Category: Speeches

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safety and contingency measures his Department puts in place before nuclear materials are transported on roads in Scotland.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The transport of Defence Nuclear Material is regulated by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator according to the provisions of Joint Service Publication 538, Regulation of the Nuclear Weapon Programme, available at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341332/20140801_JSP_538_V3_1_Pt_1.pdf

    A wide range of safety and contingency measures are in place to ensure the safety of nuclear convoy operations. These are summarised in the Local Authority and Emergency Service Information document available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-emergency-services-information.

  • Teresa Pearce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Teresa Pearce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of railway station ticket offices that will be closed by (a) 2020 and (b) 2025.

    Claire Perry

    The Ticketing and Settlement Agreement protects the opening hours of Ticket Offices. If an operator wishes to make such changes to Ticket Office opening times, there is an industry process to follow.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about why the Israel Defence Forces have been positioned behind the Green Line and on 1 March fired on Beit Hanun farmland and farmers working in fields east of Juhor al-Dik.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this issue. However, we have an ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities about the Israeli Defence Forces use of live fire.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with hepatitis C commenced treatment in (a) England and (b) each Operational Delivery Network area between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    Information on patient treatment is ordinarily documented in the detailed patient records held by service providers, and not held centrally by NHS England.

    For the period 1 April 2015 – 31 March 2016, based on information supplied by clinicians treating people with chronic hepatitis, NHS England estimate that 5,895 patients started treatment.

    Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) were launched in August 2015 and therefore data by ODN as requested (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016) are not held.

  • John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 35866, what the capital spend by (a) the Health Protection Agency on its National Incident Coordination Centre in 2011 at Buckingham Palace Gate and (b) Public Health England on its National Emergency Operations Centre in Wellington House was in 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England was established in 2013. Therefore the Department has not been able to specifically identify the historical costs of creating the National Incident Coordination Centre (NICC) in 2011.

    The works to install the NICC was part of a wider refit of 5th Floor North in Wellington House. The project cost for this refit was £43,000; the cost of installing the NICC cannot be specifically identified.

  • Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many self-assessed tax returns which included employee share ownership schemes required investigation by HM Revenue and Customs in each tax year since 2010-11.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs is unable to provide this information as it is not a requirement to report employee share ownership schemes separately on Self-Assessment Tax Returns.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 40083, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of the British military conducting and supporting air drops of humanitarian aid in Syria.

    Mike Penning

    The Ministry of Defence shares the view of the Department for International Development that aid delivered by road, by trusted humanitarian partners who can ensure it gets to those who need it most, remains the best way of getting help to affected populations. The UK has been clear that the use of air drops to deliver aid is high risk and should only be considered as a last resort when all other means have failed, and if it is an effective way of getting humanitarian supplies to people. Air drops require certain conditions to be met for successful delivery that are unlikely to be present on the ground in most of Syria including clear drop zones, safe access for the intended recipients, and co-ordination with authorities on the ground to oversee distribution.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what consideration his Department has given to suspending the UK’s arms export licences to Saudi Arabia in the light of the conflict in Yemen.

    Anna Soubry

    All export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. A licence will not be issued for any country if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

    We keep all licences under review in the light of changing circumstances in countries of destination for UK arms exports, including Saudi Arabia.

    A political solution is the best way to bring long term stability to Yemen and to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. The UK is fully and actively supporting the UN’s efforts to achieve this.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what work his Department is undertaking with local authorities to ensure that (a) provision of women’s refuges is increased to meet greater demand and (b) such refuges provide residents with the support they need.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We are committed to ensuring that no victim of domestic abuse is turned away from the support they need. That is why in the Summer Budget we launched a £3 million fund to increase provision of safe accommodation with specialist support, including refuges, and to provide services to help victims access this support. The recent Spending Review announced a new dedicated, long term fund of £40 million over the next four years offering support to victims of domestic abuse. This increased funding complements the Government’s wider approach and support for Violence Against Women and Girls services, which will be set out in the forthcoming refresh of this strategy.

  • Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will release details of each weapons release over Syria so that they can be correlated against any reports of civilian casualties.

    Earl Howe

    As at 18 December 2015, the UK had released 21 weapons against targets in Syria since the vote on airstrikes. There have been no reports of civilian casualties as a result.

    The weapons have all been Paveway IV guided bombs from RAF Tornado GR4 and Typhoon aircraft. The UK released six Paveway IV on 2 December, one on 3 December, eight on 4 December and six on 6 December. These have all been against targets in the Daesh-controlled Omar oilfield in eastern Syria.

    We will not release the exact location and timing of each strike as this could compromise our operational capabilities. All UK airstrikes are conducted in accordance with Rules of Engagement and International Humanitarian Law. Targets are selected with the utmost care; the risks of collateral damage or civilian casualties are assessed and mitigated based on intelligence and the use of precision guided weapons.