Category: Speeches

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the evidential basis is for tax relief on pension contributions encouraging savings in pension schemes.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government launched a consultation on the future of pensions tax relief at the Summer Budget 2015. The Government has been consulting on whether there is a case for reforming pensions tax relief to strengthen incentives to save, and offer savers greater simplicity and transparency, or whether it would be best to keep with the current system. The Government will publish its response to the consultation at Budget 2016.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the formal consultation process will be for the review of the Homes and Communities Agency.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Spending Review underlined the priority this Government attaches to our ambition to build a million homes this Parliament and to double the number of new homeowners. Building on the successful contribution the Homes and Communities Agency made in the last Parliament, the Review will ensure that they are well-placed to deliver the Government’s objectives.

    In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Review will consider a range of options in looking at how the Agency can operate in the most effective and efficient way.

    We will be seeking evidence from a wide range of sources, including the Agency itself, and will provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders to contribute views. Once this evidence has been collected and conclusions drawn, the Review will report as soon as possible.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether (a) legal costs and (b) compensatory payments resulting from investor state dispute settlement claims relating to acts by the Scottish local authorities would be passed onto those local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government would typically be responsible for legal costs incurred and compensatory payments awarded by an ISDS tribunal resulting from acts by UK local authorities. There is no specific mechanism in place for the UK Government to pass any such costs or payments to Scottish local authorities. The UK has a good record of creating the right environment for investors and treating them fairly – we have over 90 such agreements in place with other countries and there has never been a successful ISDS claim brought against the UK.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-04-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect the UK’s rivers, lakes and wetlands from agricultural pollution, and what assessment they have made of whether the water protection zones are being used effectively in this regard.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Given that environmental protection is a devolved matter, I am replying in regard to the position in England.

    This Government is committed to protecting and improving our water environment and supporting competitive agriculture. The recently published river basin management plans set out the actions that we will take over the next six years to improve water quality. The plans promote integrated catchment management and local decision making.

    We have a wide range of actions to tackle water pollution from agriculture ranging from advice, voluntary and incentivised rules to regulation. For example, there are regulations to reduce the risk of nitrate pollution in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones.

    Building on these regulations, Countryside Stewardship supports farmers who want to do more than the legal requirements and good practice by providing £400 million in funding to helping improve water quality and to manage flood risk.

    We are also working towards better targeting of farm inspections with risk based enforcement that recognises good performance.

    In addition to Government action, the agricultural industry is playing its part by developing an offer, explaining how it will help farmers to better protect the water environment.

    All of this is underpinned by advice to farmers which is delivered through the Farming Advice Service and Catchment Sensitive Farming, £106 million has been invested through Catchment Sensitive Farming over the past 8 years to mitigate the impact of agricultural activities on the water environment

    Further actions at national and local level are planned. Defra recently consulted on new rules to address sediment and phosphate pollution from agriculture. The consultation proposed some clear, simple and basic rules for all farmers, which would make a contribution to further protecting the water environment. Ministers are considering how to proceed in light of this consultation.

    We are using a wide variety of measures to protect and improve our water environment. Water Protection Zones (WPZs) are a further tool. The Government is currently considering what further action will be required to meet the conservation objectives for our most precious protected sites. This will consider the full range of mechanisms, including WPZs.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length is of nursing, midwifery and allied healthcare students’ clinical placements taken in each year of their degree.

    Ben Gummer

    The information about the average length of clinical placements for nursing, midwifery and allied healthcare students taken in each year of their degree is not collected by the Department.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to change any aspect of current legislation on food, animal feed safety and food hygiene formerly dealt with by the EU after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Until we leave, the United Kingdom will remain a full member of the European Union, with all of the rights and obligations. The content of future food and feed legislation will be dependent on the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the European Union. The Food Standard Agency’s priority will remain the same: to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food.

  • Desmond Swayne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Desmond Swayne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Desmond Swayne on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the new high commissioner for St Lucia will be accredited to the Court of St James.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The request is proceeding in line with normal procedures. We will respond to the St Lucia High Commission when the process is completed.

  • Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent steps she has taken to increase the UK’s energy self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported fuel sources; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK boasts a diverse range of energy sources including oil and gas, nuclear, a number of different renewable technologies and coal. These are home grown sources and it is our policy to add new nuclear and shale gas to the existing mix.

    The recently established Oil & Gas Authority is working to maximize the economic recovery of UK conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources. In addition, the UK has six refineries which supply fuel into the domestic market and DECC is working closely with the industry to remove market distortions and ensure relevant regulations are fit for purpose, so they can continue to be competitive.

    Furthermore, we are seeking to increase our domestic electricity generating capacity by working with three developers taking forward proposals to build six new nuclear power plants in the UK, including the recent commitment by EDF and CGN to take forward the Hinkley Point C Project. Renewables are also increasing our domestic generating capacity having provided nearly one fifth of the UK’s electricity needs in 2014 and we are on track to reach our target of 30% by 2020.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the two new offshore patrol vehicles announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review will be run operationally alongside the existing seven.

    Earl Howe

    The three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) currently under construction will enter service as replacements for three of the four in-service OPVs. As announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review [Cm9161], two further River Class OPVs will be built, resulting in a more modern and more capable fleet of up to six OPVs in the Royal Navy.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will undertake a distributional analysis of the effect of recent changes to the work allowances within universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    We have no plans to publish further distributional analysis. Changes to work allowances are one part of a package of changes to the tax and welfare systems at the Summer Budget and Autumn Statement, which are intended to move Britain from a low wage, high welfare economy to a high wage, lower welfare economy.