Category: Speeches

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the household income of a family in receipt of tax credits with (a) three, (b) four and (c) five children of the Government’s proposals to limit claims for tax credit and universal credit to two children as announced in the Summer Budget 2015 and the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Damian Hinds

    At Summer Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that families will no longer be able to claim additional support through Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit for third or subsequent children in a family where the child is born after April 2017. In addition families making a completely new claim to Universal Credit after April 2017 will no longer be entitled to support for their third or subsequent children.

    A family currently claiming Child Tax Credit with three or more children will see no change to their household income because of this change. This policy will only affect families claiming Child Tax Credit where they have a third or subsequent child on or after 6 April 2017.

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what risk assessment has been made of the proposed centre for destitute asylum seekers in Goytre.

    James Brokenshire

    The premises in Goytre is one of a number of sites throughout the UK that the Home Office, along with its providers, has initially identified as potentially suitable for providing temporary reception facilities for asylum seekers. Initial assessments undertaken by the provider suggest that Goytre could meet the appropriate requirements laid out in Schedule 2 of the COMPASS contract. If the provider elects to progress this option, further appropriate assessments will be completed prior to any commercial agreements and utilisation of the site.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-01-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the future of National Savings and Investments.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The core purpose of NS&I remains to raise cost-effective finance for the Government, using an operating framework that balances the interests of savers, taxpayers and the wider financial sector.

    An indication of NS&I’s cost effectiveness in raising finance for the Government, as measured by the Value Indicator, is published annually. The Value Indicator is calculated by comparing the total cost of delivering Net Financing and servicing existing customers deposits with how much it would cost the Government to raise funds through the wholesale market via equivalent maturity gilts. Last year £330m was saved.

    As an arms-length body, NS&I is responsible for its own brand strategy. In line with government Spend Controls, Cabinet Office approval is required for advertising, marketing and communications spend of £100,000 or above.

    NS&I relocated its operations within Glasgow from the Cowglen site to the Capella building in the centre of Glasgow in May 2015. The closure of Cowglen facilitated the move to more modern and cost effective accommodation and released the surplus site for redevelopment for housing, together with a capital receipt for the Exchequer. NS&I’s mail processing and scanning operations previously located at Cowglen, moved to Orbital House in East Kilbride in October 2015. NS&I remains committed to its operations in Scotland.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the agreement reached at the February European Council is not amended by the European Parliament after the date of the EU referendum.

    Mr David Lidington

    The central element of the agreement is an International Law Decision agreed by the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the EU and is a binding international treaty. The European Commission has committed to bring forward new legislation where it is needed to implement the UK’s new settlement. These European Commission proposals will be subject to the normal legislative procedures set out in the Treaties. The President and representatives of the major political groups in the European Parliament were consulted on the UK’s new settlement and both Ministers and officials plan furhter contact with MEPs.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many inflammatory bowel disease services have defined referral pathways in place to ensure that appropriate support is offered from a psychologist or counsellor with specialist knowledge of that condition.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not collected. The organisation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services is a local matter.

    IBD is the collective name used to describe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. To support commissioners to deliver local services for people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the best practice guidance ‘Crohn’s Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People’, in October 2012 and ‘Ulcerative Colitis Management in Adults, Children and Young People’ in June 2013.

    Both guidelines mention providing access to psychological support and the role it can play in patient care. In addition, patient education and patient information support are also highlighted as priorities for implementation. Commissioners should have regard to NICE guidance when delivering local services. The guidance can be found at the following links:

    https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG152/chapter/Key-priorities-for-implementation

    https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg166/chapter/Key-priorities-for-implementation

    “

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children died of a stroke in England in each of the last 10 years.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the decision by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) to allow competition on the East Coast Main Line will have on the reliability and timekeeping of the existing East Coast Main Line franchise and other operators using the railway; and what assessment they have made of the impact the proposed improvements to the infrastructure being made by Network Rail in Control Periods 5 and 6 and the ORR decision on competition will have on the existing standard of performance.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport has not itself undertaken an analysis of the effects of the ORR’s decisions on access to the East Coast Main Line on the reliability and performance of services on the route. In correspondence to the ORR ahead of its decision, the Department expressed concern about the potential adverse performance impacts of allowing additional open access operation on the route.

    The potential additional capacity which would be provided by the enhancements to the route currently being planned by Network Rail over Control Periods 5 and 6 has been taken into account by the ORR in its decisions on access.

    We now look to Network Rail and the relevant train operators to work together through the normal industry processes, under the oversight of the ORR, to ensure that the resulting pattern of services operates as effectively as possible for passengers and freight users of the line, and to ensure that any negative impacts on performance are minimised.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which Minister in his Department has responsibility for tackling corruption.

    Dr Liam Fox

    I refer the hon.Member to the answer given by my rt hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ben Gummer, on 6 September 2016, UIN: 44131.

    “

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department makes available for young people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

    David Mowat

    Crohn’s Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in October 2012, sets out best practice guidance for clinicians and commissioners in the diagnosis, treatment care and support of patients with Crohn’s disease. The guidance includes a number of specific recommendations concerning young people such as the need to offer age-appropriate multidisciplinary support to deal with any concerns about the disease and its treatment, including concerns about body image, living with a chronic illness, and attending school and higher education.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) his Department’s and (b) HS2 Ltd’s capital and resource expenditure has been on High Speed 2 in each year since 2009-10.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd’s capital and resource expenditure on High Speed 2 in each year since 2009-10 is:

    £ million

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16*

    DfT (High Speed Rail Group)

    Resource

    0

    0

    1.6

    5.3

    14.8

    21.5

    10.1

    Capital

    0

    9.6

    19.7

    23.1

    105.3

    180.9

    46.8

    HS2 Ltd

    Resource

    9.4

    14.6

    33.9

    176.4

    210.0

    32.8

    15.5

    Capital

    0.03

    0.1

    0.4

    8.1

    2.9

    155.0

    155.7

    Total DfT/HS2 Ltd

    9.43

    24.3

    55.6

    212.9

    333.1

    390.2

    228.1

    * Figures for 2015 – 16 are year to date up to end September 2015.