Category: Speeches

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many judicial reviews against her Department have (a) been initiated and (b) were successful since 2010.

    Karen Bradley

    No central records are kept of (i) the number of judicial reviews initiated against the department since 2010; (ii) the cost of defending such challenges; or (iii) the number of such challenges which have been successful. It would incur disproportionate cost to try to acquire this information.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people who have had their application for asylum refused but cannot legally be returned to their country of origin.

    James Brokenshire

    The government expects those who have been refused asylum and who have no lawful basis to remain in the UK to leave at the earliest opportunity. If there is a genuine obstacle that prevents a failed asylum seeker’s departure from the UK and they are destitute, they can apply for support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. As of 31 December 2015, a total of 3,821 failed asylum seekers and their dependants were supported under section 4.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) of his Department’s civilian staff based in the UK, (b) military personnel based in the UK, (c) of his Department’s civilian staff based in Saudi Arabia and (d) military personnel based in Saudi Arabia were employed by the (i) Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (ii) Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project on 1 April in each of the last six years.

    Michael Fallon

    The number of civilian and military personnel based in the UK and Saudi Arabia who were employed by the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) and the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) on 1 April in each of the last six years is shown in the table below. The Saudi Arabian Government reimburses the UK MOD for these staff costs and there is, therefore, no cost to the UK taxpayer.

    Manpower as at 1 April 2016

    SANGCOM Project

    MODSAP

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    2

    73

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    31

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    31

    37

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    20

    68

    Manpower as at 1 April 2015

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    2

    71

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    35

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    34

    33

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    20

    61

    Manpower as at 1 April 2014

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    1

    69

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    42

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    28

    32

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    20

    50

    Manpower as at 1 April 2013

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    1

    69

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    44

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    28

    31

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    21

    46

    Manpower as at 1 April 2012

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    1

    69

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    44

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    26

    34

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    19

    48

    Manpower as at 1 April 2011

    UK-based Civilian Staff

    1

    75

    UK-based Military Staff

    0

    46

    Saudi Arabia-based Civilian Staff

    21

    32

    Saudi Arabia-based Military Staff

    19

    60

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of grammar school entrants were previously educated in fee-paying preparatory schools in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    The data requested is not collected by the Department or local authorities.

    The School Admissions Code[1] sets out that admission authorities must not “take into account any previous schools attended, unless it is a named feeder school” (para 1.9b) or “name fee-paying independent schools as feeder schools” (para 1.9l).

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-admissions-code–2

    “

  • Jo Cox – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jo Cox – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of a seven-day elective service in the NHS on the number of hours worked by NHS staff; and if he will publish any such assessment.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government’s current plans for ensuring the same quality of care in hospitals on all days of the week are focussed on those with urgent and emergency care needs at weekends and those who are already inpatients. It is for individual health economies to determine if they wish to provide elective care at weekends, for example if they can use more efficiently additional resources that are available to meet urgent and emergency care needs.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (a) what the average waiting time was for checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service to be completed and (b) how long on average the Police National Computer search took in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14, (v) 2014-15 and (vi) 2015-16 to date.

    Karen Bradley

    The following table shows, for each year from November 2010 to October 2015, both the average end-to-end turnaround time for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates and the average time to complete the Police National Computer (PNC) stage.

    The PNC stage has been defined as the time spent in DBS between receipt of an application and – in the case of Enhanced Disclosures – its despatch to local police forces; or – in the case of Standard Disclosures – its assembly for return to the applicant. During this period, DBS conducts a search of the Police National Computer, followed by internal checks to ensure both the accuracy and quality of certificates.

    Time Period

    Average End to End Turnaround (days)

    Average PNC Stage Turnaround (days)

    Nov-10 to Oct-11

    16.22

    1.72

    Nov-11 to Oct-12

    10.85

    2.25

    Nov-12 to Oct-13

    10.23

    1.54

    Nov-13 to Oct-14

    13.63

    2.42

    Nov-14 to Oct-15

    14.28

    2.86

  • Lord Lester of Herne Hill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Lester of Herne Hill – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 13 January (HL4703 and HL4704), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the grounds for retention linked to the relevant retention instruments.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    I refer the noble Lord to the response to HL4704.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing for (a) Syrian refugees and (b) Syrian refugee children in Europe; and if she will make a statement.

    Justine Greening

    DFID is providing nearly £46 million to support refugees in Europe. Part of this funding will provide shelter, warm clothes, food, and medical supplies, including for 27,000 children and babies, many of whom have fled fighting in Syria.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of his Department’s 2015-16 budget is allocated to (a) creating and (b) accessing new markets for trade and growth.

    Anna Soubry

    Increasing trade and growth through exports, to all overseas markets, is a key factor in the Government’s long-term economic plan. Government departments are working together to support UK businesses looking to take advantage of overseas opportunities and to create a strong business environment that allows them to flourish both at home and overseas. A key part of this work is to identify export opportunities, many of which are based around the needs of new high-growth and emerging markets.

    UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is at the heart of this work and the budget allocation for this activity will be set out in the UKTI Annual Report and Accounts 2015/16.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on reconsidering the cases of people who had their leave to remain wrongly cancelled, or who were wrongly detained or removed, on the basis of allegations of fraud in English language tests made by ETS in response to the Upper Tribunal ruling in Qadir v Secretary of State, 23 March 2016.

    James Brokenshire

    We received the determination in the case of Qadir and SM from Upper Tribunal on 8 April which provides the full reasons for the decision which were not included in the summary handed down on 23 March. Although the Upper Tribunal found that the Home Office did discharge the evidential burden on it in establishing fraud at ETS test centres and that each appellant would need to establish an innocent explanation, it went on to allow the appeals. We are disappointed by the decision and we are currently reviewing it with a view to challenging before the Court Of Appeal. Given this there are no current plans to reconsider earlier decisions.