Category: Speeches

  • Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugo Swire on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the dangers of using a hands-free kit while driving.

    Andrew Jones

    The Highway Code makes it clear that drivers need to be in control of their vehicles at all times. That means that drivers need to ensure that they use any device in their vehicles in a safe way when driving.

    Driving while using a hands-free kit is legal and previously published research estimated that whilst a hands-free kit is distracting, it is safer than using a hand-held device.

    Many cars now have built in hands-free kits and we are working with the industry to ensure that safety and legislation keeps pace with new technology as it develops.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take in response to the findings of the Care Quality Commission’s report on the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, published on 29 September 2016, relating to the performance of that Trust.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Following the publication of the Care Quality Commission report on 29 September, NHS Improvement placed South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in Special Measures. The Trust will receive a package of tailored support to address specific issues and drive improvements.

    These measures include: buddying arrangements with South Central Ambulance Service, the appointment of an Improvement Director and publication of the Trust’s recovery plan in November, which will include a detailed programme to specifically address the bullying and harassment culture within the Trust. An oversight group has already been established to be chaired by NHS Improvement and including representatives from NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and the Trust to oversee the delivery of quality improvements.

    There has been a change in leadership following the resignation of the Chair and Chief Executive. NHS Improvement has appointed an interim Chair and continues to support organisational development and cultural change work, including strengthening complaints processes.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the train service in the Lincoln area, to both London and Birmingham, is adequate to meet present needs, and what firm plans they have for developing the service along those rail corridors.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government believes that Train Operators are better placed to respond to the changing demands of their customers in the creation of train services and it is the Government’s view that timetable development is an activity that should be managed by Train Operators with minimum interference from Central Government.

    In 2016 we will open the competition for the East Midlands franchise, and will engage with stakeholders and run a public consultation to help specify services.

    From May 2019, Stagecoach Virgin have been contracted by the Department for Transport to operate 5 additional services each day between London and Lincoln.This will provide a regular service of approximately 1 train every 2 hours in each direction. Delivery of this is subject to the rail industry’s normal timetable development process and to the Office of Road and Rail granting the necessary access rights to the operator.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Tornado GR4-trained navigators there are in the RAF.

    Earl Howe

    There are 190 Tornado GR4 trained navigators in the Royal Air Force.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been deducted from funding allocated by the National College of Teaching and Leadership to higher education institutions who have trained more teachers than places allocated in each academic year since 2010-11.

    Nick Gibb

    The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) have not reduced the funding for any higher education institutions (HEIs) who have trained more teachers than places allocated since the academic year 2010-11. The NCTL continues to have the right to impose penalties, but have not exercised this previously. The decision to exercise this right in the academic year 2016/17 will be made after institutions submit their trainee registration information.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide support for producers of anaerobic digestive installations in completing planning applications for those installations.

    James Wharton

    My Department has made clear, through planning guidance, that anaerobic digestion as a form of waste development needs to be planned for. It is for local authorities to decide on the most appropriate strategy for managing waste in their area in line with planning policy and guidance.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the relevance of the Final Report of the US Defense Science Board Task Force on Resilient Military Systems, published on 10 October 2012, to the security of Trident submarines.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence are aware of the report in question which has not alerted us to anything new. We continue to place a high priority on assuring the effectiveness of our nuclear deterrent and managing the associated risk. We continue to monitor and evaluate capabilities and technologies that could threaten the nuclear deterrent, including from cyber-attack. It would not be appropriate to go into specific detail of the steps taken to mitigate against these threats but note that the report points out that submarine platforms have isolation "designed into how they operate and fight" and that this isolation provides nuclear armed submarines with additional resilience over other nuclear weapon systems.

  • Lord Dobbs – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    Lord Dobbs – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Dobbs on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Leader of the House how many government defeats there have been on delegated legislation in the House of Lords, (1) in total, and (2) in each Session, since 1950.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    Since 1950, there have been 35 Government defeats on motions relating to delegated legislation in the House of Lords. There have been five such defeats in this session to date – a fifth of the total over the last 65 years.

    The number of government defeats on motions relating to delegated legislation since 1950, broken down by session, is detailed below:

    Session

    Total

    Session

    Total

    Session

    Total

    1950

    1972-73

    1994-95

    1950-51

    1973-74

    1995-96

    1

    1951-52

    1974

    1996-97

    1952-53

    1974-75

    1997-98

    1

    1953-54

    1975-76

    1998-99

    1954-55

    1976-77

    1999-00

    2

    1955-56

    1977-78

    2

    2000-01

    1956-57

    1978-79

    2001-02

    1957-58

    1979-80

    2002-03

    4

    1958-59

    1980-81

    2003-04

    1959-60

    1981-82

    2004-05

    1

    1960-61

    1982-83

    2005-06

    1

    1961-62

    1983-84

    1

    2006-07

    2

    1962-63

    1984-85

    1

    2007-08

    1963-64

    1985-86

    2008-09

    2

    1964-65

    1986-87

    2009-10

    4

    1965-66

    1987-88

    2010-12

    1966-67

    1988-89

    2012-13

    4

    1967-68

    1

    1989-90

    2013-14

    1968-69

    1990-91

    2014-15

    1969-70

    1991-92

    2015-6

    5

    1970-71

    1992-93

    3

    1971-72

    1993-94

    TOTAL

    35
  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much domestic solar PV by MWp was deployed in Quarter 1 of the new FIT scheme; and what the cap was for that quarter.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Domestic solar PV (typically greater than 4kW) is included within the greater than 10kW solar PV cap. In quarter one of 2016, the deployment cap for solar PV greater than 10kW was set at 48.4 MW and 21.031 MW of capacity was deployed. Unutilised capacity was rolled over to the next quarter’s cap.

  • Sammy Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sammy Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Agriculture Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive on enabling beekeepers in Northern Ireland to be registered on BeeBase.

    George Eustice

    There are currently 38,297 beekeepers registered on the National Bee Unit’s voluntary database BeeBase.

    Defra continues to work closely with colleagues in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland, (DAERA) on bee health. This includes previously exploring the option for Northern Ireland’s beekeepers to be able to register on BeeBase. As a devolved matter, the decision to join BeeBase is a matter for each devolved government to make.

    Beekeepers in Northern Ireland can benefit from the wealth of information on the public pages of BeeBase which provide advice and guidance on identification of bee pests and diseases and good beekeeping practices to keep their hives healthy.