Category: Speeches

  • Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the potential benefits which investment in renewable energy generation methods can bring to developing countries; what research has been undertaken on how this might be achieved; what funding is proposed to be made available for this purpose; and if she will make a statement.

    James Wharton

    DFID’s energy work is aligned with the new Global Goals, particularly Goal 7, to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. DFID’s energy work is guided by international studies including, for example, by the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme based at the World Bank. Recent research by the International Renewable Energy Agency indicates that investment in renewable energy increases GDP, improves welfare, creates more jobs and shifts patterns of trade.

    DFID provides significant funding to support renewable energy work, including through the UK Government’s International Climate Finance (ICF) allocation, as well as spend through multilateral funds, such as the Climate Investment Funds and the Green Climate Fund, which have significant renewable energy components.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are in place to promote apprenticeships in the construction sector.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    In 2013/14 there were 15,890 apprenticeships starts in the Construction, Planning and the Built Environment Sector Subject Area.

    We are taking action to support apprenticeships in all sectors to meet our commitment to 3 million starts. We are working with large and small businesses to encourage employers, colleges and schools to work together to increase the number of apprenticeships.

    Over 1300 employers – including in the construction sector – are currently involved in designing new apprenticeship standards. These include apprenticeships in construction occupations at a range of levels such as Construction Technician (L6), Quantity Surveyor (L6), Construction Site Management (L6), Advanced Carpentry & Joinery (L4) and Steel Fixer (L2)

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assurances he sought from his French counterpart that, in providing British surveillance assistance to the French bombing of identified ISIS operational buildings in Raqqa following the ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks in Paris, the French military avoided any civilians being killed as collateral damage from the bombings.

    Michael Fallon

    France is operating alongside the UK as part of the international Coalition against Daesh. All Coalition air operations are planned in accordance with international law and every precaution is taken to minimise collateral damage and civilian casualties.

  • Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) GCSE, (b) AS and (c) A-level exam results have (i) increased, (ii) decreased and (iii) stayed the same following an appeal in each of the last five years.

    Nick Gibb

    These are matters for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her replies will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  • Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Accident and Emergency department at Calderdale Royal Hospital to treat additional patients from the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary catchment area in the event that the proposed closure of the Accident and Emergency department at the Royal Infirmary goes ahead.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The reconfiguration of front line health services is a matter for the local National Health Service. Services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population, and proposals for substantial service change must meet the four tests of reconfiguration which are: (i) support from GP commissioners; (ii) strengthened public and patient engagement; (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base; and (iv) support for patient choice.

    All commissioners proposing reconfiguration must include an analysis of travelling times and distances in their Pre-Consultation Business Case.

    All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients. We expect the local NHS to undertake robust analysis of the impact of any proposed significant changes to services as part of the case for change.

  • Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Rennard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rennard on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response the Law Commissions’ recommendations to reform UK electoral law.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Law Commissions in their interim report of 4 February. This is a wide-ranging report that covers a number of complex issues and it is important that the Government give the report due consideration before a formal response is made.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support children with Kawasaki disease.

    George Freeman

    The Government published the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases in November 2013. The strategy contains over 50 commitments to ensure people living with a rare disease, such as Kawasaki disease, have access to the best evidence-based care and treatment that health and social services, working with charities, researchers and industry can provide.

    It is the responsibility of the professional regulators to set the standards and outcomes for education and training and approve training curricular to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. This includes training in both scarlet fever and Kawasaki disease.

    Health Education England works with bodies that set curricula such as the General Medical Council and the Royal Colleges to seek to ensure training meets the needs of patients.

    The Department and its arm’s length bodies have not published any specific guidance on the similarities between Kawasaki disease and scarlet fever.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guideline on the assessment and initial management of fever in under 5s sets out the circumstances in which a diagnosis of Kawasaki disease should be considered, and Public Health England (PHE) has endeavoured to keep healthcare professionals, schools and the general public informed of the increased incidence of scarlet fever through timely information, news stories and updates on the PHE website and by using social and other media. These awareness raising measures assist general practitioners and other frontline healthcare professionals in reaching a correct diagnosis more quickly and encourage patients to seek medical advice early so that suspected cases receive prompt antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of complications and limit further transmission.

  • Phillip Lee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Phillip Lee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phillip Lee on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures she has put in place to improve ministerial oversight of aid programmes.

    Justine Greening

    I have introduced more stringent ministerial sign off controls and this is backed up by thorough monitoring and evaluation processes and management information to better identify underperforming programmes so they can be dealt with.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport of 11 May 2016, Official Report, HC Deb, column 692, when officials began working on the proposals to implement the 15-minute threshold for rail journey compensation; from what date he expects that customers will be able claim compensation under that threshold; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    We are committed to improving compensation arrangements for passengers. The Chancellor announced in his Autumn 2015 Spending Review that passengers will soon have access to compensation when trains are over 15 minutes late. We expect to make an announcement on this in the next few months.

    We will work with the rail industry to agree the best possible deal for passengers in implementing this improvement and will set out the details of when the new arrangements will be in place shortly.

  • 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 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) reservists, (b) Cadet Forces adult volunteers and (c) cadets of the three services there are in West Sussex.

    Mark Lancaster

    As at 1 July 2016 there were an estimated 100 personnel in the Future Reserves 2020 stationed in West Sussex.

    The MOD publishes annual information on Cadets and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFVA) through the MOD Sponsored Cadets Statistics. The latest publication was as at 1 April 2016 and can be accessed at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/526131/MOD_sponsored_cadet_forces__statistics_2016.pdf

    This data is not broken down by region so information on the number of Cadets and CFAV in West Sussex is not held in the format requested.

    “