Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding his Department has allocated to the Troubled Families Programme for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.

    Damian Hinds

    The Department for Work and Pensions has not allocated direct funding to the Troubled Families Programme in those financial years. The Department has allocated funding for around 300 Troubled Families Employment Advisors to drive improved employment outcomes.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will publish a timetable for the refurbishment of Wolverhampton train station.

    Claire Perry

    The refurbishment of Wolverhampton train station is part of the Wolverhampton Interchange Scheme, which is being driven forward by a partnership of Wolverhampton City Council, Centro, Neptune, Network Rail, Virgin Trains and the Canal and River Trust. The Department is not leading on this project.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will call upon the EU to impose stricter sanctions on European banks that facilitate North Korea’s nuclear programme.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are working with other members of the UN Security Council in response to the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 6 January. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has pressed for the need for a robust response to this serious violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. While negotiations are on-going, any further measures that are agreed by the UN will be replicated by the EU and implemented through EU legislation.

  • Nigel Huddleston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nigel Huddleston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Huddleston on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the £600 million funding allocated for clearing the 700 MHz band of spectrum will be made available to the programme making and special events sector to compensate for the cost of new equipment required as a result of access to that band ending.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In March 2015, Government announced funding of up to £600m to fund the clearance of the 700MHz band and, as part of the programme, we are committed to safeguarding the ongoing benefits of PMSE to the UK economy. Ofcom have published a consultation outlining alternative spectrum bands for PMSE users, and we are currently working with Ofcom to look at how PMSE users can be supported if they need to buy new equipment.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the walk to school programme on the Government’s objective to increase the proportion of children aged five to 10 that usually walk to school from 46 per cent in 2013 to 55 per cent in 2025.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Walk to school programme funded by the Local Sustainable Transport Fund achieved significant modal shift: in primary schools the number of pupils walking all or part of the way to school increased by 23% and the number being driven all the way decreased by 30%. In secondary schools the number of pupils walking increased by 12%.

    Modal shift data collected from the programme, alongside various other actual and estimated figures, indicated that the project produced over 20 million new walking journeys, and took over 18.5 million car miles off the road network.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers she has to shorten the term of a Police and Crime Commissioner elected in May 2016 in order that the role is subsumed by a Metro-Mayor.

    Mike Penning

    If a local area were to make the case to transfer Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) functions to an elected mayor, secondary legislation would set out the details of the transfer of powers and the relevant timescales based on discussions between the local area and central government.

    These powers are provided for in Section 107F of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (as amended by the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016), which sets out the Secretary of State’s necessary order making powers to enable the transfer of PCC functions to an elected mayor.

    Local areas can put forward a proposal to transfer PCC functions at any time and, as stated in response to the honourable member’s earlier question on this issue [32271], any proposal submitted by a local area for an elected mayor to take on PCC functions would be considered on its merits, on a case-by-case basis. The timing of any transfer of powers would also form part of this consideration.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average annual spend on cycling per head is in each of the Cycle Ambition Cities on the most recent date for which figures are available.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Cycling Cities Ambition Grants

    2015/16 through to 2017/18

    Birmingham

    £10.00

    Bristol

    £11.78

    Cambridge

    £12.87

    Leeds

    £10.09

    Manchester

    £11.52

    Newcastle

    £10.43

    Norwich

    £13.46

    Oxford

    £10.66

    The above table reflects the Department’s Cycling Cities Ambition grants and local match funding.

    There may be other funding programmes which would increase the Cycling Ambition Cities figures provided in the table above, but we do not hold information on details such as spend per head for these programmes.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of visa applicants to each visa application centre were fingerprinted before they travelled to the UK in each of the last seven years.

    James Brokenshire

    All visa applicants are required to provide biometric information, including fingerprints, as part of the visa application process.

    Exceptions to this requirement are limited to individuals defined as exempt from immigration control; members of diplomatic missions based overseas travelling to the UK on an official visit; children under the age of five; and those who are physically unable to provide fingerprints (e.g. those who do not have fingers).

    The Home Office is unable to provide the specific information in the format requested without incurring disproportionate cost.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of non-medical prescribing nurses.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department and NHS England have successfully extended prescribing responsibilities to a wider group of health professions, including nurses. This is helping the National Health Service to deliver more timely and effective patient care. These professionals are termed ‘non-medical prescribers’, in order to distinguish them from doctors and dentists.

    There are two types of non-medical prescriber:

    ― Independent Prescribers are able to complete whole episodes of care for a patient, taking responsibility from consultation through to diagnosis and finally, if appropriate, prescription.

    ― Supplementary Prescribers work in conjunction with a doctor to provide patient care. Supplementary Prescribing is a voluntary partnership between an independent prescriber (in this case a doctor) and a supplementary prescriber, to implement a patient-specific clinical management plan, with the patient’s agreement.

    To become a non-medical prescriber, nurses must undertake a recognised Nursing and Midwifery Council accredited prescribing course through a United Kingdom university, sponsored by their employer on the basis of service need.

    Local NHS organisations with their knowledge of the healthcare needs of their local population are therefore responsible for investing in training for nurses’ prescribing roles to deliver the best patient care and meet the changing needs of patients and services.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK leaving the EU does not have a deleterious effect on the financial situation of small and medium-sized businesses; and if he will make a statement.

    Margot James

    The Government remains committed to making Britain the best place in Europe to start and grow a business. That includes supporting those businesses that trade with the EU and wider international markets, as well as continuing to encourage record foreign direct investment that supports business and communities up and down the country.

    Over the coming weeks and months the Government will be engaging with businesses and key stakeholders up and down the country. We will listen to their concerns, aim to limit uncertainty in the transition and ensure our new relationship with the EU works for business.