Category: Speeches

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that the number of people in low-income working households has risen from 5.2 million to 6.7 million in the last 10 years.

    Priti Patel

    The Department carefully considers all relevant publications.

    The number of people in in-work relative low income is 200,000 lower than at its peak in 2008/09. Moreover, Universal Credit, our investment in childcare, the National Living Wage, and our increase in the personal tax allowance will support individuals and working households by enabling them to earn more and keep more of what they earn.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 22835, in what months the biometric passport chip reading facilities were deactivated in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015.

    James Brokenshire

    For the period for which figures are available, biometric chip reading facilities were deactivated 7 times in 2013 and these occurred during the months of February, March, May & June. In 2014 chip reading facilities were deactivated 3 times and these occurred during the months of September, October and December. In 2015, chip reading facilities were deactivated 3 times and occurred during the months of February, April, and June.

    These figures should be considered against the background of the overall volume of transactions which are currently running at over 100 million per year and each of the instances has been thoroughly investigated and we are satisfied that there has been no risk to the border as a result.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded incidents there were of no custody nurses being available in police stations when required in each year since 2010.

    Mike Penning

    The provision and commissioning of police custody healthcare services including custody nurses is the responsibility of individual Police and Crime Commissioners, and healthcare staffing levels are an operational policing matter in conjunction with the custody healthcare service provider. Information on these issues is not held centrally by the Home Office.

  • Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will estimate the proportion of Syrian refugees settled in the UK by 2020 who will be LGBTI.

    Richard Harrington

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR’s) vulnerability criteria for identifying refugees under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme include persons at risk due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and LGBTI refugees are identified through their normal screening procedures.

    We are working with UNHCR and other partners to intensify their outreach to groups that might otherwise be reluctant to register for fear of stigma/discrimination and unaware of the safe space and options available to them. This includes all religious minorities, LGBT, people with disabilities, survivors of torture and sexual violence and others.

    The scheme is based on need and supports those who cannot be supported effectively in their region of origin, we cannot therefore provide long term forecasts.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many organisations received funding from the science budget to conduct research into the use of laser treatment for cancers in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Joseph Johnson

    Research into cancer involving proton therapy and laser treatment falls within the remit of the Research Councils.

    I have asked the Chair of the Research Councils UK Strategic Executive to write to the hon. Member and I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many migrants from (a) the EU, (b) the EEA and (c) countries outside the EU have settled in the UK since 1 January 2004 in each (i) region and (ii) local authority area where they have settled.

    Mr Rob Wilson

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

  • Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the proposed Universal Service Obligation for broadband will apply in Scotland.

    Matt Hancock

    Telecoms, including the Broadband Univeral Service Obligation (USO) is a reserved matter and applies throughout the UK. We have regular discussions with the Scottish Government on a wide range of issues, and I am grateful for their responses to the Government’s USO consultation and more recently to Ofcom’s Call for Inputs on the design of the USO.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police forces in Wales are required to contribute to the UK’s Apprenticeship Levy.

    Brandon Lewis

    The apprenticeship levy will be introduced on 6 April 2017. The levy will be paid by an employer, in any sector, with a pay bill more than £3 million each year. This includes police forces in England and Wales.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much (a) Bolton and (b) Wigan councils received in government grants in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This information is publically available.

    Bolton Council 14/15 – http://www.bolton.gov.uk/sites/DocumentCentre/Documents/Statement%20of%20Accounts%202014-15.pdf

    Wigan Council 14/15 – https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Council/Performance-and-Spending/Statement-Accounts/Statement-of-Accounts-Final-Audited-Version.pdf

    Indicative formula allocations were made through the Final Local Government Finance Settlement for England 2015-16. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2015-to-2016

    My Department does not hold a live list of non-formula grant allocations to local authorities over the current financial year. Both Bolton and Wigan councils will release this information as part of their Statement of Accounts for 2015/16.

    “

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many adults applying for a passport for the first time have failed to attend their scheduled personal interview in each year since such interviews were required.

    Lord Bates

    The numbers given reflect the number of interviews where the applicant failed to attend.

    An applicant is given three attempts to book and attend an interview. If they fail to attend 3 times then we can withdraw their application.

    From 2008 to 2009 information on failed interviews was held in each Interview Office and not collated or transformed into centrally held data.

    Financial Year

    Number of interviews where applicant did not attend

    2009-10

    4887

    2010-11

    4542

    2011-12

    3442

    2012-13

    4623

    2013-14

    3967

    2014-15

    4414