Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional capacity for extra stations is planned for East Cardiff as a result of the electrification of the Great Western main line.

    Claire Perry

    There is currently no additional capacity for extra stations planned for East Cardiff within Network Rail’s current capital spending period (2014-2019).

    However, I can confirm that the second round for the New Station Fund will begin in Spring 2016. The New Stations Fund is to provide funding for the construction of brand new or reopened stations that are promoted by third parties. £20 million will be available and local authorities who are interested are encouraged to submit bids for the funds.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will press for the release of former Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We have made clear on a number of occasions our deep concern about Anwar Ibrahim’s imprisonment. I made a statement on 10 February 2015, following his conviction and sentencing. The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), raised Anwar Ibrahim’s case with his Malaysian counterpart during a visit to Malaysia in July last year.

    A number of other Ministers have raised Anwar Ibrahim’s case with their Malaysian counterparts. Most recently, in separate meetings with Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister in London in November 2015, the Home Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and I raised our concerns, including about his health and medical treatment. I have also met Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter, Nurul Izzah, several times to discuss this case, most recently in February.

    We are aware of concerns regarding judicial independence and the rule of law in this case. We will continue to raise our concerns and encourage Malaysia to recognise the importance of international confidence in its judicial system and to restore trust in its commitment to international human rights standards.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a standard precedent lease will be issued to all schools planned to be converted to an academy under her Department’s recent proposals; what the proposed standard length is of such leases; whether a market rent will be charged; whether the tenant will be responsible for (a) internal and (b) structural maintenance; whether formal consent will be required from her Department before any underlettings or assignments; and whether the local authority will be (i) noted on the lease and (ii) holding an interest right on the property.

    Edward Timpson

    Under the proposals outlined in our White Paper, Education Excellence Everywhere, it is our intention that academies would occupy land transferred to the Secretary of State under the terms of a standard lease. We are currently working to improve and simplify our current model lease.

    The Secretary of State has a clear policy position that publicly funded education land should transfer at no cost to the public, so our intention is to replicate the existing arrangement of 125 year peppercorn leases. A tenant would in the vast majority of cases be responsible for all maintenance and repair of a site, as is the case with our current lease.

    Academies already require the consent of the Secretary of State to dispose of or change the use of any publicly funded land and this is going to remain the case. We are still working with local authorities on how best to implement these measures, including discussions on how we best consider and recognise local needs and interests.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2016 to Question 37198, how many of the leaflets entitled Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK have been returned to his Department; and what the postage cost to the Government has been of such returns.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister’s response of 25th May 2016. This information is not collated centrally by the Department.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the application of Section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016, on limitation on detention of pregnant women.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Home Office has issued guidance to Immigration Enforcement caseworkers, enforcement officers and Border Force officers on the application of section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016. This was published on GOV.UK on 12 July, and includes monitoring tools to track the detention of pregnant women.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential effects on (a) older workers, (b) women and (c) people with disabilities of the proposed reforms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government consulted on its reforms to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and considered the responses it received from civil servants and others carefully. It held several meetings with unions during the consultation and then further meetings with unions that agreed to participate. An equalities impact assessment was published on 26 September alongside the Government’s consultation response.

    The Government believes its proposed reforms will provide a firm foundation for the management of the Civil Service and its people for a generation. The new terms compare favourably with exit terms in the wider economy and will align the Civil Service Compensation Scheme with reforms across the public sector. It will support employers in managing their workforce and simplify the exit process while treating employees respectfully and fairly.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s press release, Petrol price signs on motorways, dated December 2014, what progress he has made of the pilot introduction of motorway signs that show comparison petrol prices at different service stations; and how many such signs are in operation.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government has been finalising the detailed design for trialling new traffic signs. Highways England has provided a further announcement on fuel pricing traffic signs on 2 November 2015. Drivers using a section of the M5, between Bristol and Exeter, will soon benefit from new signs showing the price of fuel along the motorway.

    The move is part of a trial by Highways England designed to give drivers more information to help their journeys and to boost competition on fuel prices. Five motorway service areas are involved in the trial which, depending on the results, could ultimately be rolled out nationally.

    Electronic message signs will show the price of fuel at Gordano, Sedgemoor, Bridgwater, Taunton Deane and Exeter motorway service areas.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 3.3 of National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence Review 2015, published by the Government in November 2015, which challenges set out in that paragraph he plans to tackle by the maintenance and replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system.

    Michael Fallon

    The UK nuclear deterrent has a vital role to play in the security challenges for the coming decade and beyond. It safeguards against state-sponsored nuclear terrorism; provides the ultimate insurance policy against potential Weapons of Mass Destruction threats from states to the UK and its vital interests including our NATO Allies, and helps to maintain the rules based international order.

    As stated in paragraph 4.64 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, other states continue to have nuclear arsenals and there is a continuing risk of further proliferation of nuclear weapons. There is a risk that states might use their nuclear capability to threaten us, try to constrain our decision making in a crisis or sponsor nuclear terrorism. Recent changes in the international security context remind us that we cannot relax our guard. We cannot rule out further shifts, which would put us, or our NATO Allies, under grave threat.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential costs and benefits to business of changes to motor insurance proposed in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Ministry of Justice will launch a public consultation in the New Year on the details of the policy.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups he estimates will publish a recovery plan in the next 12 to 18 months; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    As part of NHS England’s financial management processes, it expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with planned cumulative overspends to provide it with recovery plans. Financial recovery plans may also be requested where a CCG’s financial position deteriorates during a financial year. In the past three years the number of CCGs with planned cumulative overspends has been nine in 2013/14 (with 19 actual cumulative overspends at year end), 18 in 2014/15 (19 at year end) and 22 in 2015/16 (29 forecast full year overspends as at November 2015).

    NHS England has requested CCGs submit final financial plans for 2016/17 by the beginning of April. As in previous years, those planning cumulative deficits will be required to submit or refresh recovery plans. NHS England will not be in a position to estimate the number of CCGs likely to submit recovery plans in 2016/17 until the planning process is further advanced.