Category: Speeches

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to tender a public contract to perform the function of operator of last resort for (a) long distance and (b) regional passenger rail franchises.

    Paul Maynard

    The Secretary of State has a duty under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, to maintain the continuity of passenger rail services in the event that a passenger rail franchise terminates and is not immediately replaced. Following a successful procurement competition using the new STAR (Specialist Technical Advice for Rail) Framework Agreement, the Department has appointed a partnership comprising Arup, SNC-Lavalin Transport Advisory and EY to provide services to support the Secretary of State in connection with these duties. This includes advice in connection with the mobilisation and operation of a Public Sector Operator of Last Resort should the need arise.

    The Department does not intend to tender any other contracts to perform the functions of Operator of Last Resort at this stage.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many L86A1-SA-80 light support weapons have been returned from the Middlesex North West London Army cadet force to his Department’s Donnington barracks since 2003.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Since 2003 the Middlesex North West London Army Cadet Force have returned L86A1-SA-80 light support weapons to Ministry of Defence Donnington on one occasion. Four L86 A1-SA-80 weapons were returned in January 2011.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, from which countries the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme accepts UNHCR referrals.

    Richard Harrington

    We work closely with the UNHCR to identify cases that they deem in need of resettlement. We take refugees that UNHCR have referred from the region, from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. This provides refugees with a more direct and safe route to the UK, rather than risking the hazardous journey to Europe.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of whether the purposes for which zombie knives are sold online are legitimate.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government continues to work with the police and partners to ensure we reduce violence and knife crime, and in the year ending June 2015, knife crime recorded by the police was 17% lower than 2010. We are aware of concerns about zombie knives and we are currently considering representations including the letter of 13 January from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands and on 21 January from the prospective mayoral candidate for London Zac Goldsmith. A reply will be sent shortly and we will offer to meet with the PCC.

    We are currently considering what action to take against the prevalence of zombie knives on our streets. We are talking to retailers, including Amazon, about the action they can take. There are strict laws on the sale of knives to under 18s and on how knives can be marketed. We are concerned about any knives being carried in public especially if used to threaten and inflict violence. It is a criminal offence to possess a knife in public without good reason, and if a person is convicted a second time they now face a minimum mandatory custodial sentence following the introduction of this change by the Government in July 2015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to encourage more use of diesel vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government’s policy is to support measures to encourage cleaner, more sustainable vehicles and transport systems. Over £2 billion has been committed since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles and green transport initiatives and to support local authorities to take action.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of (a) his Department’s staff and (b) total sick leave the sick leave of such officials represented in each such year.

    Justin Tomlinson

    DWP has succeeded in reducing sickness absence from an annual average of 11.1 days per employee in 2007 to 6.18 days per employee currently. This is one of the lowest rates across the public sector.

    Our Attendance Management policy is supportive and we are committed to helping our people maintain good health. DWP is committed to improving mental ill health, including stress.

    We support employees through access to comprehensive stress risk assessments, Occupational Health services, and our Employee Assistance Programme. DWP is currently introducing Mental Health First Aid to further add to the support available.

    The number of employees with a sickness absence reason of ‘stress’ over the last 5 years is shown below:

    Year

    Number of employees with sickness absence recorded as ‘Stress’

    Number of employees with sickness absence reason recorded as ‘stress’ as % of end of year headcount*

    Number of working days lost recorded as ‘stress’ as % of all working days lost due to sickness absence

    Jan-Dec 15

    2,581

    3.01%

    10.57%

    Jan-Dec 14

    2,886

    3.15%

    11.06%

    Jan-Dec 13

    3,401

    3.38%

    11.15%

    Jan-Dec 12

    3,313

    3.07%

    9.63%

    Jan-Dec 11

    3,288

    3.20%

    9.26%
  • Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Maynard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Maynard on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help improve awareness of cerebral palsy amongst health practitioners.

    Jane Ellison

    There are no plans to establish a national register of children with cerebral palsy. PACE, the charity which supports children and families affected by motor disorders such as cerebral palsy indicates that the current United Kingdom incidence rate of cerebral palsy is around one in 400 births and that approximately 1,800 children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy every year.

    It is the responsibility of the professional regulators to set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricula to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. This includes training to diagnose and provide care for children with cerebral palsy.

    Health Education England works with bodies that set curricula such as the General Medical Council and the royal colleges to seek to ensure training meets the needs of patients.

    Employers are responsible for ensuring that staff receive appropriate development to continue to deliver safe and effective healthcare.

    The Health Visitor training programme is not a condition specific programme of training. Health Visitors are all qualified nurses and/or midwives with a broad range of clinical skills. They undertake an additional year of training to be a health visitor during which they specialise in child and family issues.

    Health Visitors can support families with a child with cerebral palsy in the management of the clinical aspects of the condition. They can also advise on links to other specialist services, resources and groups to support the needs of the family and the child.

    The Department has asked the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence to prepare a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of cerebral palsy. It is expected to be published in January 2017.

  • Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answers of 16 February 2016 to Question 26010 and 11 April 2016 to Question 32109, when he now plans to establish a reading room for hon. Members to access Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership documents.

    Anna Soubry

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the lessons to be learnt from the flight of refugees from Fallujah and applied to the liberation of Mosul when it takes place; and what assistance will be provided to the minorities from Mosul’s neighbouring towns and villages to ensure that towns, villages and homes vacated by Christians, Yazidis and ethnic Shiites are restored to the rightful occupants.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is working closely with the United Nations, Government of Iraq and other partners to learn lessons from the displacement of civilians from Fallujah and ensure they are factored into humanitarian contingency planning for Mosul. The UK is also working with the Coalition to support the Government of Iraq in developing plans to stabilise areas, like Fallujah, which have been liberated from Daesh, and by working to provide the governance, services and security necessary to enable the safe return of all communities, including those of minorities, to their homes.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-09-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish and place in the Library of both Houses the Met Office Report on climatology and wind shear relating to St Helena airport, submitted in October 2014.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK Met Office report was commissioned by the St Helena Government. It is therefore their report. Information in this report, and more recent data on the climatology and wind shear, is provided by the airport operator to airlines and pilots when applying to fly into St Helena.