Category: Speeches

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on action taken by the Egyptian government against Reuters as a result of that company’s reporting of the case of Giulio Regeni; and what representations he has made to that government on such reports.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are concerned by reports that Reuters is under investigation in relation to an article published on 21 April about Giulio Regeni’s case, and are in contact with Reuters to establish the facts. We consider a free and independent media to be a vital element of a stable and democratic state. As well as calling on the Egyptian authorities to ensure a full and transparent investigation in full cooperation with the Italian authorities, we continue to call on the Egyptian government to ensure that the rule of law and rights enshrined in the Egyptian constitution are protected, so that journalists are able to operate freely without fear of persecution.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 3 May 2016 to Question 35936, on blood: contamination, when he plans to publish a formal response to the public consultation.

    Jane Ellison

    The consultation on the infected blood payment scheme closed on 15 April 2016. Officials are currently analysing the replies and a formal response will be published as soon as possible.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she plans to take to ensure adequate care and safeguarding of young people at Medway Secure Training Centre in response to findings of the Ofsted report of 8 August 2016 on that centre.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The allegations of abuse at Medway and the findings of the most recent Ofsted led inspection in June are shocking and decisive action has already been taken.

    Since the period covered in the report, G4S have been removed from the running of Medway and the centre has been brought under the leadership of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).

    The new governor has a strong track record of working with children in secure care and has already put in place a robust action plan to improve safeguarding, reduce violence and create a positive environment where children have the opportunity to learn and develop.

    The safety and rehabilitation of young offenders is extremely important. We will be responding to the Charlie Taylor review with our plans for reform of the youth justice system shortly.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Government’s support for climate risk insurance as part of her preparations for the COP22 UN Climate Change Summit in Marrakesh, to be held in November 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is proud to be a global leader in disaster risk finance and insurance and we are committed to contributing to meeting the G7’s InsuResilience collective target (set out in the 2015 G7 Leaders Elmau declaration) of helping up to an additional 400 million people in the most vulnerable developing countries to gain access to climate risk insurance by 2020. The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the delivery of the Government’s plans to scale up the use of insurance and risk finance instruments in developing countries to enable:

    • Increased resilience for millions of the most vulnerable people, through improved access to insurance cover,
    • Faster, more efficient emergency response, with a larger proportion of losses in vulnerable developing countries to be covered by insurance systems, taking the strain off the overstretched humanitarian system,
    • Stronger and more stable economic development in developing countries, by helping to reduce the costs and barriers to credit.
  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13044, what the (a) technical, (b) regulatory and (c) contractual reasons were for delays at (i) Olkiluoto 3 and (ii) Flamanville 3 reactors.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The causes of the delays at Olkiluoto 3 include complex contractual structures and a series of design changes suggested by the local regulator after the start of construction. Hinkley Point C will commence construction with a more mature design. Our different regulatory regime and improved contracting arrangements will ensure that issues will not arise in the UK.

    Flamanville 3 has experienced delays as a result of changes to the design after the start of construction, changes to regulatory requirements, including modifications to take account of lessons learned from the accident at Fukushima in 2011, and quality problems with key components. In the UK, responsibility for delivery and compliance with regulatory requirements lies with EDF and its co-investors. The shareholders in the project carry the full construction risk.

    EDF Energy, overseen by the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation, will apply any relevant lessons learned and ensure the delivery of high standards of nuclear safety for its new nuclear power plants in the UK.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in excess winter mortality rates in North East England in the winter of 2014-15.

    Jane Ellison

    The increased excess deaths in 2014-15 coincided with the circulation of a strain of flu, A(H3N2), that particularly affects older people. Cold snaps and other respiratory infections may also have contributed to an increase in excess mortality. There was evidence also that the flu vaccine provided reduced protection due to some drift of the circulating A(H3N2) virus.

    These observations were not unique to the United Kingdom, with 14 other European countries also reporting an increase in excess mortality. Throughout the last decade, there has generally been a good match between the strains of flu in the vaccine and those that subsequently circulate, highlighting the importance of flu vaccination for at risk groups, including older people and also the childhood flu vaccine programme, which when rolled out, aims to provide protection for both children, but also the general population.

    Public Health England has no such data available for North East England.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 24637, how many Band 3 and above prison officers took severance or redundancy packages in each month since May 2010.

    Andrew Selous

    It has not been possible to answer this question within the time available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy with regard to the payment of child benefits to EU migrants (1) who have been resident in the UK for fewer than four years, and (2) whose children are also resident in the UK.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    I refer the honourable member to the recent UK White Paper ‘The Best of Both Worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union’, available on the gov.uk website.

    The UK’s settlement will mean that Child Benefit paid to EU nationals living here, but whose children live outside the UK, will no longer be paid at UK rates but be paid at a rate that reflects conditions – including the standard of living and Child Benefit paid – of the country where the children live.

    Eligibility rules for Child Benefit for individuals moving to the UK can be found on the gov.uk website.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of gaps in maritime capability.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Given the constantly evolving nature of the threats we face, maritime capabilities are regularly reviewed and assessed. I am witholding the details of those assessments as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Chinese government on the safety of British journalists working in China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain concerned by the harassment and detention of journalists in China. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to respect and protect freedom of expression and association, in line with its constitution and the international frameworks to which China is a party. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised this issue with the Chinese Foreign Minister earlier this year. Specifically, he expressed his disappointment at the unacceptable treatment of journalists, including those from the UK, outside the court during the trial of Pu Zhiqiang. I raised the same issue with Vice Minister Cheng Fengxiang, of the Chinese Communist Party International Liaison Department, in December 2015. The latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights report highlights further concerns over the treatment of some journalists in China (including foreign journalists).