Category: Speeches

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the statement issued by his Department on 7 October 2016 on death sentences issued in Gaza, what discussions he has had with counterparts in the region on the subject of that statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​We have not discussed the contents of this statement with regional counterparts. The increasing use of the death penalty in Gaza is a worrying trend. The UK maintains a no contact policy with the de facto authorities in Gaza.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department had with its Chinese counterparts prior to the recent visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping on policing and protests during that visit.

    Mike Penning

    The operational policing of protests and demonstrations, including the use of police powers and search warrants, are principally a matter for Chief Officers of each force in England and Wales. The Metropolitan Police Service informed the Home Office on their operational plans to provide reassurance on the policing and security of the visit. The Metropolitan Police Service also liaised with Chinese counterparts as part of their operational planning.

  • Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-11-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why and when the Middlesbrough Borough Council was given access to the Police National Computer; whether it still has such access; and whether they will consider giving such access to other local authorities if requested to do so.

    Lord Bates

    Middlesbrough Borough Council does not have, and never have had, direct access to the Police National Computer. If an application is made by a Local Authority, and ACRO (the NPCC Criminal Records Office) is satisfied that they have a lawful and justifiable reason for needing access to PNC data, ACRO will conduct PNC enquiries on behalf of that authority.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 16 December (HL4270 and HL4271), whether they have asked, or will ask, the government of Iraq to end the requirement for religious affiliations to be shown on identity cards.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The current National Identity Law does not require Iraqi citizens to mention their religious or tribal affiliations. The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has removed religious affiliations from new identity cards.

    We will continue to encourage the Government of Iraq to ensure freedom of religion or belief in Iraq.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether persons coming to live in the UK on spousal visas are entitled to make use of existing schemes of English language tuition provided through public funds; and on what terms.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Funding for english for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision in England is normally restricted to people who have been resident in the UK or another EEA country for at least the previous 3 years on the first day of learning. For the 3-year residency rule not to apply to a person coming to live in the UK on a spousal visa, the spouse in the UK whom they are joining would have to have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years.

    Full-funding is prioritised for people who are in receipt of certain work-related benefits and are mandated to undertake skills training to improve their English in order to find work. This is funded through a provider’s Adult Skills Budget. People on other state benefits who are unemployed and where poor English skills are a barrier to finding work, may still be eligible for full funding at the discretion of the training provider. All others can be co-funded but are expected to make a contribution towards the costs of training.

    Other opportunities to learn English on publicly-funded programmes include BIS supported community-ESOL programmes and DCLG community-based English language projects.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Carolyn Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the effect of fixed odds betting terminals on levels of crime; and if she will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office does not collect information centrally on the reasons why police officers are called out to specific locations. The Home Office has no plans for a formal assessment of the impact of fixed odds betting terminals on levels of crime.

    It is for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to decide crime priorities at a local level, and the most appropriate response in their areas.

  • 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 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people caught smoking in cars with children present receive a fixed penalty notice and their fine collected.

    Jane Ellison

    In changing the law we always said the measure of success would be in changes in attitude and behaviour. As with other smokefree legislation, we expect high levels of compliance with this change. Discussions are ongoing with the relevant authorities about enforcement action.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Bingham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that smart meters are installed in areas with poor mobile signal.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Data and Communications Company (DCC) is putting in place a communications network across GB to send and receive information from smart meters to energy suppliers, energy network operators and energy service companies in a Wide Area Network (WAN).

    The DCC is contracted to provide network coverage of at least 99.25% of GB premises by the end of 2020 and to achieving at least 80% coverage of GB premises when it begins live services later this year.

    Our ambition is for all domestic and small business premises to have smart meters.

  • Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that those who breed and sell kittens where there is evidence of commercial trade do so under a pet vending licence; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Earlier this year, Defra consulted on proposals to update the laws on breeding and selling of pet animals. We are currently analysing the responses.

  • Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Inglewood on 2016-07-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 8 June (HL258), whether that estimate of the effect of leaving the EU single market on total UK tax revenue still applies, and if not, whether they will provide updated figures.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The previous Written Answer in question (HL258), cited the estimated impacts of leaving the EU upon UK tax revenues as laid out in the Treasury’s analysis on both the long-term and immediate economic impact of EU membership and alternatives, published in April and May respectively.

    There have been no new estimates made for the impact on tax revenue since the EU referendum. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will produce an updated forecast for receipts revenues (Public Sector Current Receipts) at the Autumn Statement later this year.