Category: Speeches

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department plans to include measures as part of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights to promote ethical practices of UK businesses operating abroad.

    Anna Soubry

    The National Action Plan, to implement the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights, was published on GOV.UK on 4th September 2013. This sets out the Government’s expectation of UK businesses to respect human rights wherever they operate.

    We continue to update our action plan, reflecting the progress we have made as well as covering other related action taking place across Government such as the Modern Slavery Act.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many civil servants were employed in his Department in each year from 2010 to 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The number of people employed in the Department for Transport in each financial year is shown for each year in the table below. As at March 15 there were 17,142 employees.

    Headcount

    Mar ’10

    Mar ’11

    Mar ’12

    Mar ’13

    Mar ’14

    Mar ’15

    DFT central Dept

    2,009

    1,822

    1,669

    1,744

    1,854

    1,841

    Driver Standards Agency

    2,697

    2,607

    2,584

    2,441

    2,264

    **

    Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency

    6,445

    6,360

    6,326

    6,457

    5,568

    5,794

    Driver Vehicle Standards Agency

    4,520

    Government Car Despatch Agency

    329

    235

    178

    91

    *

    *

    Highways Agency

    3,834

    3,633

    3,488

    3,331

    3,471

    3,757

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    1,230

    1,142

    1,118

    1,086

    1,073

    1,064

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    149

    147

    156

    156

    163

    166

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

    2,527

    2,305

    2,206

    2,265

    2,268

    **

    Total DfT

    19,220

    18,251

    17,725

    17,571

    16,661

    17,142

    Notes to Data

    * GCDA ceased to be an Agency and joined the central Department as the Government Car Service (GCS) in July 2012, but continued to report their staff separately until March 2013 due to using a different shared services system. After this date, the GCS was reported as part of the central Department

    ** In April 2014 DSA and VOSA merged to form a new Agency called the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)

  • Lord Quirk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Quirk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the report Living with Difference published on 7 December 2015 by the Woolf Institute, following the work of the Institute’s Commission chaired by Baroness Butler-Sloss; and what action they plan to take on the recommendations made.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government welcomes this report and its contribution to the debate on faith in Britain today. We continue to celebrate the role of faith in society, with a particular emphasis on cooperation between different faiths as a way of breaking down barriers and strengthening communities.

    The report raises a number of questions for a range of organisations. I will ensure that all Government Departments consider the recommendations relevant to their individual policy areas.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of his Department’s staff have worked for the Centre for Cyber Assessment in each year since its inception.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Ministry of Defence has contributed members of staff to the Centre for Cyber Assessment since it was established in 2013 but does not disclose the details of these arrangements.

  • 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 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25939, what proportion of the income from estimated Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme payments for 2016-17 will be brought forward from estimated payments due in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government announced in December 2015 that the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) payment percentage for the 2016 calendar year is 7.80%. This represents an increase of 2.64 percentage points as a result of the addendum to the PPRS agreed with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and published alongside the 2016 payment percentage. The income brought forward to 2016 as a result of this agreement will depend on a number of factors, including total branded medicine sales to the National Health Service over the course of the year.

  • The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals took Art and Design GCE AS/A level in each year since 2011 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined, and what percentage of the total number of GCE AS/A levels this constitutes.

    Lord Nash

    The Department for Education produces statistics on England only.

    Information on the number of entries of art and design GCE AS/A level and the percentage of the total number of all GCE AS/A level entries for the 2010/11 to 2014/15 academic years is provided in the table below. This information is published in the “A level and other level 3 results: 2014 to 2015 (revised)” Statistical First Release available on GOV.UK.

    GCE/A level[1] entries

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Art and Design

    42,633

    43,236

    41,388

    40,763

    40,747

    Percentage of all A level entries that were in A level art and design

    5.4

    5.5

    5.3

    5.5

    5.4

    GCE/AS level[2] entries

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Art and Design

    64,945

    60,179

    59,457

    58,460

    55,430

    Percentage of all AS level entries that were in AS level art and design

    5.5

    5.3

    5.3

    5.2

    5.1

    [1] A level only.

    [2] AS level only.

  • Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what processes are in place to enable a community to appeal against the rejection of an asset of community value application.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    There is no specific appeals process in place to enable a community to appeal against the rejection of an asset of community value application. If the nominating group feel that the local authority has not followed the due legal process in reaching a decision, the nominating group may bring any such irregularities to the attention of the local authority’s monitoring officer. In addition, if new evidence comes to light to support the case for the asset being listed, the community are able to re-nominate the asset.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2016 to Question 38066, what the (a) number, (b) current responsibilities and (c) current locations are of any National Savings and Investment roles undertaken by employees of Atos which are planned to be off-shored.

    Harriett Baldwin

    NS&I and Atos regularly review the mix of where roles are undertaken so as to best meet the needs of the business. There are no current plans to move roles in the UK undertaken by employees of Atos off-shore.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service pupil premium.

    Edward Timpson

    No children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service child element of the pupil premium grant. The grant is payable to schools and local authorities for pupils in year groups reception to year 11.

    The number of school-age children in England eligible for the service child pupil premium in January 2016, broken down by Key Stage, is provided in the table.

    Reception

    Key Stage 1

    Key Stage 2

    Key Stage 3

    Key Stage 4

    Total

    Number of pupils (headcount)

    6,008

    13,098

    26,489

    17,479

    10,358

    73,432

    Source: School Census, January 2016

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK intends to maintain the EU ban on neonicotinoids after the UK leaves the EU.

    George Eustice

    As part of the preparation for EU exit, we are considering future arrangements for pesticides. Our highest priority will continue to be the protection of people and the environment.

    The Government remains of the view that decisions on the use of neonicotinoids and other pesticides should be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks. Pesticides that carry unacceptable risks to pollinators should not be authorised. The Government keeps the developing evidence on neonicotinoids under active review, advised by the Expert Committee on Pesticides.