme Budget: Burj Al Luqluq Youth Centre and Silwan Youth Centre.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government’s policy is on the prosecution of husbands of child brides resident in the UK, who married that bride outside of the UK.

    Karen Bradley

    We made forced marriage a criminal offence in 2014 to better protect victims and send a clear message that this abhorrent practice is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the UK. The offence relates to where a UK resident or national forces a child into marriage overseas as well as in the UK.

    Our dedicated Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) leads efforts to combat forced marriage both at home and abroad. Where cases involve a minor in the UK, the FMU work with the relevant statutory agencies to provide advice and expertise to ensure that appropriate safeguarding measures are taken. Where a case involves a minor overseas, the FMU work with consular officers overseas and statutory agencies in the UK to ensure safeguarding obligations are fulfilled and appropriate action is taken where necessary.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Order of Battle is of the Royal Military Police.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Order of Battle for the Royal Military Police at unit and specialist unit levels is as follows:

    1st Regiment Royal Military Police

    3rd Regiment Royal Military Police

    4th Regiment Royal Military Police

    Special Investigation Branch Regiment

    Military Provost Service

    Special Operations Regiment (made up of the Close Protection Unit and Service Police Crime Bureau)