Category: Speeches

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a record is kept of persons employed in Northern Ireland whose primary addresses are in the Republic of Ireland, and what steps they have taken to ensure that such data are collected and updated regularly.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Salaries, wages and other similar remuneration from an employment is normally taxed in the country where it is earned, so the primary address of an employee is not relevant. As such the information is not held in the format requested.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether action on the promotion of women’s rights and social justice has been made central to the Post-2015 Development Agenda, and of whether women, as key stakeholders, are able to promote and negotiate their own development goals.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK was a leading voice in the Global Goals for Sustainable Development negotiations and insisted that that that these goals must start by empowering girls and women, and tackling discrimination. A key priority was to ensure a strong and explicit commitment to gender equality through a standalone goal, and further gender mainstreaming throughout the framework. These were both successfully included in the final set of global goals.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department issues guidance to bus operators on air pollution control and leaving bus engines running idle while at a bus stand.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government fully recognises the potential hazards to health and the environment that pollutant emissions from motor vehicles can cause, including when vehicle engines are left idling. Whilst the Government has not issued specific guidance on the subject of idling by bus operators, under Regulation 98 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended, it is an offence to cause emissions or noise by leaving a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily whilst stationary on the road – other than when in traffic. Local authorities also have powers under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002 to issue fixed penalty notices for this offence.

    We are committed to improving the UK’s air quality, reducing health impacts and fulfilling our legal obligations. Our air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide, published on 17 December 2015, sets out a comprehensive approach to meeting our ambition for the UK to have some of the cleanest air in the world, including by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones. Under the Plan, by 2020 the most polluting vehicles, including older polluting buses, will be discouraged from entering the centres of Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Nottingham and Derby. As part of the plan, London also has a well-developed strategy for improving air quality, including the implementation of an ultra-low emission zone by 2020 – which will cover a range of vehicles, also including buses.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many additional staff have been employed to work on EU-related matters in which Government Departments (a) over the last 12 months and (b) since January 2016.

    John Penrose

    I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex on 11 February to UIN: 26361, and to the hon. Member for Clacton on 18 April to UIN: 33727.

  • 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 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) East Anglia franchise bidders on rolling stock and (b) rolling stock companies on the East Anglia franchise.

    Claire Perry

    The procurement process for the operator of the East Anglia franchise is ongoing. We will make an announcement in due course and communications in regards to the rolling stock solution will be made at that point in time.

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications were made for funding for substantial building repair work at (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in 2015-16; and how many such applications for such funding there were in 2016-17.

    Edward Timpson

    The Education Funding Agency (EFA) provides a Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for eligible academies to access. The table below sets out the number of CIF applications made by primary and secondary schools for projects to address their building condition needs over the years specified:

    CIF 2015-16 round

    Phase of Education

    Total of applications

    Primary

    1,244

    Secondary

    1,383

    All-through

    119

    Total

    2,881

    CIF 2016-17 round

    Phase of Education

    Total of applications

    Primary

    1,512

    Secondary

    1,426

    All-through

    155

    Total

    3,212

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2016 to Question 905556, when he plans to publish the results of the Government consultation seeking views on options to move Land Registry operations to the private sector.

    Margot James

    Following the close of the consultation on moving operations of Land Registry to the private sector Government is carefully considering its response, taking into account consultation responses received. It is only right that new ministers take the time to look at all the options before making a decision on the best way to proceed and no decision on the future of Land Registry has yet been taken. Government will publish a response in due course.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many replies to constituent correspondence from hon. Members his Department sent by (a) email and (b) letter in each of the last three years; and what the cost breakdown of each method was in each such year.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We have received representations from a small number of hon. Members and where appropriate the Department obliges with email replies. Where there is sensitive personal information in a reply, it will be posted for security reasons.

    The cost differential between sending postal replies and email replies is minimal.

    The exact information requested on the method of dispatch is not available other than at a disproportionate cost.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of trends in media ownership in Romania.

    Mr David Lidington

    The British Embassy in Bucharest follows developments in the Romanian media closely, including changes in media ownership. The economic crisis of 2008 resulted in questions over the profitability of many media outlets and changes in ownership. The Government considers that a pluralist media is important for media freedom and the freedom of speech as provided for in the Romanian Constitution.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister’s announcement of 11 January 2016, how much of the proposed £1.4 billion mental health support funding for young people over the next five years has already been allocated.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government has committed to making available the full £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health.

    In this financial year (2015/16), the Government has already allocated £173 million. This includes:

    – £75 million for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to improve local services;

    – £30 million to CCGs to develop evidence based community eating disorder services for children and young people;

    – £28 million to fund the expansion of the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme;

    – £15 million for improvements to perinatal mental health care; and

    – £25 million for investment in inpatient services for children and young people, to build workforce capability, and to support innovation and development of online support.

    A targeted and phased approach to the additional investment over future years will enable local areas to develop additional capacity and a collaborative approach across health, education and children’s services so that the money can be spent effectively. This is what is needed to make a real difference. The Government remains committed to spend the whole £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health.