Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in providing safe abortion for women who are raped in conflict situations.

    Baroness Verma

    Women and girls raped in conflict situations need access to a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health services. The UK funds partners to deliver such services. For example, we are working with agencies such as UNFPA to provide essential sexual and reproductive health care within our humanitarian responses, including in Ukraine and Syria. We encourage other donors and partner agencies to increase provision of sexual and reproductive health services including full implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP). These may include access to safe abortion services as set out in our policy paper on safe and unsafe abortion.

    The Secretary of State made a commitment at the UN General Assembly in 2015 that in humanitarian crises, DFID calls for proposals will require the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls to be considered. We are working with our partners to operationalise this commitment.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the arrangements for assessing whether pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be nationally commissioned in England following the NHS England statement that they were withdrawing PrEP from consideration by them.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has agreed to carefully consider their position on commissioning Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Planning continues on the early implementer tests sites in the meantime. Irrespective of the commissioning arrangements for PrEP, decisions to fund will depend on full assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness and how it can be integrated with other HIV prevention efforts.

    The Government is investing £2.4 million in HIV prevention nationally and through this will fund a number of innovative local projects and set up a new HIV home sampling service – one of the first of its kind. National investment in home sampling has been significantly enhanced by local investment from local authorities.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will take steps to ensure that the Union flag is regularly flown from the existing flag pole on the premises at 14 Tothill Street.

    Tom Brake

    Parliament flies three union flags on a permanent basis, on the Victoria Tower, and at 1 Parliament Street and Portcullis House. There are currently no plans to fly a flag at 14 Tothill Street.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations the Minister of State for Universities and Science has made to his European counterparts since the EU referendum on access to EU research grants for UK researchers.

    Joseph Johnson

    As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, while the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU funding and collaboration arrangements continue unchanged, including those that apply to students, researchers, and businesses. I am in close contact with Commissioner Moedas on the topic of Horizon 2020 funding, and I met with the Italian Minister for Education, Universities and Research on 11 July.

    The UK is world-class in research and innovation and we play a leading role in major European and international collaboration, including ESA and CERN.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Amnesty International report on the use of chemical weapons in Darfur; whether they intend to ask the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to open an investigation; and what representations they have made, or plan to make, to the Sudanese Ambassador to London in the light of that report.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are concerned by the allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Sudan and we are aware that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is looking into these. The use of chemical weapons under any circumstances is contrary to international law and we wholly condemned it. We were also concerned to read the other allegations made in the Amnesty International report, which highlight the need for access to conflict-affected areas. We see ensuring access for the UN/AU Peacekeeping Mission throughout Darfur as the most important next step and have raised this in the context of the report with the Sudanese in London, Khartoum and New York.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department’s budget is for the 2021 UK City of Culture competition; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The process for determining the winning city in 2021 is due to take place in 2017. All funding is subject to the forthcoming spending review.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the UNHCR about the de-registration of Syrian refugees in Lebanon; what assessment he has made of the effect of the Lebanese government programme to de-register refugees in Lebanon on the number of refugees reported to be in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have regular discussions with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the situation of refugees in Lebanon. Unregistered refugees do not have the official documentation required to get access to essential services. We continue to lobby the Government of Lebanon to allow refugees to register with UNHCR and have given UNHCR over £44 million towards their work in the region. This includes support for registering Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The UK is also providing £1.9 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council for information, counselling and legal assistance to refugees in both countries. This aims to ensure refugees are aware of their rights and are able to access all relevant services available to them. Lebanon has shown remarkable generosity in hosting over 1.1 million refugees from the Syria crisis. The UK recognises the great strain that this is placing on the country and we remain committed to supporting Lebanese stability in the face of these pressures.

  • Steve Rotheram – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Rotheram – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to tackle racist and discriminating behaviour.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This Government deplores racism in all its forms and is determined to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get on in life free from harassment and fear.

    50 years ago Britain introduced its first race equality legislation and in that time our country has undoubtedly become fairer. The Equality Act 2010 protects all individuals against racial and other forms of discrimination.

    On 12 October 2015 a new Cross Government Hate Crime Action Plan was announced, to drive forward action against all forms of hate crime. This will be taken forward in partnership with communities to ensure we target the harm that hate crime causes. More broadly, my rt. hon. Friend, the Prime Minister has set out a series of ambitious government commitments to reduce racial inequalities by the end of the current Parliament in 2020.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 18101, at what stage he plans to be able to predict the geographical distribution of funding for cycling outside of London and the eight cycling ambition cities; and what steps he is taking to identify that geographical distribution.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Due to the inclusion of devolved funding when reporting on overall cycling expenditure, spend is usually reported in terms of regions.

    Currently, spend on cycling is £6 per head across England compared to £2 per head in 2010, with spend of £10 in London and the eight Cycle Ambition Cities. Further details of funding programmes will be set out in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to be published in summer 2016.

    In the meantime, where funding is already allocated then the geographic distribution is known.

    Where funding has been subject to formula then the geographic distribution will be known at the point the formula weightings are determined.

    Where funding is allocated by competition, then the geographic distribution will be known at the point the results of the competition are announced.

    Where funding is devolved, then its geographic distribution is a matter for the relevant local body.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their assessment that 82 per cent of the population of Yemen have humanitarian needs; and what action they are taking to prevent deaths from hunger and disease in that country.

    Baroness Verma

    The United Nations report that 21.2 million people – or 82 per cent of the population – require some kind of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs or protect their fundamental rights. The UK government uses this UN report as one of its primary data sources.

    The UK is the 4th largest donor to the crisis in Yemen and has more than doubled its humanitarian support over the last year to £85 million for 2015/16. The UK is funding the World Food Programme, who are supporting over 580,000 beneficiaries with food assistance. The UK has also provided £21.7 million this financial year to UNICEF, who are providing health and nutrition services through hospitals and mobile clinics.