Category: Speeches

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what personal budgeting advice, and in what format, is provided to recipients of universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    As part of the assistance being provided under Universal Support, Universal Credit gives budgeting support to help claimants manage their money on a monthly basis and pay bills on time.

    As well as support offered by work coaches, claimants are offered advice by external organisations with the relevant expertise. This advice is available online, by phone or face-to-face.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many business establishments in Northern Ireland have been fined for employing illegal national workers in each of the last four years.

    Lord Bates

    The information requested is shown in the following table. The figures are based on the number of civil penalties issued to individual employers during each of the last four complete financial years and the current financial year to 31st January 2016. This includes public and private limited companies, sole traders, partnerships and franchises.

    Financial year

    Civil penalties issued

    2011-12

    14

    2012-13

    19

    2013-14

    42

    2014-15

    85

    2015-16 (to 31st January 2016)

    57
  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason the Phase 2 redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital, Cumbria has been delayed.

    Ben Gummer

    This is a matter for the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust provided an update on progress in relation to delivery of Phase 2 of the re-development of West Cumberland Hospital in a press release issued in June 2015.

    http://www.ncuh.nhs.uk/news/2015/june/trust-planning-next-phase-of-west-cumberland-hospital-redevelopment.aspx

    The NHS Trust Development Authority advises that the trust is continuing work to identify options that will enable it to progress this phase of the development.

    “

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which flood defence maintenance works were undertaken in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 2010; and what the cost to the public purse was of each of those works.

    Rory Stewart

    The Environment Agency regularly cleans and maintains several debris screens on the upper reaches of the Ormesby Beck, Middle Beck and Marton West Beck in Middlesbrough. Other maintenance works by the Environment Agency consist of works to maintain, or improve, the flow of water in rivers where it reduces flood risk to homes.

    In accordance with data retention rules, the Environment Agency does not hold financial records for more than five years. The table below outlines expenditure since 2011/12.

    2011 – 12

    2012 – 13

    2013 – 14

    2014 -15

    2015 – 16

    £1,370

    £22,990

    £21,730

    £16,920

    £116,220
  • Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Grocott on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to the Written Answer by the Chairman of Committees on 28 April (HL7763), what was the total cost for the services provided by Electoral Reform Services (ERS) for the recent hereditary peer by-election following the death of Lord Avebury, and what, in particular, was the cost of ERS supervising and conducting the count on 19 April.

    Lord Laming

    The total cost to the House of Lords for the services provided by Electoral Reform Services (ERS) in respect of the recent Liberal Democrat hereditary peers’ by-election was £300. This includes VAT at 20%.

    As with other by-elections, there was one fee for all services provided. There was no separate fee for the cost of ERS supervising and conducting the count.

    When the need for a by-election arises ERS are engaged to administer and supervise the by-election and provide assurance that it conforms to good electoral practice.

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 9 June (HL354), how long it took to set up the Trusts in Kingston-upon-Thames and Slough; what were the costs of setting up those Trusts; and who bore those costs.

    Lord Nash

    Slough Borough Council was issued with a Statutory Direction in October 2014, which required the Council to cooperate in setting up a Trust. The Trust became operational in October 2015. The Department for Education met the costs of setting up the trust, which came to £3.3m.

    Achieving for Children is a community interest company owned and established by the councils of Kingston-Upon-Thames and Richmond. The Department does not hold information about the total costs of setting up this company but Achieving for Children received grant funding of £500,000 from the Department of Communities and Local Government and £105,605 of professional advice and support from the Cabinet Office Mutuals Support Programme.

  • 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 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of the People’s Republic of China about releasing all human rights lawyers detained since July 2015, ceasing the harassment of lawyers and activists, and upholding the rule of law.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Chinese authorities about the detention, arrest and disappearance of Chinese lawyers and human rights defenders. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Mr Sharma), raised their cases most recently with the Chinese Ambassador on 1 August. We urge the Chinese authorities to release the detained lawyers and ensure all detainees have access to legal counsel of their choice.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of trends in the exchange rate on future energy imports; and if he will make a statement.

    Jesse Norman

    Departmental officials advise that exchange rates are one of the factors which influence future energy imports and their cost. For example, the cost of importing gas is also affected by the availability and cost of a range of gas supplies, infrastructure constraints and global and regional demand. The cost of importing electricity to the UK through its interconnectors with other European countries is also influenced by the electricity generation mix in Europe, by gas, coal and carbon prices and by the level of electricity demand in the UK and other European countries.

  • David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the projected transport budget per capita in Greater Manchester after the devolution agreement comes into effect.

    Andrew Jones

    Government committed to provide Greater Manchester with a devolved, multi-year transport funding settlement in their Devolution Deal which was agreed in November 2014. The transport funding to be devolved to Greater Manchester will be agreed as part of the Spending Review to be announced later this month.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that the new Cancer Drugs Fund will increase patient access to medicines for acute myeloid leukaemia.

    George Freeman

    NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are currently consulting jointly on draft proposals on the future direction of the Cancer Drugs Fund.

    The consultation was published on 19 November 2015 and is open until 11 February 2016. It states that it is looking to put in place a solution that ensures patients have routine access to a greater range of cancer drugs, including earlier access to innovative drugs, while ensuring that cost-effectiveness is maintained. Further information is available at:

    www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/cdf-consultation