Category: Speeches

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans continued participation in the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training after the UK leaves the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    The UK will continue to participate in the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training until we leave the EU. Future participation after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations.

  • 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 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2016 to Question 40130, how Child Support Agency (CSA) (a) client and (b) former client activity requests collection of any CSA arrears held by the Child Maintenance Service.

    Caroline Nokes

    We have interpreted this question to mean “how Child Support Agency (CSA) (a) clients and (b) former clients actively request collection of any CSA arrears held by the Child Maintenance Service.” If a client or former client of the Child Support Agency (CSA) would like their arrears collected they should call the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). When debt is moved from the Child Support Agency to the Child Maintenance Service system, clients receive a letter that includes contact details for the CMS.

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will list (a) his Department’s correspondence and (b) meetings with the former hon. Member for Redcar between May 2010 and May 2015 on SSI Redcar.

    Anna Soubry

    It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon Member.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the Israeli government on the provision of services to communities of different ethnicities in the Negev region.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to demonstrate our concern by regularly visiting the Bedouin communities. They have raised the issue of provision of services with the Arab Affairs Officer in the Prime Minister’s Office and will continue to do so.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit claimants working 35 hours per week and being paid at the level of the national minimum wage will be entitled to request support from his Department’s in-work progression pilot.

    Priti Patel

    Subject to certain exclusions (including people who are unable to work or earn more due to caring or because of health conditions or disabilities; who are recent victims of domestic violence; who provide medical evidence of unfitness for work pending a work capability assessment; prisoners; claimants absent from GB for medical treatment; claimants who are recently bereaved; and claimants undergoing treatment for drug or alcohol addiction), claimants would be eligible for selection into the In-work Progression Randomised Control Trial if they have monthly employed earnings above the Administrative Earnings Threshold (£338 per month for a single person or £541 per month for a couple in 2015/16); and have earnings below the Conditionality Earnings Threshold, which is individually set but up to a maximum of the equivalent of 35 hours work at the national minimum wage.

    In order to maintain the integrity of the randomised control trial, individuals who are ineligible for selection are not able to participate in the trial.

  • 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 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 8 February (HL5360) and the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hugo Swire, on 29 January (HC23512), whether the UK will act on the information that officials from a number of state institutions and ministries of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are responsible for possible crimes against humanity in North Korea, and ensure that there is no impunity for those accused of serious human rights violations.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As stated in the previous responses, we remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The UN Commission of Inquiry report highlighted the horrific human rights violations perpetrated by the regime, including details of officials from state institutions and ministries.

    The Government supports the principle that there must be no impunity for those accused of human rights violations and that crimes against humanity are appropriately investigated.

    We will continue to work with members of the international community through multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, to ensure the regime is held to account for its appalling human rights record.

  • Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord MacKenzie of Culkein – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord MacKenzie of Culkein on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which institutions and authorities have been served with improvement notices since the introduction of the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.

    Baroness Altmann

    Since the introduction of the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, twenty-six institutions across England, Scotland and Wales have received improvement notices up to December 2015. Before an improvement notice is served the inspector will discuss the breaches of law with the duty holder and explain why a notice is being served. The inspector will also ensure that the duty holder understands what they need to do to comply, and has the opportunity to explore alternatives. A timescale for compliance will also be agreed. The institutions are:

    1

    Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

    2

    Akari Care Limited

    3

    Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust

    4

    BUPA Care Homes (CFG) PLC

    5

    Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    6

    Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

    7

    Cwm Taf Health Board (2 notices served)

    8

    HC-One Limited (2 notices served)

    9

    Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust

    10

    Luton & Dunstable University Hospital

    11

    Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

    12

    Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    13

    North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust

    14

    North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

    15

    North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

    16

    Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

    17

    Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    18

    Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

    19

    Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

    20

    South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust

    21

    Tayside Health Board (3 notices served)

    22

    The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

    23

    University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

    24

    University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

    25

    University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust ( 2 notices served)

    26

    Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (2 notices served)

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings have taken place between officials of his Department and the European Commission Directorate-General for Communication in each of the last 12 months.

    Matthew Hancock

    There have been no meetings between Cabinet Office officials and the European Commission Directorate-General for Communication in the last 12 months.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) fast and (b) standard delivery pre-sentence reports were prepared for offenders with each band number of previous convictions in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

    Andrew Selous

    The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support regional school commissioners are expected to provide to organisations in their area wishing to become an academy sponsor.

    Edward Timpson

    Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) have an important role to play in encouraging and supporting high performing schools to extend their influence by growing Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and recruiting new sponsors to their region. The RSCs support schools and other organisations to become sponsors and grow effectively by offering practical one-to-one advice and facilitating supportive networks between MATs. They are also able to commission additional support for trusts where that is required, for example, from local Teaching School Alliances.

    As set out in our White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere, in the future MAT support will be system-led, and there will be a role for larger and more experienced trusts in supporting growing trusts as they develop. The Department is taking a number of steps to support MATs with leadership and governance, including:

    • a MAT CEO development programme;

    • redesigning a National Professional Qualification in leadership; and

    • funding the academy ambassadors programme that has resulted in over 240 experienced business leaders providing support to MATs by joining trust boards as non-executives.

    We are committing funding for 5 years to provide long term stability to help many more volunteers find a school or MAT that is looking for someone with their skills.

    The Government has allocated £300 million that will be available to support schools to convert and, in particular, support sponsors to turn around failing schools. A further £300 million will be available to support strong and effective multi-academy trusts to grow and improve.