Category: Speeches

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to provide funding for carbon capture and storage projects in the next Contracts for Difference allocation round.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Under the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014, Contract for Difference allocation rounds are limited to renewable technologies. The next allocation round for less established technologies is expected to take place by the end of 2016. We are currently working with HM Treasury to finalise the budget for future allocation rounds and will set out more information in due course.

    Contracts for Difference for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) are issued only on direction from my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24142, how many closed CSA cases with child maintenance arrears have been referred for arrears cleansing or validation in each month since 1 April 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The table below shows the number of cases referred for arrears cleansing in each month since April 2015.

    Month

    Apr-2015

    May-2015

    Jun-2015

    Jul-2015

    Aug-2015

    Sep-2015

    Oct-2015

    Nov-2015

    Dec-2015

    Number of cases referred for arrears cleansing

    32,640

    33,740

    27,320

    33,450

    33,450

    31,890

    33,600

    7,630

    21,660

    Notes:

    1. Figures rounded to nearest 10.
  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-03-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 8 March (HL6323), how licence conditions R18-R27 and T97 have been specifically reflected in the patient information and consent forms submitted to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority by the person responsible in order to perform genome editing in human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it carried out an audit of the patient information relating to the research project involving genome editing against the requirements of R19 and R20. T97 is not relevant, as it refers to the use of embryos in training, not research. The audit was completed as part of the inspection and feedback provided to the person responsible during the inspection. An assessment was made against the other licence conditions referred to during the inspection. The HFEA does not interpret the requirements to mean that each specific technique that might be used in the research must be specified in the patient information. In this case, the patient information, which is not yet finalised, makes it clear that genes may be altered but does not specifically refer to CRISPR-Cas9.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential price per share at sale of the Government’s 73 per cent stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland compared to the amount paid per share in 2008.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government will conduct further sales of RBS shares subject to market conditions, and in doing so will maximise value for the taxpayer.

    The OBR presented an estimate of future proceeds in the March 2016 Budget.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the highest number of suspended sentences is that one person currently has without receiving a prison sentence in a (a) magistrates court and (b) Crown court.

    Dominic Raab

    Where the court imposes a custodial sentence of two years or less it may suspend the sentence, for up to two years, and also impose one or more community requirements. This is a decision for the independent judiciary. If the offender breaches a suspended sentence order, there is a statutory presumption that the custodial sentence will be given effect, unless it would be unjust to do so in view of all of the circumstances.

    Repeat offenders can expect to go straight to prison if they commit a serious offence. Offenders serving suspended custodial sentences, however, have a lower re-offending rate than offenders serving immediate, short custodial sentences.

    The highest number of suspended sentences received by one person who has not also received an immediate custodial sentence, as recorded on the Police National Computer (PNC) up to 31 December 2015, and the latest sentencing occasion being (a) in a magistrate’s court was 10 and (b) in the Crown Court was 6.

    The highest number of suspended sentences received by one person, as recorded on the PNC up to December 2015, before receiving an immediate custodial sentence in; (a) a magistrate’s court was 9 and (b) the Crown Court was 8.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 2 March 2016 to Question 28759, whether the mental health needs of children with epilepsy and other long-term conditions will be considered by the expert group convened by his Department and the Department for Education.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The Expert Working Group announced in the Department for Education and the Department of Health’s oral evidence to the Education Committee on 3 February 2016 as part of their Inquiry into the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children will not be considering the mental health needs of children with epilepsy and other long-term conditions. The Working Group will look specifically at the mental health needs of looked after children and young people, adopted children and care leavers. The aim of the Group is to develop care pathways for children in these particular circumstances, including any who might also have long term conditions or disabilities. Further work will be carried out during the implementation of the Five Year Forward View and of the transformation programme for children and young people’s mental health which is set out in Future In Mind which will lead to improvements for all children and young people experiencing mental health problems.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the manufacture, sale, possession and use of animal snares.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government has no plans to ban the use of all animal snares. The Government has sought to improve the welfare of snared animals through research to improve snare deployment and design and by working with users who are producing new guidance on best practice.

    The Animal Welfare Act 2006 contains protection for animals under the control of man to help prevent unnecessary suffering and covers any animal held in a snare. Any suspected cases of illegal use should be reported to the Police.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 4 November (HL2982), what were the reasons for the decision not to appoint a new Middle East Quartet Representative, and what differences exist between the mandate of the Middle East Quartet Representative and the new Head of Mission of the Office of the Quartet.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The reasons for the decision not to appoint a new Middle East Quartet Representative are a matter for the Quartet Principals (UN Secretary General, US Secretary of State, Foreign Minister of Russia and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy).

    The “Office of the Quartet Representative” (OQR) has been renamed the “Office of the Quartet” (OQ). It will be led by two highly-regarded individuals: Kito de Boer, who joined in January 2015, will serve as Head of Mission and Sandra Wijnberg, who joined in July 2014, will serve as Deputy Head of Mission.

    The Head of Mission of the Office of the Quartet (OQ) is charged with delivering the OQ’s mandate. The mandate remains unchanged, and was set out in a June 2015 statement by the Quartet Principals. It is to “focus on economic and institutional development in the Palestinian Territory, addressing issues related to strengthening investment in the Palestinian private sector, rule of law, and movement and access. The OQ shall work in coordination and complementarity (sic) with bilateral and multilateral partners that implement technical assistance programs in the Palestinian Territory. As such, OQ will play an important role in advancing tangible steps on the ground to advance the Palestinian economy, and preserve the possibility of a two state solution.”

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the NHS Strategic Projects Team is to be held to account for the advice it gave to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, and to the NHS Commissioning Board, on the contract for older people’s services in Cambridge and Peterborough.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England advises that it will be commissioning an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the termination of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and UnitingCare Partnership LLP to deliver urgent care for the over 65s and adult community services. This will include the role of the Strategic Projects Team. NHS England is also considering how similar contracts will be managed and assured in the future.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the proportion of farmers who will have received their payments under the Basic Payments Scheme by the end of January 2016.

    George Eustice

    When part payments have been made in the past this has led to years of confusion for farmers and additional costs in processing and disallowance for the Rural Payments Agency. This is why the RPA continues to focus on making full payments on the remaining claims as quickly as possible.

    As at 18 January the RPA had paid around two thirds of eligible Basic Payment Scheme claims received. The Agency continues to focus on making payments on the remainder of claims as soon as possible and remains on track to pay the vast majority of claims by the end of this month.