Category: Speeches

  • The Countess of Mar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Countess of Mar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) view that three unpublished industry-sponsored carcinogenicity studies on mice played an important role in informing EFSA’s decision that the herbicide glyphosate is not carcinogenic to humans.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The European Food Safety Authority concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard in humans. This conclusion followed a very thorough consideration of a wide range of scientific data, including a number of studies on laboratory animals.

    The mouse carcinogenicity studies were performed by independent testing laboratories and comply with the applicable OECD test guideline and Good Laboratory Practice. Carcinogenicity studies in mice are among the many EU data requirements for pesticides, and help to establish whether or not an active substance in a pesticide has carcinogenic potential.

    Under the regulatory system for pesticides, studies are not published because of the danger that data may be wrongly used to support other rival applications for authorisation. However, requests to view the documents can be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemicals Regulation Directorate and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings they have had with councillors from St Helena about the provision of air services to the island.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Minister Duddridge discussed the provision of air services to St Helena with Councillor Lawson Henry in December 2015.

    DFID officials work closely with the Governor of St Helena on all issues to do with air access to the island. The Governor is in regular direct contact with the Councillors on this issue.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the forecast size of the financial deficit of (a) Nottingham City, (b) Nottingham West, (c) Nottingham North and East and (d) Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group in 2021.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department has made no estimate of the size of the financial deficit of Nottingham City, Nottingham West, Nottingham North and East and Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in 2021. NHS England advises that the four CCGs are forecasting an overall surplus for the 2016-17 financial year.

    Every health and care system in England is producing a multi-year Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), showing how local services will evolve and become sustainable over the next five years – ultimately delivering the Five Year Forward View vision of better health, better patient care and improved National Health Service efficiency.

    The national health and care bodies expect the Nottinghamshire STP to articulate clearly the scale of the future financial challenge at STP level and how local commissioners and providers plan to respond. The overall financial challenge articulated in the STP will include consideration of the resources required by the NHS in Nottinghamshire, and the resources likely to be allocated in future years.

  • Alan Whitehead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alan Whitehead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what circumstances would constitute a political shutdown of the proposed Hinkley Point C power station by the EU or international competent authority which would trigger a payment to the operators of that power station.

    Andrea Leadsom

    As explained in DECC’s Departmental Minute of 21 October, a political shut down would be an action by a UK, EU or international Competent Authority which shutdown, or prevented the completion of, Hinkley Point C (HPC) – except where this action is done on grounds of protecting health, nuclear safety, security, environmental, nuclear transport or nuclear safeguards related matters. If my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State decides to direct the Low Carbon Contracts Company Ltd to offer a Contract for Difference to HPC, the terms of the contract will be published (with commercially sensitive information removed) once it has been entered in to by the parties.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many alleged human traffickers have been prosecuted by the CPS as a result of calls made to the NSPCC human trafficking and modern slavery helpline between July 2014 and June 2015.

    Robert Buckland

    In the last financial year the CPS successfully prosecuted 130 human trafficking cases. However, the CPS does not record how an allegation of human trafficking or modern slavery was brought to the attention of the investigative authorities.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that adequate clean water is provided in refugee camps near the Syrian border.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We are the second largest bilateral donor after the US.

    In 2015/16 DFID is working with 18 humanitarian partners in countries neighbouring Syria. Our funding has provided access to clean water for over 980,000 people in these countries since the start of the crisis.

    In Jordan, DFID provides funding to UNICEF’s water supply work in refugee camps. In Zaatari Camp this involves the construction of boreholes in order to reduce daily running costs of trucking water into the camp. In December, for the first time since it opened, no external water trucking is needed for Zaatari camp. In Azraq Camp DFID contributes to the construction of boreholes, water distribution network and sanitation infrastructure.

    The vast majority of Syrian refugees live amongst host communities. The government’s response is therefore focused on refugees within these communities, not solely those in formal and informal camps. As a result, we are also funding Lebanese and Jordanian municipalities for the running of essential public services, including water and sanitation.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Belarusian counterpart on recent death penalty sentences handed down by Belarusian courts and the position of the Belarusian government on the abolition of the death penalty.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK continues to press Belarus to implement a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards abolition.

    Officials from London and in the Embassy in Minsk make representations to the Government of Belarus at each available opportunity. Most recently the Director General, Political at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Minsk and spoke about the need for a moratorium on the death penalty during discussions with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms Alena Kupchina, on 9 February 2016.

    The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding a conference on the death penalty to help stimulate debate about the advantages of a moratorium and abolition within the Government of Belarus and civil society.

    The UK supports statements and demarches by the European Union on all death penalties handed down in Belarus.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs were imported into Northern Ireland for (a) non-commercial reasons under the PETS scheme and (b) commercial reasons in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what the countries of origin of those dogs were in each category.

    George Eustice

    The movement of dogs into the United Kingdom, whether through the Pet Travel Scheme or for commercial reasons is a devolved matter.

    The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland has suggested that the Honourable Member write to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on the competitiveness of different construction materials competing in the same downstream markets of the EU Emissions Trading System.

    Anna Soubry

    The analysis underpinning the UK Government’s position on the EU Emissions Trading System has considered the impact on the competitiveness of those sectors that compete in the same markets such as construction. We continue to engage proactively with industry as Phase IV discussions continue and welcome any research or evidence on the competitiveness impacts.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the process for agreeing cross-research council proposals before accessing Global Challenge Research Fund monies.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As stated in the recent White Paper, Government is committed to the Haldane principle, including with respect to Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As with other areas of science and research activity, Research Councils will work with other delivery partners to prepare a high-level research strategy for the GCRF, which they will agree with Ministers. The specific approach to be taken to currently unallocated funds will be developed with delivery partners over the coming months, and will include using the funding to promote multidisciplinary research, in line with Sir Paul Nurse’s recommendations.