Category: Speeches

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in business rates on (a) state and (b) privately funded schools with roof-top solar photovoltaic panels.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is his policy to support the candidacy of Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa for FIFA President; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    The candidacy of Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim is a matter for the football authorities.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what correspondence the Government has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland on implementation of the Access to Banking Protocol and the (a) closure of branches and (b) reduction of banking services in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, each participating bank has committed to carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch. This includes establishing the impact of a branch closure before it takes place; finding suitable alternative provision; and putting in place suitable alternative measures before a branch is closed.

    There is a commitment to review the operation of the protocol after one year. In August, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise and I wrote to the Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association and requested an update on progress towards the appointment of an independent reviewer. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Chief Executives of the banks that are signatories to the Access to Banking protocol.

    Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.

    Decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many staff in his Department are working on matters related to (a) European policy, (b) the future of Europe, (c) reform of the EU, (d) the renegotiation of the UK’s relationship with the EU, (e) the EU referendum and (f) the consequences of the EU referendum; how many full-time equivalent staff are working on such matters; what the (i) staff and (ii) other cost of such work is; what proportion of that work is undertaken by such staff on (A) communications, (B) strategy and (C) policy; whether his Department has established any specific unit or units to deal with those matters; to whom such (1) staff and (2) units report; whether his Department has issued guidelines to staff on those matters; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain – so we get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. Departments are appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe, including the renegotiation and referendum.

  • Victoria Borwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Victoria Borwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Victoria Borwick on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on health care provision in Central London of trends in the number of GPs retiring from single-handed practices (a) over the last five years and (b) in the next five years.

    Alistair Burt

    This is a matter for NHS England.

    Where a single-handed general practitioner (GP) retires, it is the responsibility of NHS England to ensure the patients of that practice have continued access to National Health Service primary medical services.

    When a single-handed GP retires an assessment is made on a case by case basis taking into account a range of factors including the demographic profile of patients, alternative local GP capacity and quality, and, patient and stakeholder engagement. This assessment informs the decision as to whether to procure a new service provider or to facilitate patients to register with alternative local GPs.

    In terms of future planning NHS England and London Clinical Commissioning Groups are aware of the ages of GPs which may be an indication of future retirements, however, there is no set age for retirement. Capacity planning is constantly under review and considers both potential retirement as well as other factors such as population growth, premises and range of services to be provided which then informs commissioning strategy.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will provide additional financial support to providers in the care industry to support such providers affected by the introduction of the living wage; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    Local authorities are responsible for commissioning adult social care services. Fee levels are agreed by local authorities and social care providers, reflecting local conditions. In setting fee levels, local authorities are obliged to consider the sustainability of their local social care market.

    At the Spending Review, the Government made up to £3.5 billion extra available by 2019/20 to local authorities for adult social care through the social care precept and Better Care Fund. This will help give councils more flexibility to meet local priorities as they see fit.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to ensure (a) the efficiency of the transition to new courts of cases from courts that are planned for closure and (b) minimal adverse effect on those remaining courts.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Implementation of court closures has commenced and is expected to take place on a phased basis over the next two years. A schedule of anticipated closure dates has been published and can be accessed online at www.gov.uk/moj.

    Detailed implementation plans are being developed by each region of HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Local implementation groups will be established to oversee each closure. They will work in close cooperation with the judiciary where appropriate. The groups are responsible for ensuring that the transfer of work to receiving sites takes place efficiently and that effective service delivery is maintained at receiving sites throughout the process of court closure.

    “

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Questions 28144 and 28086, if her Department will take into account, when making a decision on granting right to abode, the fact that the British-Hong Kong servicemen swore an oath of allegiance to the Monarchy.

    James Brokenshire

    The assessment of the request by former members of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps that they be granted right of abode in the UK is under consideration. This will take into account all available information.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment has been conducted on the change in the method of payment of Disability Living Allowance to being solely into a bank account.

    Justin Tomlinson

    There has been no change to the method of payment policy in relation to benefit and pension payments.

    DWP is committed to battling financial exclusion and helping more people to move towards, and benefit from, mainstream banking. Direct Payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the most efficient, secure and reliable way of making payments and is the preferred way to make benefit payments. Government paying departments would like all of their customers to benefit from the advantages of a mainstream account.

    Although the majority of benefit and pension payments are paid into a bank account we do recognise that some customers remain unable to access such services. Arrangements are in place to ensure those customers can access their money.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to ensure that multi-academy trusts are accountable to people living in the localities in which they operate; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    Academies, just like all schools, are subject to strong accountability, both to government and locally, including parents. All academies are subject to Ofsted inspection, and through Parent View parents can tell Ofsted what they think about their child’s school, from the quality of teaching to dealing with bullying and poor behaviour. If a parent has concerns about their child’s school they can raise with the Education Funding Agency who can investigate.