Category: Speeches

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the potential effect of delays in the processing of criminal record check disclosures on sporting activities.

    Mike Penning

    Protecting the public is a priority for this Government and it is important that checks undertaken are thorough; a proportion of the applications received by the DBS must be referred to one or more police forces as part of the enhanced disclosure process. In the vast majority of cases these checks are completed within target.

    Whilst no assessment has been made of the impact of timeliness on sporting activities, it is recognised that delays may create problems for some people. We will not compromise when it comes to the safety of children and vulnerable adults.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Attorney General, whether there are plans to review the nature and type of offences that are capable of referral to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of leniency of sentencing.

    Robert Buckland

    The Government has committed to extending the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and is carefully considering its approach.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of proposed changes to student loan repayment thresholds on repayment regimes for those students who take out 24+ Advanced Learner Loan and who study for an Access to HE qualification but then do not complete an HE qualification.

    Nick Boles

    Where a learner takes out a loan to fund an Access to HE Diploma course, and then goes on to complete their HE Diploma course, then the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan is written off.

    The impact of freezing the threshold for students who take out 24+ Advanced Learning Loans to study for an Access to HE qualification but do not complete an HE qualification will be similar to the impact for all 24+ Advanced Learning Loan borrowers.

    Estimates of the impact of freezing the repayment thresholds for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans borrowers are illustrated in the consultation document, which has been published here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/freezing-the-student-loan-repayment-threshold

    “

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people, excluding people participating in the Work Programme, who were claiming employment and support allowance and were previously in receipt of incapacity benefit, ended their claim for employment and support allowance after moving into work during the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Priti Patel

    Detailed information on the reason for leaving Employment and Support Allowance is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to require six-monthly inspections of all licensed houses in multiple occupation and bed and breakfasts catering for homeless people.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Local authorities, familiar with stock in their areas, are best placed to set up appropriate inspection plans that take account of resources available and risk posed by individual properties. The Government has no plans to require six-monthly inspections of licensed houses in multiple occupation and bed and breakfast accommodation occupied by homeless persons.

    Local housing authorities must also exercise their functions in respect of hazards under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System in relation to licensed houses in multiple occupation and ensure any accommodation they secure to accommodate homeless households is suitable. In considering "suitability" authorities must consider whether the accommodation is affordable for the household, its size, its condition, its accessibility and also its location.

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much he estimates will have been spent by April 2016 on implementing digitalisation requirements at Calderdale Magistrates’ Court and Halifax County Court and Family Court.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Approximately £35,000 will have been spent at Halifax (Calderdale) Magistrates’ Court and Family Court by April 2016. The expenditure has been in in-court presentation technology. All the hardware which was bought will be reallocated to another court following closure. There has been no expenditure in digitisation of Halifax County Court and Family Court.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 14 March 2016, Official Report, on unemployment, if he will publish the Government’s employer engagement strategy referred to in that Answer.

    Priti Patel

    In December 2015 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published ‘English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision’, which sets out how government will engage with employers and increase the quality and quantity of apprenticeships, achieving three million new starts by 2020. This is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-in-england-vision-for-2020

    A new approach to working with employers is in development. This is a new engagement strategy and is an internal work plan. We have no plans to publish it at this time. The strategy aims to ensure that we engage with the right employers in the right sectors in the most productive ways.

    “

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings the UK Ambassador to Afghanistan has had with non-governmental organisations in that country in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Our Ambassador in Afghanistan regularly meets a full range of international and Afghan civil society representatives in Afghanistan and will continue to do so. The UK has made long-term commitments to the country’s future through financial aid and political support. The international and Afghan civil society community will continue to play an important role in the future stability and prosperity of Afghanistan and remains a key relationship for the Embassy.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the French government about its initiative to restart the Middle East peace process to advance a two-state solution.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    I have discussed the French initiative with the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, and with his envoy for the Middle East Peace Process, Pierre Vimont. We will continue to work closely with the French government to ensure that their initiative makes a constructive contribution that encourages the parties to resume negotiations.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the safety of passengers at train stations in London.

    Paul Maynard

    We are working with train operators inside and outside of London, including through franchising arrangements, so that they maintain or increase the number of the stations which have been awarded ‘Secure Station’ status. The Secure Stations scheme is managed by the Department for Transport (DfT) and British Transport Police (BTP), and sets station design and management standards. It is aimed at:

    • preventing and reducing crime and disorder, providing a safer environment for passengers and staff;
    • increasing passenger numbers;
    • reducing costs of repair following vandalism, graffiti, etc., and of lost staff time due to distress or injury.

    DfT is also currently working with the BTP to review and refresh the Secure Stations scheme to ensure that it continues to drive up standards, covers wider aspects of station security and that it reflects recent changes to the operating structure of the rail industry.