Category: Speeches

  • Yvette Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Yvette Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yvette Cooper on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of minors in Calais who are eligible to claim asylum in the UK under the Dublin III arrangements for family reunion.

    James Brokenshire

    A project to identify and protect vulnerable people in the camps in Calais is being delivered by a French non-government organistation, France Terre D’Asile (FDTA). FDTA finds potential victims of trafficking and exploitation (including children), and directs them to existing protection, support and advice within France. The managment of asylum claims and the protection of children in Calais is primarily a matter for the French authorities but the UK has contributed £530,000 towards the costs of this project, which launched formally in December 2015.

    The FDTA has carried out a survey of children in the camps in the Calais area, which indentified, within the scope of the survey, 43 children with claimed family links to the UK. We are working closely with the French Goverment, UNHCR and FDTA to ensure that where family links are established, transfers take place efficiently under the Dublin Regulation.

  • Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the time period is within which NHS England has to respond to patients’ complaints.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 provide the legislative framework within which NHS complaints must be handled.

    There is no set timescale, though the body receiving the complaint must have arrangements in place to ensure it is dealt with efficiently, and the complainant receives a timely response.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what responses he plans to give to the request by the Iraqi Kurdish forces in Mosul for equipment to protect them from an ISIL/Daesh chemical attack; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Ministry of Defence has provided a wide range of support, equipment and ammunition to the Kurdish Regional Government, working with the Global Counter Daesh Coalition and Coalition partners. While the UK has not itself provided chemical defence equipment, the Coalition has coordinated the provision of substantial stocks of appropriate personal protection equipment from other Coalition partners to the Kurdish Regional Government that meet the needs of the Peshmerga in this important area.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of women with perinatal mental health problems had access to specialist counselling in the last year for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not currently collected.

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is working on the implementation of a new Mental Health Services Dataset which will seek to increase the amount of data available about mental health. The exact reporting which will result from this is still being determined, but perinatal mental health has been identified as a key policy area where more data is required in order to understand the current issues with the services being provided to women in the perinatal period.

    In terms of reporting that will come out of the dataset, this is likely to include reports on:

    – how many referrals to mental health services identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral;

    – how many women are identified as being on a perinatal pathway when they come into contact with mental health services;

    – whether women who are admitted with mental health problems are admitted to an appropriate unit; and

    – the kind of care which is provided to women in the perinatal period by community mental health services.

    We expect that some initial data on perinatal mental health will be available between June and September next year. This will be basic information, such as the number of referrals to mental health services that identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral, and we expect data volumes to be low in the first instance. We will use this initial information to refine how data on perinatal mental health is collected going forward.

  • Lord Brabazon of Tara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Brabazon of Tara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Brabazon of Tara on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value, in current prices, of the £10 Christmas Bonus for pensioners when it was first introduced.

    Baroness Altmann

    The Christmas Bonus was introduced in 1972 and was £10. In current (October 2015) prices, the value of the 1972 Christmas Bonus was £115.41.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what savings his Department has made as a result of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 in each of the last five financial years.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    In July 2012 the Department for Communities and Local Government published a post – legislative assessment of the then Government’s Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 which can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236094/8411.pdf

    We do not hold the figures requested. Details of empty property rate relief granted can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/417995/150326_Table_2_-_3_years.xlsx

    “

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve rail infrastructure and service in the south of England.

    Claire Perry

    As part of our Rail Investment Strategy, the Government is investing over £15 billion in enhancements to the rail network. This includes the modernisation of the Great Western Main Line, and investing £700 million on infrastructure in the most congested routes in London and the South East. In addition, we are delivering the £14.8bn Crossrail and £6.5bn Thameslink projects.

    Further, our franchising programme is delivering valuable passenger benefits, such as smart ticketing and faster services.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 18375, on prisoners’ release, what the further offences were that those offenders were charged with.

    Andrew Selous

    This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

  • Sir Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Sir Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facilities are currently available to the Royal Navy in the Far East.

    Penny Mordaunt

    When deploying to the Far East Royal Naval vessels would normally have access to the port facility of the nation that they visit during the deployment.

    In addition, the United Kingdom operates a jetty and fuel depot at Sembawang in Singapore as part of our commitment to the Five Powers Defence Arrangements.

  • Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on what other OECD member states do not uprate the pensions of its pensioners living abroad; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not hold the information requested.