Category: Speeches

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of employees in his Department has (a) taken the CESG Certified Cyber-Security Training Course and (b) received other relevant cyber-security training.

    Brandon Lewis

    Technical cyber-security services are provided to the Department by the Department for Education under a shared services agreement. All Information Asset Owners in the Department have undertaken the Information Asset Owner module of the cross government Responsible for Information Training, which includes cyber-security training.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken as a result of the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ report on HM Prison Rochester, published in September 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Selous

    HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ (HMIP) report on HMP Rochester was published on 13 January this year.

    Rochester prison faces a significant challenge from new psychoactive substances, which the Governor and his staff are determined to tackle. They have already put in place additional security measures, along with measures to increase awareness of substance misuse issues and extend support to overcome it. Progress has also been made since this inspection to improve safety and purposeful activity with more prisoners engaged in high quality work and training opportunities.

    The Governor will use the recommendations in this report to drive further improvements over the coming months. An action plan responding to all the recommendations in the report will be published at the following link in due course: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/

    “

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of persons involved in each of the following proscribed terrorist organisations: (1) Continuity Army Council; (2) Cumann na mBan; (3) Fianna na hEireann; (4) Irish National Liberation Army; (5) Irish People’s Liberation Organisation; (6) Irish Republican Army; (7) Loyalist Volunteer Force; (8) Orange Volunteers; (9) Red Hand Commando; (10) Red Hand Defenders; (11) Saor Eire; (12) Ulster Defence Association; (13) Ulster Freedom Fighters; and (14) Ulster Volunteer Force.

    Lord Dunlop

    It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of people involved in these organisations. Involvement and support for illegal proscribed organisations can take many different forms and the true extent of involvement is often hidden.

    Statistics on charges brought in relation to support for paramilitary organisations can be found in Northern Ireland Terrorism Legislation: Annual Statistics 2014/15, Table 9 on the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/465088/Terrorism_Bulletin_2014-2015.PDF

    The relevant information is also shown below for ease of reference:

    Table: Charges brought against persons detained in Northern Ireland under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000

    Number of Charges

    Offence

    19 Feb 2001-Mar 2013/14

    April-Sept 2014/15

    Oct-Mar 2014/15

    2014-15 Total

    Supporting a proscribed Organisation

    21

    0

    0

    0

    Making contributions to a proscribed organisation

    47

    0

    0

    0

    Dressing as a member of a proscribed organisation

    10

    0

    0

    0

    Source: Police Service of Northern Ireland

    “

  • Lord Palmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Palmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees why the refurbishment of the toilets outside the Cholmondeley Room has not yet been completed; and when it is expected to be completed.

    Lord Laming

    The works are due to be completed before June 2016. Alternative facilities are available down the corridor, which are signposted. The refurbishment of these toilets includes replacement of worn and damaged fixtures, and addressing a number of issues including drainage and ventilation. The Administration and Works Committee is received regular updates on progress.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish all of her Department’s statistics on the incidents of (a) domestic violence and (b) dowry related abuse in the UK.

    Karen Bradley

    Statistics on domestic violence are published combining domestic violence and abuse through the Office for National Statistics who are responsible for the publication of crime statistics, including those of domestic violence and abuse. Detailed information on domestic violence and abuse from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) is published annually in their Focus on: Violence and Sexual Offences series. The most recent publication, for the year ending March 2015, is available here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/yearendingmarch2015

    Additionally, since April 2015 the police have notified the Home Office where recorded offences are domestic abuse related. Figures from the police for April to September 2015 were also published in the statistical bulletin linked above (see Table 6.01). The publication also includes information on the number of domestic abuse incidents the police deal with, in Appendix Table 4.08. Some incidents are not subsequently recorded as crimes as no crime as defined in law has taken place, so numbers will be higher than the number of domestic abuse crimes.

    The increases seen in domestic abuse incidents recorded by the police over this time period is thought to reflect improvements in the identification and recording of these incidents by the police alongside increased willingness of victims to report such incidents to the police. The CSEW has not shown an increase in domestic abuse over this period.

    The Home Office has not received specific information on dowry related abuse.

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was generated from vehicle excise duty receipts in Greater Manchester in the last year for which information is available.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold information on the amount of vehicle excise duty revenue collected by geographical region. The total vehicle excise duty revenue collected in financial year 2014-15 was around £6 billion.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings his Department has had with representatives of each sector of the economy on exiting the EU since he took office.

    Mr Robin Walker

    DExEU officials, supported by officials across Government, are engaging with business to identify the key factors that will affect our negotiations with the EU. We have a formal strategy and are engaging with companies big and small in every sector of the economy and are drawing on local and regional networks and key organisations in the voluntary sector.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on achieving the target of 55 per cent of primary school children walking to school by 2025.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is developing new ambitions for walking as part of its legal obligation, as set out in the Infrastructure Act 2015, to have in place a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). The target for walking set out in the Cycling Delivery Plan, to increase the percentage of primary school children walking to school to 55 per cent by 2025, will be considered as part of that process.

    My Department intends to publish the first CWIS in summer 2016 and will be announcing a series of supporting documents leading up to this, including an Ambition document.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether part-time students applying for maintenance support from 2018-19 will continue to be eligible for benefits.

    Joseph Johnson

    Eligibility criteria and specific rules of the scheme will be set out as part of the consultation.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when human papilloma virus vaccinations will be available to men who have sex with men through genito-urinary medicine clinics; and what steps his Department is taking to promote that availability.

    Jane Ellison

    In November 2015, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert body that advises the Government on all immunisation matters, advised that a targeted human papillomavirus vaccination programme should be undertaken for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age who attend genitourinary medicine and HIV clinics. They noted that this should be subject to procurement of the vaccine and delivery of the programme at a cost-effective price.

    The Department is considering the JCVI’s advice and is undertaking a full equality analysis. The Department will confirm its plans in due course.