Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Afshar on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Islamophobia on Muslim communities in the UK.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability.

    Anti-Muslim attacks rose 30-40% in the first two weeks after the Paris attacks. These attacks are unacceptable in Britain. The Government funds Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the Prime Minister announced that the police will disaggregate hate crime by religion beginning in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many members of staff have left HS2 Ltd or his Department and been re-engaged on a self-employed or consultancy basis by either organisation in each year since the formation of HS2 Ltd.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Part A

    HS2 Ltd do not have any staff who have been re-engaged on a self-employed or consultancy basis.

    Part B

    The Department for Transport (excluding its Agencies) has 3 staff that have been re engaged on a self-employed or consultancy basis during this time period.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of policing operations for sporting events across the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office does not routinely collect the cost of policing operations in England and Wales. It is an operational decision for Chief Officers, working with their Police and Crime Commissioner, to determine how their available resources are used according to local priorities.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were imprisoned for non-violent drug offences in each year since 2005.

    Andrew Selous

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence she took into account before making it her policy to abolish the right of parents to be represented on school governing bodies; and if she will place copies of such evidence in the Library.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government’s education White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, published on 17 March 2016, makes it clear that many parents already play a valuable role in governance and that parents will always be encouraged to serve on governing boards. Governing boards have a vital strategic role and need people with the right skills to succeed. We will always encourage parents to serve on governing boards and in many cases academy trusts will continue to find people with the skills and experience they need among parents. Moving from a representational to a fully skills-based governance model means ending the absolute requirement for academy trusts to include two elected parents on the board of trustees (or in the case of multi-academy trusts either on the board or on each local governing body). Many parents will, of course, have relevant expertise and boards will continue to be free to appoint them. Trusts may also retain elected parent trustees if they so wish.

    High quality leadership and governance will be vital as we devolve more power to schools. That is why our entire approach from governance, to curriculum, to budgets, has been to give schools the freedom to adapt the model that works best for them.

    The Government’s objective is to increase academies’ engagement with parents and for the first time we will be creating a new expectation that every academy puts in place arrangements for meaningful engagement with all parents, to listen to their views and feedback. This is one of a number of policies outlined in the White Paper for enabling parents to be more engaged with their children’s education and compliments more regular surveys of parental satisfaction with their children’s schools, which we will publish. We are also launching a Parent Portal to provide information on school performance, guidance on how the school system works and how to raise complaints. This new website will act as a reliable point of reference for parents so they know exactly how they can get involved in their child’s education.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many organisations receive funding from the science budget to conduct research into the use of proton therapy for cancers.

    Joseph Johnson

    Research into cancer involving proton therapy and laser treatment falls within the remit of the Research Councils.

    I have asked the Chair of the Research Councils UK Strategic Executive to write to the hon. Member and I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  • Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many part-time apprenticeships have been taken up in each of the last three years; and what steps he is taking to (a) widen access to apprenticeships and (b) promote the option of part-time apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    Statistical data on apprenticeships broken down by part-time/full-time hours is not available.

    Apprenticeships are full-time jobs; therefore an apprentice should work at least 30 hours per week. In exceptional circumstances, such as where the apprentice has caring responsibilities, a minimum of 16 hours per week may be agreed between the apprentice and the employer. In circumstances where the apprentice works fewer than 30 hours per week, the duration of the apprenticeship must be extended in proportion so that the minimum requirements on duration are still met.

    Apprenticeships are safeguarded by the same equality duties under the Equality Act (2010) as any other employment. We want quality apprenticeships to be accessible to a diverse range of people and encourage the use of the range of reasonable adjustments available so apprentices with disabilities (who can apply for Access to Work funding) can demonstrate what they know and can do. We are also supporting care leavers’ transition into work, including considering how apprenticeships and study programmes including traineeships can support them. From 2016/17 employers taking on care leavers aged 19+ as apprentices will be entitled to the full funding rate paid for 16-18 year old apprentices.

    In May we launched a communications campaign promoting the benefits of apprenticeships to young people, their influencers and employers. Schools are required to provide pupils with independent careers guidance, including on apprenticeships. They will be required to collaborate with colleges, university technical colleges and other training providers, in putting careers options in place.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what further steps her Department plans to take to tackle unsolicited and nuisance telephone calls.

    Matt Hancock

    We are taking forward a range of legislative measures to tackle nuisance calls, which will increase consumer protection and choice by strengthening the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) ability to take enforcement action against organisations that break the law. Specific actions include; strengthening the ICO’s direct marketing guidance by giving it statutory status; a proposal to extend the ICO’s powers of compulsory audit to more of the organisations that generate nuisance calls; and exploring the options for enabling the ICO to hold company directors to account for breaches of the direct marketing rules.

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

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of levels of hospice care provision across the UK.

    David Mowat

    Levels of National Health Service funded hospice care provision are determined locally by clinical commissioning groups and they are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population. Commissioners should identify any gaps in local provision and put in place service development plans to address this identified need.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Warrington which are (a) dependent on and (b) directly related to Britain continuing to maintain an at-sea nuclear deterrent; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence no longer compiles national or regional defence industry employment statistics as they do not directly support policy-making or operations.