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Category: Speeches

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what fees the Land Registry has charged for each of the (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory functions it fulfils in each financial year since 2009-10; and how much was raised in fees (i) nationally, (ii) from registrations in London and (iii) from registrations in Hampstead and Kilburn constituency in the latest financial year for which figures are available.

    Anna Soubry

    The information will take time to collate. I will place this in the Libraries of the House as soon as the information is available.

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) medical assessors and (b) others considering applications for (a) personal independence payment and (b) other benefits have knowledge of (i) muscular dystrophy, (ii) neuromuscular conditions and (iii) other rare and progressive conditions.

    Justin Tomlinson

    All healthcare professionals carrying out assessments receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, which includes the evaluation of how medical conditions affect claimants in their day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying out an assessment, assessors refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.

    Benefit entitlement is determined by the Department’s decision makers, who receive extensive training to enable them to evaluate a claim and assess a claimant’s needs. In order to make a decision on benefit entitlement the decision maker considers all the available evidence, including the reports received from the healthcare professional and any further evidence, which may include reports from GPs, hospital doctors and other clinicians.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the rollout of the new submarines for the replacement Trident programme does not disrupt the Government’s commitment to having a constant at-sea deterrent.

    Harriett Baldwin

    As set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we are taking steps to manage the defence nuclear enterprise and ensure the Successor submarines are delivered to time and budget. As part of this, we have established a new Director-General Nuclear to act as single and accountable focal point within the Ministry of Defence for all aspects of the defence nuclear enterprise. We are also establishing a new submarine delivery body for the procurement and in-service support of all nuclear submarines, including the Successor submarines. We have deliberately moved away from a traditional single ‘Main Gate’ approach, to a staged investment approach with multiple control points. This will enable us to better regulate and control programme funding and delivery.

    The rollout of the Successor submarines supports the programme to maintain a Continuous at Sea Deterrent.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how frequently her Department reviews engineering jobs on the occupational shortage list to prevent over supply.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviews the Shortage Occupation List when commissioned to do so by the Government.

    The MAC is an independent advisory body consisting of expert labour market economists. It has a clear, published methodology for assessing whether occupations are skilled, in shortage, and whether it is sensible to address those shortages in part through migration, based on a variety of indicators and using national “top down” data as well as “bottom up” evidence from employers.

    The MAC has carried out two full reviews and three partial reviews of the Shortage Occupation List since May 2010. Further information about the MAC’s methodology and the reviews it has carried out are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee

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  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what organisations her Department is working with to deliver humanitarian aid in Nepal.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID is working with a range of partners to deliver humanitarian aid in Nepal. These include: a set of Prequalified NGO partners working with local partners that helped facilitate a rapid response in the aftermath of Earthquake; International Organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); and the multilateral system which includes the United Nations.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the attacks on the University in Tulkarem situated in Area A of the West Bank and their impact on students’ access to education.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not made representations to the Government of Israel on this specific issue we strongly condemn all acts of violence and all incitement to commit acts of violence. Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, urging them to use their influence to de-escalate the tensions.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will suspend the powers of enforcement contained in the Psychoactive Substances Bill in relation to alkyl nitrates pending the outcome of the review announced in response to the Home Affairs Select Committee First Report of Session 2015-16, published on 23 October 2015.

    Mike Penning

    Pending the outcome of the review announced in the response to the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee, we will seek to ensure a proportionate response to the sale of poppers by all those enforcing the legislation and that this approach is reflected in the guidance currently being drafted by enforcement partners.

    The Bill has lower penalties than the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and provides for civil sanctions, as an alternative to a criminal prosecution, to enable law enforcement agencies to adopt a graded response in tackling the trade in the range of psychoactive substances. The Bill does not criminalise simple possession of poppers and this will also be borne in mind by partners when enforcing the legislation.

    In consultation with the Department of Health and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), we will consider whether there is evidence to support the claims that ‘poppers’ have a beneficial health and relationship effect and, if so, whether it is sufficient to justify exempting the alkyl nitrites group (or individual substances in the group).

    Should we conclude that a case has been made to include alkyl nitrites in the list of exempted substances, we intend to complete this consideration in time to enable any such draft regulations to be laid before both Houses and approved before the summer recess.

  • Baroness Walmsley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Walmsley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Walmsley on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to make the Meningitis B vaccine available on the NHS to children born before 1 May 2015.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the independent expert body that advises ministers on immunisation matters, recommended a meningococcal B (MenB) immunisation programme that will protect infants because they are at highest risk, with the peak incidence of MenB being in infants at about five months of age. The MenB vaccine is offered to babies at two months of age, with further doses offered when they reach four and 12 months of age.

    The JCVI keeps the eligibility criteria of all vaccination programmes under review and considers new evidence as it becomes available. If the JCVI provides further advice about the programme, we will consider this.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to involving appropriate regulators in the development of degree-level apprenticeships for nursing and other allied health professionals.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Apprenticeship standards focus on the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to enable an apprentice to demonstrate mastery of an occupation and, as such, must meet professional registration requirements in sectors where these exist at the relevant level.

    The Nursing and Midwifery Council are involved in the development of the Degree Nurse Apprenticeship Standard and will formally be invited to become a member of the Nursing Trailblazer Group.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the costs or savings to his Department of (a) none, (b) 25 per cent, (c) 50 per cent, (d) 75 per cent and (e) 100 per cent of the staff based at the St Paul’s Place office leaving his Department as a result of the closure of that office.

    Joseph Johnson

    If the proposal to close the BIS HQ office at St Paul’s Place goes ahead the Department would undertake to offer another round of voluntary exit proposals to staff based in Sheffield, as well as the other smaller numbers in other locations who are affected. We would also expect in such a scenario that a number of staff would find roles elsewhere, and that some members of staff might retire, as well as the possibility that redundancies might be required in some cases. Actual costs would depend on these variables. As regards any estimate of savings to the Department I refer the hon Member to my answer to his related question number UIN 33959.

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