Category: Speeches

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taken to encourage the use of solar power in new building developments in England.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Solar power is a good option for developers looking to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their building stock. We encourage such installations by allowing solar power on new building developments to qualify for the Feed-in-Tariff scheme, and through Building Regulations that set demanding energy performance targets for new buildings.

    The Regulations were strengthened most recently in April 2014, to a level that means builders increasingly have to consider the use of renewable technologies in their designs. These could be solar panels, or they could be other types of renewables, which might be more appropriate depending on the location.

    As the costs of panels continue to fall, we expect developers will increasingly see the value of installing solar power on new buildings.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will undertake a review of the law relating to the operation of online pharmacies; and if he will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Until 31 March 2013 the Ministry of Justice published twice yearly updates on coroners’ reports to prevent future deaths. The relevant information can be found in the links below to the four reports which cover the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-reports-and-responses-under-rule-43-of-the-coroners-rules

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-reports-and-responses-under-rule-43-of-the-coroners-rules–10

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-reports-and-responses-under-rule-43-of-the-coroners-rules-1984

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-reports-and-responses-under-rule-43-of-the-coroners-rules–12

    Reports since 1 April 2013 are posted on the Chief Coroner’s website at https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/related-offices-and-bodies/office-chief-coroner/pfd-reports/

    Any review of the law relating to the operation of on-line prescribing would be the responsibility of the Department of Health.

    “

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Kofi Annan and members of the new panel investigating the conflict in Rakhine State in Burma.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    On 15 September, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Honourable Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma), spoke on the phone with Kofi Annan, Chair of the new Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. He commended Mr Annan on his appointment and expressed the UK’s support for the work of the Commission. We welcome State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s initiative in establishing this Commission, whose work will play an important part in providing independent advice on how to resolve intercommunal tensions in Rakhine state.

  • Sammy Wilson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Sammy Wilson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will allocate additional funding to the Superconnected Cities fund for those applications in the most recent round that were unsuccessful.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Any decision regarding funding is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.

  • Rob Marris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs plans to respond to the letter to that body from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 21 October 2015 on Tax credit application, our case reference ZA1147.

    Damian Hinds

    HMRC replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 16 December 2015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent extortion cases.

    Mr John Hayes

    We are clear that the police and other law enforcement agencies where appropriate, should take reports of extortion seriously and investigate them appropriately. Those who commit offences involving extortion should be taken through the courts and met with tough sentences.

    The Anti-Kidnap and Extortion Unit in the National Crime Agency undertakes awareness raising to assist law enforcement agencies’ understanding of the threat.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what training on mental health awareness is provided to foster carers.

    Edward Timpson

    The statutory framework is clear that fostering services must provide carers with the training, information and support necessary in the interests of children placed with them.

    The Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards provide a national post-approval training framework for what foster carers should know and understand. This includes knowing what ‘healthy care’ means for the mental health of young people, and how children develop relationships. My Department’s expectation is that fostering services should ensure that foster carers complete the training within 12-18 months of approval. The TSD Standards form part of the National Minimum Standards for foster care.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of office space owned or occupied by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies is currently unused.

    Jane Ellison

    The proportion of office space owned or occupied by the Department and its executive agencies which is currently unused is (a) 0% and (b) 1.37 %.

    The Department’s executive agencies are Public Health England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The vacant space is leased by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and will be released on 31 March 2016.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 23 March (HL6982), how much extra money has been added to the budgets of (1) the First Sea Lord, (2) the Chief of the General Staff, and (3) the Chief of the Air Staff, in (a) 2016–17 and (b) 2017–18.

    Earl Howe

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave him on 23 March 2016 to Question HL6982.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that Syrian children given asylum in the UK will be able to enter in time for the start of the school year in September.

    James Brokenshire

    The Syrian resettlement scheme has already provided safe haven to more than 1,000 vulnerable Syrians since the scheme was expanded in September 2015. More than half of these were children and we expect children to make up a significant proportion of the 20,000 resettlement places we are providing under the scheme.

    In addition, we have committed to resettling up to 3,000 individuals from the Middle East and North Africa over the lifetime of this Parliament through the resettlement scheme announced on 21 April for children at risk and their family members. As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 May and now reflected in the Immigration Act 2016, we will also work to admit unaccompanied refugee children to the UK from elsewhere in the EU, where this is considered to be in the child’s best interests. Work has begun on how best to implement the legislation and we are committed to act as quickly as we can, while ensuring that we have the necessary services in place to care for these children alongside those who are already in the UK and have claimed asylum here.

    We also continue to work closely with France and other EU Member States to ensure that arrangements for transferring asylum cases under the Dublin Regulation are operating as effectively as possible. A senior UK official was seconded to the French Dublin Unit to assist with the identification and transfer of cases and since February more than 20 children have been transferred to the UK from France and there are many other cases in train.

    All Syrian and other children brought to the UK will be given the care, support and education they require.