Category: Speeches

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the reasons why only 37 per cent of the millennium development goals in the UK’s 28 priority countries have been marked as met or will be met in her Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15.

    Grant Shapps

    The majority of DFID’s priority countries are fragile or conflict-affected. These states have historically been under supported by the international development community. DFID increased its focus and spend in fragile states in 2010 and it was right to do so.

    Progress against the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is driven by the collective action of developing countries and all development partners. DFID’s development programmes are designed to contribute towards these goals.

    DFID’s ongoing Bilateral Aid Review will assess and review progress towards the MDGs as part of our strategic planning processes to inform future programming.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each parliamentary constituency will be affected by the new benefit cap from April 2016; and what the mean amount of benefit capped will be in each constituency.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We will confirm roll out plans after the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has received Royal Assent.

    A breakdown by local authority of the estimated number of households potentially affected by the benefit cap will be provided to local authorities in due course.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effects of changes in 2013 to permitted development rights on the roll-out of 4G mobile services; and what assessment he has made of the potential for reforms to lead to greater roll-out of 4G mobile services.

    Brandon Lewis

    The review of how the planning system in England can further support the delivery of mobile connectivity sought views on the planning changes made in 2013 including 4G deployment and the case for taller ground based masts. The outcome will be announced in due course.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent from the public purse on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The cost of Employment Tribunals can be found within the HMCTS annual accounts published at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/433948/hmcts-annual-report-accounts-2014-15.pdf.

    “

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason NHS England decided not to proceed with the Truvada commissioning process; and what plans the Government has to make that drug available on the NHS.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England does not now consider pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV is suitable for prioritisation of specialised commissioning spend as it is a preventative measure. However given the potential benefits in this area, NHS England is keen to build on the work to date and will be making available up to £2 million over the next two years to run a number of early implementer test sites. These will be undertaken in conjunction with Public Health England and will seek to answer the remaining questions around how PrEP could be commissioned in the most cost effective and integrated way to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted infections in those at highest risk.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to ensure adequate levels of bursaries and salary support for trainee clinical psychologists in the 2017-18 cohort.

    Ben Gummer

    Health Education England (HEE) funding for trainees in clinical psychology is currently determined at a local level based on local need and is subject to annual workforce planning. For 2016-17, HEE will fund those commissions set out in the HEE Commissioning and Investment Plan for 2016-17. HEE’s plans for training clinical psychologists remain unchanged from 2015-16 with 526 commissions proposed for 2016-17. HEE will set out its plans for 2017-18 training commissions in its next annual Commissioning and Investment Plan or Workforce Plan for England which is expected to be published in December 2016 prior to the start of the financial year.

    The Government is currently consulting on how the education and funding reforms for pre-registration undergraduate and postgraduate non-medical courses (nursing, midwifery and allied health courses) which are currently funded through both HEE funded tuition and an NHS bursary/reduced rate loan for maintenance are most successfully implemented. Respondents to the consultation may wish to raise issues relating to the funding for courses operating outside of this model, such as clinical psychology training programmes. The Government will consider these in the context of its consultation response.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her Saudi Arabian counterpart on the use of the advanced cyber-crime courses provided by the College of Policing to target pro-democracy activists in that country.

    Mike Penning

    We are rightly proud of the British model of policing by consent and of the high level of skill and expertise across policing in this country. The College of Policing, which is independent of Government, ensures that respect for human rights and dignity is integral to each programme it delivers.

    Course developers and trainers are required to include a bespoke human rights and ethical decision-making element in each course. Before undertaking any international work, the College refers to the International Policing Assistance Board (IPAB), which assesses all requests against British values and interests. IPAB comprises policing representatives and those from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and devolved administrations.

    The College always acts in accordance with HM Treasury’s guidelines on ‘Managing Public Money’, which includes guidance on commercial charging rates. The Home Office do not keep records on the travel of College of Policing officials.

  • Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stringer on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of avoidable deaths linked to poor quality care in (a) Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, (b) North Manchester General Hospital, (c) the Royal Oldham Hospital, (d) Fairfield General Hospital and (e) Rochdale Infirmary by clinical department in each of the last five years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department has made no such estimate. It is the responsibility of the respective Trust Boards, their commissioners and their regulators, and of the clinicians who work at Trusts, to ensure that the expected standards of care quality are being met.

    The Care Quality Commission is carrying out a review of how National Health Service acute, community healthcare and mental health trusts investigate deaths and learn from their investigations. Information on this review is available at:

    https://www.cqc.org.uk/content/our-review-how-nhs-trusts-investigate-and-learn-deaths

    “

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that all EU-derived employment rights will be (a) protected in the long-term and (b) retained in primary legislation after the UK leaves the EU.

    Margot James

    As a Government, we have been clear that we will do nothing to undermine workers’ rights. All law in this area at the time of exit will be brought under UK law as part of the Great Repeal Bill, ensuring continuity.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on funding the independent review on the future of the Manston airfield.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport spent £75,000 to undertake an independent review of the Compulsory Purchase Order process regarding Manston airfield.