Category: Speeches

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of his Department’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Spending Review 2015 set out settlements for departments and showed how the government will deliver on its priorities, eliminate the deficit, and deliver security and opportunity for working people.

    Final decisions on internal departmental funding allocations for future years, including for research and development, will be set out in due course.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a cap on the number of private hire vehicles operating in London.

    Andrew Jones

    This Government does not intend to amend primary legislation to allow the number of private hire vehicles licensed in London or elsewhere to be restricted.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much was spent by Sellafield Ltd on supply chain services in each of the last six years; what proportion of that expenditure in each of those years was to SMEs; and what proportion of those services was provided from each region and constituent nation of the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The department does not hold this information as it is the responsibility of the NDA.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will issue a response to EDM 1011, Fire at Mzuzu University, Malawi.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK recognises the terrible loss for Mzuzu University and academia in Malawi caused by the fire in December 2015 which destroyed the university library and its stock of 45,000 books.

    We commend the Scotland Malawi Partnership for coordinating efforts in Scotland to appeal for donations for the restocking and rebuilding of the library. Officials have met with the Scotland Malawi Partnership and the Mzuzu University Vice Chancellor to discuss possible funding opportunities. It is encouraging that Scottish Universities are again demonstrating Scotland’s unique people to people approach to supporting Malawi at a time when the country is also facing a humanitarian crisis and funding priorities are in strong competition.

  • MiDavies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    MiDavies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by MiDavies on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how his Department defines a vulnerable and intimidated witness; and what processes are in place to support such witnesses when giving evidence.

    Mike Penning

    Vulnerable witnesses are defined under section 16 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 as all child witnesses (under 18 years), or any witness whose quality of evidence is likely to be diminished because they are suffering from a mental disorder (as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983), have a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning, or a physical disability or disorder.

    Under section 17 of the 1999 Act, a witness is considered ‘intimidated’ if they are giving evidence in a case involving a sexual, knife or gun, human trafficking or modern slavery offence, or if the court is satisfied that the quality of evidence given by the witness is likely to be diminished by reason of fear or distress on the part of the witness in connection with testifying in the proceedings.

    Vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are eligible for special measures to support them to give their evidence. Measures include the use of intermediaries to help communication, allowing witnesses to give evidence by way of pre-recorded video and /or live video links from outside the courtroom, screening the witness from the accused, removing people from the public gallery whilst the witness gives evidence and the removal of gowns and wigs.

    The full list of special measures available can be found in sections 23 to 30 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999:

    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/23/part/II/chapter/I/crossheading/special-measures

    “

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on ensuring that Ministry of Defence contracts with suppliers and manufacturers benefit the UK economy.

    Anna Soubry

    My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on a wide variety of issues. My department supports the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), published last November, which set out the Government’s commitment to get the best value for money for the taxpayer in a way that strengthens our economy and bolsters the long-term prosperity of people across the UK. The SDSR committed the Government to refreshing its defence industrial policy and taking further action to help the UK’s defence industry grow and compete successfully and my department is engaging MOD on taking this work forward.

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of recruits enlisting under the age of 18 in the past five years had at least one parent who was serving or had served in the armed forces.

    Earl Howe

    The information is not held in the format requested. Questions regarding details of parental and family links with the Armed Forces are not a mandatory part of the recruiting process and this information is not captured or collated centrally by each Service.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the use of the death penalty against minors.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles, in line with the minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.

    We continue to raise the cases of Ali Al-Nimr, Dawood Al-Marhoon and Adullah Al-Zaher with the Saudi authorities at the highest levels, including during the former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond)’s most recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 29 May. We expect that Ali Al-Nimr and the two others who were convicted as juveniles will not be executed.

  • Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Government’s policy is on the nature of the border controls between the UK and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

    James Brokenshire

    The open border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland existed for many years before either country was a member of the European Union and it has served both countries well. There is a strong will – within this Government, among the Northern Ireland parties and in the Irish Government – to preserve the open border. We must now work closely together to ensure that as the UK leaves the EU we find shared solutions to the challenges and maximise the opportunities.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the likely level of earnings from UK overseas assets over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    The latest forecasts by the Office of Budget Responsibility show that the UK’s net investment income is expected to move to a surplus of £0.5bn in 2018, rising to £4.9bn by 2020.

    Further information can be found in the OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook.