Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) technical and (b) personnel support has been provided to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to investigate possible breaches of (i) targeting procedures, (ii) the rules of engagement and (iii) international humanitarian law on operations in Yemen in the last 12 months.

    Sir Michael Fallon

    It is important that all parties to the conflict in Yemen conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into all incidents where it is alleged that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) has been breached. We regularly raise the importance of compliance with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military coalition.

    The UK has supported the development of the coalition Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) and delivered two training sessions in Saudi Arabia on the process for investigating alleged IHL violations. We have not been directly involved in investigations undertaken by the JIAT.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what proportion of cases heard in the Commercial Court in each of the last five years one or more of the parties was domiciled or registered outside the jurisdiction.

    Lord Faulks

    The attached table shows statistical information for the last 5 years that details the number of claims issued and the number of claims with one or more parties outside of England and Wales. Data for 2014/15 is not yet available.

    Financial Year

    Percentage

    2009-2010

    75.16%

    2010-2011

    81.78%

    2011-2012

    82.34%

    2012-2013

    80.76%

    2013-2014

    80.94%

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mike Penning

    From July 2014, recruitment for SCS posts have been managed centrally by Civil Service Resourcing. Data prior to that date is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

    As part of its long-term economic plan, this Government has reduced the size of the Civil Service by 22%, adjusting for Machinery of Government changes that moved staff into and out of the Civil Service since the 2010 General Election, representing a significant increase in efficiency and productivity that helped save taxpayers £2.8 billion last year alone.

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-01-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to provide tax reliefs similar to those provided to businesses that contribute to flood defence schemes to landowners and farmers who assist in managing flood risk through soil management, investment in flood defences and water storage.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government keeps all tax policy under review. Any changes in tax policy are announced by the Chancellor at the Budget or Autumn Statement.

    At the Spending Review the Government confirmed that Defra’s £2.3bn, six-year flood defence capital programme will be protected, which will invest in over 1,500 schemes by 2021 to better protect 300,000 homes. The programme will also deliver economic benefits of £30bn in avoided damage over the next 50 years, and reduce overall flood risk in England by 5%.

    Following Storm Desmond and Storm Eva the Government has announced over £200m of funding to support households and businesses, and repair damaged flood defences and roads. Council tax and business rate relief has also been announced for affected households and firms.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she last met the British Hydropower Association to discuss the calculation of feed-in tariffs for the hydropower industry; and what recent representations she has received on this matter.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The BHA attended a round table I hosted in September 2015 to discuss the feed-in tariff (FIT) review. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the BHA in her previous role as Energy Minister in March 2015. DECC officials have met the BHA several times during the course of the FIT review consultation and members of the BHA contributed to a number of stakeholder meetings and discussions on the detail of the FIT review proposals during the same period. DECC officials have met the BHA again since publication of the Government response on the FIT review to discuss the methodology for setting feed-in tariffs for hydropower plants. The BHA have since written to the Secretary of State to raise concerns about the outcome of the FIT review for hydropower; we are considering the points raised and will respond shortly.

  • Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish the next quarterly progress report to the House on Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government’s first quarterly progress report on Syria to the House was provided by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16 December 2015. On 8 February 2016, the Secretary of State for International Development provided a second quarterly progress report to the House.

    The next progress report will be provided by a relevant Minister in due course.

  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to ensure the continued development of GP networks.

    Alistair Burt

    The Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund has enabled groups of general practitioner (GP) practices, often collaborating with others such as community pharmacies or ambulance services, to provide new and expanded services together. Operating under a single contract within a local area and sharing work and resources has enabled the 2,500 practices in the programme to significantly develop their networks.

    Most of the GP Access Fund schemes have, through the programme, strengthened their arrangements for collaboration, developed a more prominent identity with patients, and grown their leadership and management capabilities. This has been facilitated by the support programme put in place by NHS England, helping the networks to make faster progress on issues such as information technology, governance and care redesign. It has also built a legacy of more cohesive and capable teams for the future.

    NHS England has supported the creation of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ network of federations, which is growing rapidly as a high quality resource for practices wishing to deepen their collaboration and improve services for patients. Funding for this to continue into 2016/17 has been confirmed.

    The New Care Models Programme is also supporting networks of GP practices to come together with community, mental health and hospital services to provide more joined-up care for patients.

  • Baroness Henig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Henig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Henig on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many candidates have applied for admission to the Direct Entry Superintendent programme since its inception, and of those, how many were successful.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The direct entry to superintendent scheme has been running since 2014; over the three years of its operation it has had a total of 2,049 applications.

    The first direct entry scheme to inspector launched this year. There were 1,647 ap-plications and the selection process is ongoing. The first cohort are expected to start in November.

    Details of success and retention for the direct entry to superintendent scheme are outlined in the table below.

    Year

    Applications

    Successful at the assessment centre

    Started the scheme

    In post at 1 April 2016

    2014

    867

    13

    9

    8

    2015

    542

    7

    6

    6

    2016

    640

    –

    –

    –

    Assessment centres for the 2016 inspectors’ and superintendents’ schemes will take place this summer.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which overseas visits by hon. Members have been supported by his Department or by British embassies and consulates in (a) 2014, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016 to date.

    Mr David Lidington

    The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish a list of all secondees to his Department from (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what the role was of each of those secondees.

    Joseph Johnson

    This response covers the former Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and former Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC):

    Financial year:

    From:

    To:

    Role:

    2013/14

    (b) Deloitte

    1 secondee to “Office for Life Sciences” which is a joint Department of health / BIS team

    Director

    2014 / 15

    (a) PwC

    1 secondee to former BIS

    Strategic advisor

    (e) Other consulting firm

    1 secondee to former BIS

    Information not held centrally

    1 secondee to former DECC

    Corporate Finance Advisor

    2015 / 16

    (b) Deloitte

    1 secondee to former DECC

    Information not held centrally

    “