Category: Speeches

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding has been given to Local Safeguarding Children Boards in each year since 2010; and whether her Department plans to institute a nationally-defined funding formula for such boards.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are funded through contributions from their partners as agreed locally, including local authorities, health services and the police. LSCBs publish details of these contributions in their annual reports, but these figures are not collated centrally. The Government does not provide ring-fenced funding for LSCBs.

    On 14 December 2015, the Prime Minister announced that there would be a review of LSCBs. This review has now commenced and will report by the end of March 2016.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has for the introduction of two tier special forces in the Joint Force 2025 announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review involved in training, assistance advice and mentoring to UK partners.

    Penny Mordaunt

    It is the long standing policy of the Government not to comment on Special Forces.

    “

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultations have taken place on privatisation of railway stations currently owned by Network Rail; and which stakeholders have been so consulted.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail is exploring new models for station management and ownership with the goal to bring improvements for both passengers and the communities they serve. They have engaged Citigroup as advisors to consider a range of potential options but no decisions have been taken at this early stage. Any decisions on such potential future options will take account of the ‎findings of Nicola Shaw’s report into the longer term shape and financing of Network Rail.

  • Lord Marlesford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Marlesford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to the public purse in each of the last five years of the winter fuel allowance; and what would be the tax receipt if it were subject to the same tax as retirement pensions.

    Baroness Altmann

    The Government has committed to keeping the Winter Fuel Payment for the lifetime of this Parliament. The cost over the last five years is as follows:

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    £m 2,759

    2,149

    2,144

    2,140

    2,117

    The Government has not estimated the corresponding tax receipts had the Winter Fuel Payment been taxable.

    There is a total of 11.4 million pensioners in the UK.

    National Statistics, published by HMRC, show that in 2013/14, there were 6.12 million taxpayers whose main source of income is from pensions, of which 90 per cent pay the basic rate of tax and 6 per cent pay the higher rate of tax.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with Tourism NI on increasing the level of tourism from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland.

    David Evennett

    Tourism Ireland, a body established under the Good Friday Agreement, has responsibility for marketing Northern Ireland as a visitor destination in all markets outside of the island of Ireland, including in Great Britain.

    We want more tourists to visit Northern Ireland, and experience all that it has to offer, from the Giant’s Causeway to the film set for Game of Thrones. My officials have regular discussions with their counterparts in each Devolved Administration on tourism.

    ​

    There are Memoranda of Understanding in place between VisitBritain, Tourism Ireland and the Tourism Northern Ireland, which set out their respective roles and responsibilities.

  • Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Deech on 2016-06-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Decision on health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory adopted at the 69th World Health Assembly, whether they will bring forward resolutions at the Assembly concerning people in urgent need of health care in Yemen and attacks on medical facilities in Syria.

    Baroness Verma

    Tackling emergency healthcare needs in Yemen is absolutely critical. According to the United Nations, more than 14 million people lack access to basic healthcare in Yemen in 2016 and 2.1 million women and children are malnourished, of which an estimated 320,000 are severely malnourished children. We are currently focussed on helping to meet those needs and have no plans for a resolution at this stage. Since January 2015, UK assistance has helped provide healthcare to more than 120,000 Yemenis and improved sanitation for over 650,000 people.

    In Syria, it is unacceptable that parties to the conflict continue to carry out flagrant human rights violations, indiscriminate attacks against densely populated areas and targeting of civilian infrastructure. We are particularly concerned by continued attacks against health facilities and personnel, with only 40 percent of public hospitals reported as functioning.

    The UK has consistently supported the need for accurate reporting and accountability for the atrocities that have been committed in Syria. The UN Secretary General and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, already provides monthly reports to the UN Security Council on violations of human rights and international humanitarian law inside Syria. These updates include detailed reports on attacks on medical facilities.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to respond to the policy briefing from the Royal College of Surgeons on English language testing of EEA healthcare professionals, dated 17 August 2016; and what plans he has to introduce clinical language tests for EEA healthcare professionals working in the UK.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Changes to United Kingdom law introduced in April 2014 and March 2015, allow the General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing Midwifery Council, General Dental Council (GDC), General Pharmaceutical Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland to carry out language controls for European Economic Area (EEA) doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Britain. The regulators are now able to apply proportionate language controls for EEA professionals before registration and admission onto the register ensuring that only those healthcare professionals who have the necessary knowledge of the English language to do their job in a safe and competent manner are able to practise in the UK.

    Under the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (MRPQ) regulatory healthcare bodies, including the GMC and GDC, are required to recognise primary and specialist medical qualifications gained in an EEA healthcare professional’s home member state.

    The people of the UK have voted to leave the European Union, however until exit negotiations are concluded the UK remains a full member of the EU and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. This includes implementation of the MRPQ Directive.

    A number of concerns have been raised about the constraints that the Directive places on the ability of UK regulators of health professionals to carry out robust checks of both the clinical and language skills of medical professionals from the EEA seeking to practice in the UK. The Government shares these concerns and will review the checks that UK regulators are able to apply in light of the EU exit negotiations.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to implement the recommendation of the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, on contacting all relevant people going through the NRM to remind them when their immigration leave expires.

    Sarah Newton

    We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

    However, following the commencement of the Immigration (Variation of Leave) Order 2016, individuals on an Overseas Domestic Workers (ODW) visa only, who are also potential victims of modern slavery, are informed of the date that their visa will expire and whether they can continue to work. They will be updated up until 28 days after a conclusive grounds decision is made.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned increase in the national minimum wage on the level of provision of care homes.

    Alistair Burt

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 October 2015 to Question 11609.

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the £600 million additional funding for mental health announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 will be allocated in (a) the 2015-16 financial year and (b) each financial year.

    Alistair Burt

    The additional £600 million for mental health over the next five years announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement is additional to current spending. The levels of funding in individual years and the specific mental health service improvements it will fund will be determined in the new year, once the Mental Health Taskforce has reported.