Category: Speeches

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the five times increase in the annual upfront fee charges for private hire operator licences by local authorities on small and self-employed operators.

    Andrew Jones

    Local licensing authorities can charge fees for private hire vehicle operator licences that recover the cost of administering the licensing system.

    Renewing a licence every five years, rather than more frequently as may have been the case in the past, reduces a financial and administrative burden on many of the small and medium size enterprises that make up the private hire vehicle industry.

  • The Lord Bishop of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Lord Bishop of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Southwark on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of internally displaced persons (1) in Iraq, (2) in Iraq who have returned to their homes, and (3) in Iraq who have left Iraq.

    Baroness Verma

    As of 28 March, the International Organisation for Migration estimates that there are just over 3.4 million Iraqis who have been displaced by fighting since January 2014. 547,600 individuals are reported to have returned to their homes. We do not hold information on the number of Internally Displaced Persons who have left Iraq because those people leaving Iraq include both IDPs and economic migrants.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK’s contribution will be to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK has a leading role in the implementation of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan, of which the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) is a part. The UK will contribute to the VJTF in every year between now and 2021 including: a 1,000 strong battle group for the Spanish-led VJTF(Land) in 2016; we will act as the VJTF(Land) Framework Nation in 2017 leading a multinational force that includes up to 3,000 UK personnel, a brigade headquarters and a core package of "enablers", such as engineering and logistics capabilities; and, in 2020 we will provide a 1,000 strong battle group to the Polish-led VJTF(Land).

    For 2016 and 2017, the UK will also contribute Airborne Early Warning, Air to Air Refuelling, and Tornado and/or Typhoon aircraft to the VJTF(Air) commitment; and, for the VJTF(Maritime) element, we will provide HMS Ocean as the 2 Star Maritime Component Command, a frigate, and a mine countermeasures vessel.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average cost is to the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary of training (i) an officer cadet and (ii) a rating.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many active medical practitioners are directly employed by Circle Holdings; how many of those practitioners provide musculoskeletal services in Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The information requested is not centrally held.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the Extra Costs Commission, initiated by the disability charity Scope in July 2014.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government is committed to improving the rights of disabled people when accessing and using transport. Though Government cannot currently comment on the Law Commission’s proposals as it continues to scrutinise the report, we are implementing measures to improve the transport rights of disabled people. These include sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010, and a strengthening of Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Best Practice Guidance for local authorities, both of which are expected in 2017.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rehman Chishti – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NHS England about perinatal mental health services; and what plans he has to improve such services.

    Alistair Burt

    My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State meets the Chief Executive of NHS England on a regular basis and discusses a wide range of issues, including improving access to mental health services.

    The Government is committed to improving perinatal mental health services for women during pregnancy and the first postnatal year. In the March 2015 budget the Government announced £75 million over five years, £15 million per year, to support women with mental ill health in the perinatal period. NHS England is leading a work programme to ensure that this money is spent in the right way, at the right time and in the right places. This work is being carried out collaboratively with system partners, including the Department of Health and Public Health England, clinical experts and service users.

    On the 10 November I met with representatives from NHS England and a small group of perinatal mental health experts to discuss improving perinatal mental health services.

    Health Education England has a mandate commitment to ensure that trained specialist mental health staff are available to support mothers in every birthing unit by 2017. And a further mandate commitment requires Health Education England to work with the Royal Colleges to support perinatal mental health training being incorporated into the postgraduate training syllabus for doctors by 2017.

    Over 600 perinatal mental health visitor champions have been trained who are supporting health visitors with the identification and management of anxiety, mild to moderate depression and other perinatal mental disorders and knowing when to refer on.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2015 to Question 17695, how many studies have been completed under JSP507 in each year since 2005; what the title was of each such study; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

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

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

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19268, what financial penalties and other mechanisms are available to ensure that all private rented sector landlords improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency rating of E from April 2018.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The requirement on private rented sector landlords to improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency rating of E from April 2018, subject to certain exemptions, will be enforced by individual local authorities. The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 empower local authorities to enforce the provisions, including the power to impose compliance and penalty notices. Authorities will be able fine landlords up to £5,000 per property if they fail to comply with a compliance notice relating to a breach.

    Landlords who qualify for an exemption to meeting the minimum standard will be required to provide details to a centrally held register. Exemptions will be valid for a period of five years, after which time the landlord will once again need to try to improve the energy efficiency rating of the property. The register will be accessible to Local Authorities (and the general public) and will be audited by Local Authorities or DECC.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23665, how many (a) Arabic speakers with an Operational level (C1) examination pass and (b) Mandarin/Cantonese speakers there were employed in his Department in each year since 2006.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Records from the last five years show that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has 51 officers who have a current Operational Level (C1) Arabic pass and 44 officers with a C1 pass in Mandarin/ Cantonese. We only record current C1 passes, valid for five years after the date of the exam, and therefore do not have pre-2010 data.