UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people refused asylum under the non-suspensive appeal policy were removed from the UK in the first six months of 2016; and how many such people (a) lodged an appeal and (b) successfully appealed against the refusal of their asylum application.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Between 1st January and 30th June 2016, 110 removals of people who have previously been refused asylum and had their claims certified, took place. Of those claimants removed in that period four lodged appeals; there were no successful appeals by the end of the same period.

  • Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Hurd on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of (a) cataract surgery, (b) correction of refractive error, (c) interventions against trachoma and (d) other public health interventions.

    Grant Shapps

    DFID uses evidence on the cost-effectiveness of health interventions to inform DFID investment decisions. This includes the World Health Organisation CHOICE (CHOosing Interventions that are Cost-Effective) project that provides detailed cost-effectiveness estimates of a large number of interventions to reduce risks to health, including many causes of blindness. DFID’s aim is to maximise health gains through targeted, cost-effective health interventions that are delivered through strengthened, more efficient and effective health systems.

    Every DFID project is rigorously appraised before approval. During implementation each project is regularly monitored to examine whether the targeted results are on track, whether the project represents value for money and remains cost effective, and what, if any, corrective action needs to be undertaken. DFID considers alternative approaches and cost-effectiveness, amongst other factors, whenever we make an investment. The best value for money in a given country at a given time will depend on many factors, including the local context and what others are doing.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the Government is doing to assist small businesses to recover debts.

    Anna Soubry

    Late payment remains an important issue for small businesses in the UK. The Government is taking significant steps to assist small businesses to recover late payment debts.

    Through the Enterprise Bill, currently before Parliament, we will legislate to establish a Small Business Commissioner to help small business resolve disputes with large companies, tackling, in particular, late payment. The Commissioner will act as a disincentive to unfavourable payment practices, and build the confidence and capabilities of small businesses to help them to assert themselves in contractual disputes and negotiate more effectively with larger businesses.

    This is part of a package of measures to tackle late payment. We have also legislated for new transparency measures in the public and private sectors. This will allow full public scrutiny of payment performance.

    We have also strengthened the Prompt Payment Code to ensure it is a recognised and demonstrated beacon of best practice, and we recently consulted on proposals to give representative bodies wider powers to challenge grossly unfair payment practices.

    Tackling late payment is about creating a responsible payment culture where larger companies recognise the benefit of having a sustainable and robust supply chain, and smaller businesses feel able to challenge poor behaviour. Once implemented, the Government is confident that these measures will lead to significant changes in the UK’s payment culture.

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with businesses on increasing the gender balance on corporate boards.

    Caroline Dinenage

    I have met with many business representatives since taking on the role of Minister for Women and Equalities and always ensure I use these opportunities to raise the issue of achieving a better gender balance on boards. More recently (October 2015) I spoke at the launch of Lord Davies’s final report where I was able to engage with a broad range of stakeholders who all have a key role to play in this agenda including Executive Search Firms, Chairs and Investors.

    Lord Davies’s collaborative approach, which engaged all parties, was crucial in achieving the unprecedented number of women on boards we now have in the FTSE 350. The Government looks forward to continuing this approach with the new review on the executive pipeline.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on his evaluation of the potential for low carbon HGVs.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government has implemented measures to encourage cleaner and more fuel efficient HGVs through a 10-year duty incentive for road fuel gases, increasing potential rewards for gaseous fuels under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, our £25m Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition and the £11m Low Carbon Truck Trial.

    The Department for Transport is making good progress on its review of options to further reduce CO2 emissions from the freight sector and expects to report to Ministers later this year.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many meetings he has held with UK Trade and Investment trade envoys since May 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills hosted a roundtable alongside my noble Friend Lord Maude of Horsham at the House of Lords for all Trade Envoys on 9th February 2016. To the best of our knowledge, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has not held individual meetings with any of the Trade Envoys.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 31131, for what reason the amount of financial assistance her Department has provided to UNOCHA for its work in Libya since 1 April 2015 was not supplied in that Answer.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID has provided £19,867 to support UNOCHA for its work in Libya since 1 April 2015. This was to provide surge support for coordination to UNOCHA during the production of the Humanitarian Response Plan. The secondment came to a close unexpectedly early. Following a decision by OCHA not to replace the coordinator, we have used some of the remaining funds to second an Emergency Health Sector Coordinator within WHO since November 2015 at a cost of £34,614 in response to priority needs. In addition, we are currently brokering a further surge secondment to OCHA and at this point in time the costs are not finalised.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 19 April (HL Deb, col 543) on government grant agreements, whether an academic research institution which is also a charity and is in receipt of government funding from research councils will be covered by the proposed anti-lobbying clauses expected to be introduced in grant agreements from 1 May.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    As the Minister for the Cabinet Office the Rt Hon Matthew Hancock made clear on 27 April, we are committed to protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation of this clause into grant agreements, pending a review of the representations made.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has conducted of whether military personnel and contractors are able safely to load and unload equipment from Ministry of Defence vessels onto the pier head at Ascension Island.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The loading and unloading of freight from Ministry of Defence chartered vessels is conducted by the Ascension Island Government. A Health and Safety and Environmental Risk Assessment of loading/unloading equipment at the Ascension Islands pier head was undertaken by the Joint Forces Command Health and Safety lead in September 2015.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation and contact her Department has undertaken with local authorities on the suitability and conduct of landlords engaged by Serco and its subcontractors to provide accommodation to refugees and asylum seekers under the COMPASS contract.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Home Office works closely with COMPASS providers and local authorities through Strategic Migration Partnerships to plan for the most appropriate dispersal of asylum seekers.

    These partnerships allow Providers to formally consult with local authorities and statutory bodies to ensure all new proposed property procurement and landlords meet the required contractual and statutory standards.

    Any Local Authority that has concerns about the suitability or conduct of individual landlords can raise this with the Home Office and COMPASS providers either directly or through the Strategic Migration Partnerships.