Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on the UK’s obligations as agreed in the August 2015 joint ministerial declarations, Managing migratory flows in Calais, of the French government’s decision to close the Calais camp for refugees and migrants.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Although the decision to clear the camp in Calais is a matter for the French Government, the UK and France remain committed to working together to protect our shared border in Calais and address the humanitarian challenges in the camps.

    Both governments are clear that those in northern France in need of protection should claim asylum in France and those not in need should return to their home country.

    Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of children in the camps. The UK Government has made clear its commitment to transfer unaccompanied refugee children under the 2016 Immigration Act, where it is in their best interests, and to ensure those with close family in the UK are brought here using the Dublin Regulation.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to amend sentencing guidelines to reduce the amount of time that offenders spend in prison.

    Andrew Selous

    Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts, who must follow guidelines unless it would not be in the interests of justice to do so. Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council to promote consistency and proportionality in sentencing. The guidelines are available on the Sentencing Council website.

  • Alan Whitehead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alan Whitehead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether carbon capture and storage plants that become operational with the assistance of support not provided by her Department will be eligible to receive contracts for difference.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Contracts for Difference may be awarded to generators who meet the requirements of eligibility set out in the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014. A generating station connected to a complete CCS system is an eligible technology under those Regulations. Contracts for Difference for CCS are awarded on direction of the Secretary of State and would be subject to the circumstances at the time, including factors such as the value for money and affordability of a project and competing demands on available budgets.

  • Nigel Huddleston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nigel Huddleston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Huddleston on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the introduction of mandatory defibrillators on aircraft.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is responsible for the regulations relating to equipment to be carried on aircraft operating in Europe and competent national authorities, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) being such a body in the UK, are responsible for oversight of the compliance. The EASA regulations do not require aircraft to carry defibrillators.

    Cases of sudden cardiac arrest are very rare when compared to the number of passengers carried. There is no evidence that airline passengers are at increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and it would not be proportionate to make carrying defibrillators in an aircraft compulsory.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson’s disease have been placed in the (a) support group and (b) work-related activity group with a prognosis statement of (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) 12 months, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years and (vi) more than two years since the introduction of employment and support allowance in 2008.

    Priti Patel

    I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given on the 25 January 2016 to Question UIN 23428.

    “

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS guidance to clinical commissioning groups on their responsibility to manage conflicts of interest when commissioning and providing services.

    George Freeman

    NHS England updated existing guidance for managing conflicts of interest in December 2014, when NHS England issued revised statutory guidance, which prescribed stronger assurance measures in light of the development of primary care co-commissioning. This came into force from April 2015.

    In light of comments from stakeholders and the recent National Audit Office report “Managing conflicts of interest in NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups”, as well as findings from the audit of the management of conflict of interest that was undertaken in the autumn by NHS England’s internal auditors, NHS England is in the process of further updating this statutory guidance.

    NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners in respect of conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to positive effect.

    It has also engaged with around 80% of the Audit chairs for the CCGs- the feedback and discussion received on behalf of both these groups will feed into the Revised Statutory Guidance which will be published and discussed at the next NHS England board meeting on 31 March. This will launch the official public consultation (which will also take into consideration views from British Medical Journal and Monitor).

    The final guidance will then be presented to the May NHS England board meeting and will be published on the NHS England website.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the UK economy has benefited from defence technology research and development.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As stated in National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161), the UK conducts world-class innovation across all the major commercial technology sectors with national security applications, including aerospace, biotechnology and medical sciences, big data, cyber security, satellites, robotics and advanced materials.

    The defence and security industries make a major contribution to our prosperity. In the UK they employ over 215,000 people, predominantly highly skilled, and support a further 150,000, as well as 6,500 apprentices. In 2014, both industries had a collective turnover of over £30 billion, including defence and security export orders worth £11.9 billion.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills tracks the performance of FTSE 100 companies and is able to identify where any company has introduced a cost-cutting measure and correspondingly reduced executive pay, and if so, what percentage of those companies have done so.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal resources they are providing to refugees in the camps in Calais and Dunkirk to make asylum applications to the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Asylum seekers cannot claim asylum in the UK if they are in France. If a person requires international protection they should claim asylum in France, which is bound by the same EU and international obligations as the UK.

    If after claiming asylum in France it is established that the UK is the state responsible for examining their claim on the basis of Dublin Regulation, including under its family unity provisions, a take charge request may be submitted to the Home Office.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government at what stage of the process of leaving the EU they will invoke the Vienna Accord on the denunciation of treaties.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Treaty on the European Union contains provision for withdrawal in Article 50. It is this process which accordingly applies and has to be followed for the United Kingdom to leave the EU in accordance with international law.