Category: Speeches

  • Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Oliver Dowden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Dowden on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government remains committed to the success of the deal. The IAEA’s 26 February report on Iran’s nuclear activities concluded that Iran was complying with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). We have been working to help businesses take advantage of new commercial opportunities and to ensure that Iran benefits from sanctions relief.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to review applications from Canadian nationals for indefinite leave to remain to ensure that decision-making is (a) appropriate and (b) evidence-based.

    James Brokenshire

    We do not comment publicly on individual cases. UK Visas and Immigration will write to the Honourable Member to provide an update on this case.

    There are no plans for a specific review of the administrative handling of immigration applications from Canadian nationals for indefinite leave to remain. UK Visas and Immigration is, however, committed to the principles of continuous improvement and to applying these to ensure processes are efficient and effective.

    The administrative requirements, and service standards, to which applicants for indefinite leave to remain are subject, are set out at www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/settle-in-the-uk. This information is reviewed regularly, with a view to ensuring it is as clear as possible.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure that UK nursing is effectively represented at (a) the World Health Assembly and (b) other EU and international fora.

    Ben Gummer

    The World Health Assembly (WHA) is usually attended by the Chief Medical Officer and senior health officials. In the past the Chief Nursing Officer has attended the WHA, though in recent years has not been part of the Department’s delegation. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is largely focussed on public health and the Chief Nurse at Public Health England works with and contributes to international nursing development with the WHO, including attendance at the WHO Nursing Forum, and also contributes to other global programmes.

    There is a European Chief Nursing Officers forum which Government chief nurse advisors attend. It is for the Chief Nursing Officer for England to attend this meeting. In her absence one of the other United Kingdom Chief Nursing Officers should attend.

  • Baroness Helic – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 24 November 2015 (HL3593), whether it is their policy to continue the UK–Germany Initiative on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government remains firmly committed to the initiative, now adopted by the EU, designed to inject momentum into Bosnia and Herzegovina’s stalling reform process. We continue to work closely with EU, and other international partners, in order to help build a more stable, secure and prosperous BiH.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the results of his Department’s survey on its Family Accommodation Model; whether he plans to publish the results to all questions in that survey; and whether any such publication will include all data from the comments sections of that survey.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Future Accommodation Model (FAM) Survey closed on 3 October, having received almost 28,000 responses from our Service personnel. These responses will help the Ministry of Defence understand what the FAM could look like. The Survey results, including all of the comments, are now being processed and will be subject to rigorous analysis in the normal way. The large number of responses means that this process will take longer than initially anticipated, although we hope to be in a position to publish the results in full in early 2017.

    Qualitative analysis of the comments section will form part of the results and will be published in a way that protects anonymity.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to increase the number of qualified staff working on early education settings.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The extended free childcare entitlement for working parents of three- and four-year-olds will provide eligible parents with 30 hours of free childcare per week. The government provides guidance in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which sets out the ratios within which providers must operate. We expect providers to recruit accordingly, and that the market will respond to demand in local areas. The childcare market has proven that it is adaptable as demonstrated by the increase of 230,000 places since 2009. The timetable for implementation of the extended entitlement ensures that the market has time to expand.

    The quality of provision is central to ensuring benefits to children, and the main driver of quality in a setting is its workforce. The qualification levels of the childcare workforce has risen over recent years and we want the sector to continue to attract highly qualified staff with a strong aptitude for working with young children to deliver good quality childcare.

    We are taking steps to improve the process for those training to become Early Years Educators and Early Years Teachers. In 2016, the government will review progression routes within the sector to determine what more can be done to enable good quality staff to maximise their potential and forge a successful career within early years. This will build on existing investments in staff training and development that have brought high performing schools and private, voluntary and independent providers together to share good practice and improve transition into school for young children.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable she proposes for deciding on the funding allocation to the National Wildlife Crime Unit from March 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government has committed to providing funding to help secure the National Wildlife Crime Unit until at least the end of March next year.

    With the Spending Review concluded, Defra is now looking at what this settlement means in terms of the detailed allocation of its budgets. Ministers will be making decisions about the funding of the NWCU beyond March as part of this process and will confirm the funding position as soon as possible in the new year.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) other support her Department is providing to businesses which have been affected by floods to help them make resilient repairs to their properties.

    Rory Stewart

    As part of the Government’s £200m recovery support package those business affected by the flooding can access Business Support Grants and business rate relief. In addition businesses are eligible for the Property Level Resilience Scheme which is being administered by Local Authorities. This provides up to £5000 per flooded property to make resilient repairs.

    The Environment Agency’s Climate Ready Support Service (CRSS) provides advice, guidance and tailored sector support to help organisations adapt to the changing climate. This includes a Business Resilience Healthcheck (BRHC). This was developed with Business in the Community and Climate UK (CUK) to help businesses identify their vulnerability to a number of risks, including severe weather events and climate change.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Minister for Disabled People’s contribution on housing benefit and supported housing of 27 January 2016, Official Report, column 326, how he defines all supported housing; when the one-year exemption referred to in that debate will begin; and if he will consider exempting supported housing permanently from the rent reduction and examine placing a moratorium on the application of the local housing allowance housing benefit reduction as part of the supported housing review.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government will put in place a year-long exception for all supported housing provided by local authorities and private registered providers from the one per cent rent reduction. Details including the timescales will be set out in Regulations following Royal Assent of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, but examples indicating the breadth of the types of accommodation intended was set out on 27 January, Official Report, column 1378.

    With regards to the measure to cap social tenants housing benefit and the housing cost element of Universal credit at the appropriate local housing allowance rate, we are working closely with the supported housing sector to ensure those who are vulnerable have the appropriate protections.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on funding for Erbitux from April 2016.

    George Freeman

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 February 2016 to Question 27585.

    “