Category: Speeches

  • Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mims Davies on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatalities were caused by traffic collisions involving persons under the influence of (a) cannabis and (b) illegal drugs in each of the last five years.

    Andrew Jones

    The statistical data that the police provide to the Department about personal-injury road traffic accidents does not include explicit information on the use of illegal drugs. The data do not attribute blame or responsibility for the cause of the accident either.

    However, the records do include information on what factors police officers thought had contributed to the accident. The contributory factor ‘Impaired by drugs (illicit or medicinal)’ is recorded when a police officer thought that a driver or rider was affected by drugs. This factor not only includes the use of illegal drugs but also medicinal drugs, whether prescription or ‘over the counter’, which could have had an effect on someone’s driving. No split between illegal and medicinal drugs is available.

    The number of fatalities in reported road accidents in Great Britain in which the contributory factor ‘Impaired by drugs (illicit or medicinal)’ was reported for 2010 to 2014 can be found in the table below.

    2010

    42

    2011

    54

    2012

    32

    2013

    36

    2014

    55

    It should be noted that contributory factors are only recorded when police officers attended the scene of the accidents; this should be the case for the majority of fatal accidents. The factors are based on police officers’ judgements at the scene and may not include factors that were only discovered after a full investigation of the accident was carried out.

    Drug driving is a menace which is why the Coalition government created a new offence of driving with a specified controlled drug in the body above the specified limit for that drug, with the aim of making it easier for the police to tackle those who drive after taking illegal drugs.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Indonesia in dealing with the terrorist bombings in Jakarta in January 2016.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The UK and Indonesia are already working closely together on a broad range of issues, including counter-terrorism and counter-extremism. We continue to provide support and assistance to the Indonesian government as it works to defeat those who plan and perpetrate acts of terror. Our collaboration in these areas includes an operational capacity-building programme, established in 2005, and incorporates training delivered through the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on police cooperation was signed during the Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) visit to Jakarta in July. Additionally, we co-operate on a range of issues including foreign terrorist fighters, crisis response and legal frameworks.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prescriptions, per year, are (1) made for students aged 19–25, and (2) not collected by students aged 19–25.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We do not collect this information.

  • Jenny Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jenny Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure that parents are aware of his proposals on the introduction of tax-free childcare.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government will publicise the scheme in good time ahead of its introduction through a range of digital and non-digital channels.

    HM Revenue and Customs will also work with the childcare industry and representative groups who interact regularly with parents to raise awareness of the scheme.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department make available to people whose mandatory reconsideration and appeal takes longer than seven weeks to resolve.

    Priti Patel

    Claimants who are found fit for work through the Work Capability Assessment and wish to appeal may be entitled to claim either Universal Credit, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance during the reconsideration period. Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches work with all such claimants to tailor a package of support commensurate with their individual needs.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the provision of free school transport for children who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance.

    Nick Gibb

    I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the reply given to written questions 31573 and 31574 on 22 March 2016.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from (a) local authorities and (b) other bodies on pressures on school places due to immigration from (i) EU and (ii) non-EU countries.

    Edward Timpson

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided for PQs 33106 and 33107 on 18 April 2016.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons his Department did not include the eight key actions, recommended by Public Health England in its report, Sugar reduction: the evidence for action, published in October 2015, in the Government’s childhood obesity plan.

    Nicola Blackwood

    We launched Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action on 18 August. Our plan focuses on actions that are likely to have the biggest impact on childhood obesity. The policies in the plan are informed by the latest research and evidence, including from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Carbohydrates and Health, Public Health England’s evidence package Sugar reduction: the evidence for action, other government departments, debates in this House and various reports from key stakeholders including the Health Select Committee.

    We are confident that the measures we have announced will make a real difference to obesity rates. Though we are clear in our goals and firm in the action we will take, the launch of this plan represents the start of a conversation, rather than the final word.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what preparations the international community has made for the protection of the human rights of women and minorities in Syria in a post-Assad regime.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is clear that Syria needs a political transition leading to a more accountable, inclusive, representative form of governance than the Asad regime. A fundamental element of transition needs to be a commitment to protect Syria’s minorities and to promote the role of women in the political process and beyond.

    Within the International Syria Support Group and in our close work with the moderate opposition, we promote the inclusion and safeguarding of minorities and women as the political process progresses.

    The international community is working with the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee. At a launch hosted by the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) in September, they set out a progressive and compelling vision for political transition in Syria, emphasising among other things their commitment to the protection of all components of Syrian society and to promoting women’s rights.

    The Government has provided £7 million in direct support to gender related projects in Syria since the start of the crisis. For financial year 2016/17, we are due to spend a further £1.9m. Across the 2016 programme, all projects are gender sensitive, with action being taken to raise awareness of gender equality issues, promote the empowerment of women, and gather evidence and accountability for sexual and gender-based violence.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will publish the minutes of all the meetings held during the St David’s Day process.

    Stephen Crabb

    I held a large number of meetings as part of the St David’s Day process. These included meetings with the parliamentary representatives of the four main political parties in Wales to identify which Silk Commission recommendations had political consensus to be taken forward. It was agreed that discussions at these meetings would remain confidential, and the Government has no plans to publish minutes.