Category: Speeches

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish a geographical analysis of the distribution of properties by rateable value.

    Mr David Gauke

    The number of rateable properties and rateable value by administrative area as at 31 March 2015 can be found in table CL1 in the latest non-domestic rating stock of properties publication:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-stock-of-properties.

    The next update to this release will be available in September 2016 for figures up to 31 March 2016.

    “

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2015 to Question 16881, when the consultation on extending the deadline for new cars and motorbikes to have their first MOT test from three to four years will begin.

    Andrew Jones

    I anticipate this consultation will be published in the summer and will run for 12 weeks.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-05-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications for social and community cohesion of people living in poverty.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Building a strong economy and increasing employment are the surest way to lift people out of poverty and build strong and cohesive communities. The latest figures show a record 31.6 million people are now in work making a real difference to families on the ground with the number of children in workless households at a record low.

    Britain has a claim to be the most successful multi-faith, multi-racial democracy in the world. The Community Life Survey 2014-15 shows a well-integrated society with 87 per cent of people reporting they belong strongly to Britain and 86 per cent that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together. But we know deep seated inequalities remain between some minority groups and the majority population, and have set in train work to address these inequalities:

    • a review by Louise Casey into boosting opportunity and integration in the most isolated and deprived communities to inform a major new Cohesive Communities Programme;
    • a 2020 vision to increase Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic opportunities, such as take up of apprenticeships and employment; and
    • plans to publish a Life Chances Strategy, announced in January, setting out a comprehensive plan to fight disadvantage and extend opportunity.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of liver disease in the (a) general population and (b) NHS.

    David Mowat

    I understand that the British Liver Trust is working in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners on a three year programme to make liver disease a clinical priority for primary care. This is aimed at improving awareness and understanding of liver disease as well as treatment amongst those working in primary care.

    Public Health England is currently developing a framework to tackle liver disease. This will include the action that needs to be taken across the health and care system, including in primary care, to prevent and better manage liver disease.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of disparities in funding for early-years education across England; and if she will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    This Government recognises that the current funding system for three- and four-year-olds creates unfair and unjustifiable differences between local areas, and between types of providers.

    This is why we have recently consulted on our proposals for a national funding formula for the early years. Our proposals will ensure that funding for the early years is based on the costs of meeting the needs of local children, not on historic spending patterns.

    It is vital that funding is fairly distributed between different parts of the country and different types of providers, so that providers can deliver both the existing 15-hour entitlement and the extended 30-hour entitlement for working parents, on a sustainable basis.

    We are currently considering all responses to the consultation, and are planning to publish the Government’s response in the autumn.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to address the political crisis in Syria before March 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are closely involved in international efforts to facilitate a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) attended discussions convened by US Secretary Kerry in Vienna on 30 October, which may be the begining of a political process in Syria.

    Foreign Ministers agreed to meet again within two weeks. The UK will fully support this process including by hosting ministerial or official-level meetings. We are supporting the moderate Syrian opposition to ensure they are represented in the political process. Through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the Foreign Office is also providing a broad range of support to Syrians inside Syria on peace building, governance, human rights, and civil society issues.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they and the major aid agencies have made for protecting refugees who are still in, or are crossing, south-east Europe this winter.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK has so far provided nearly £16 million to ensure migrants and refugees arriving in and travelling through Europe are provided with warmth, comfort and lifesaving humanitarian support and protection during the winter. DFID is funding humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration, as well as humanitarian NGOs in southern Europe and the Balkans. These organisations are tailoring interventions to meet the needs of children, families and older people. This includes medical assistance, special transport services to help keep families together and support the most vulnerable, referral of children and other vulnerable people to specialised services, and efforts to reunite families that have become separated during their journey. We have also delivered in-kind assistance via the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism. Through this, the UK has provided migrants and refugees in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia with blankets, sleeping bags and tents so that 11,000 people in each country are provided with warmth and comfort during the winter.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the status of the request for protection measures for Gustavo Adolfo Rengifo.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Officials from the Our Embassy in Bogotá have raised the case of Gustavo Adolfo Rengifo with the Colombian government’s Presidential Advisor for Human Rights.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions the Vehicle and Certification Agency has had with Volkswagen on the funding of the vehicle retesting programme.

    Andrew Jones

    On the 10 November the Secretary of State announced an Emissions Testing Programme to look for “defeat devices” and improve our understanding of the real world emissions performance of vehicles used in the UK. This investigation is vital in restoring public confidence. To ensure the independence of the testing, the Department is funding the programme and neither the cars nor the testing facilities will be provided by the vehicle industry themselves.

    Ongoing testing of VW Group vehicles outside the Department for Transport Emissions Testing Programme and for which the Vehicle Certification Agency is the approval authority (Skoda), will be funded by the manufacturer on a case by case basis.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what recent representations he has made to officials working on the Chilcot Inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to Sir John Chilcot’s letter to me of 28 October 2015, and my reply of 29 October, copies of which can be found on the Iraq Inquiry website.