Category: Speeches

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the Government plans to implement Lord Leveson’s recommendation that regulatory authorities should be able to impose structural remedies and remedies which will change behaviour which can relate, if appropriate, to editorial independence and journalistic standards.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In response to Lord Leveson’s recommendations on media plurality we asked Ofcom to consider how we measure media plurality in the UK. Ofcom published a framework for measurement on the 5th November. We will need to consider that framework and how we make a baseline assessment before we consider any further work in this area.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 25 November (HL3646), on what dates over the last 24 months the government of the Republic of Ireland attended in any capacity meetings held under section 1 of the 1998 Belfast Agreement; where the meetings were held; and what was discussed.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has held regular meetings with the Irish Government over the last two years. The Irish Government has not been in any negotiations or been involved in discussions about Strand one issues under the Belfast Agreement. As the Government set out in its Northern Ireland manifesto at the election, we are committed to upholding the well-established three-stranded approach.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 11.10 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how the £55 billion budget for High Speed 2 has been split between phase 1 and phase 2 of that project.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Spending Review 2015 set out a long-term budget of £55.7bn (2015 prices) for delivering HS2. Of this, approximately £27.2bn has been apportioned to Phase One and £28.5bn to Phase Two.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with clinical bodies on potential links between the levels of dentistry and cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    There have been no formal discussions with clinical bodies on this matter.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information police forces hold on the (a) nationality and (b) ethnicity of those (i) arrested for (ii) convicted of sexual assaults against women.

    Mike Penning

    Under the annual data requirement (ADR), police forces are required to submit data to the Home Office on the ethnicity and sex of persons arrested for sexual offences. These data cannot be broken down to identify the number of arrests for sexual offences against women. Data on the nationality of persons arrested are not collected centrally.

    Police forces hold a range of personal information on the Police National Computer (PNC) and local police databases on those arrested and convicted of any offence, including sexual assaults against women.

    Additionally, the personal information of anyone cautioned or convicted for a sexual offence listed in Schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, including sexual assault, is held on the police dangerous persons’ database, Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR).

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of nuisance calls which appear to be from local numbers but which are being forwarded elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Based on an analysis of reported concerns, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has previously estimated that approximately 12% of nuisance calls carry ‘spoofed’ Calling Line Identification (CLI), but this does not mean that all the calls have originated from overseas. The Government has recently consulted on making it a requirement for direct marketing callers to provide valid CLI. The Government plans to bring this measure into force in due course.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he has plans to regulate the sale of black spot carbon monoxide detectors.

    Anna Soubry

    We have no plans to further regulate the sale of black spot carbon monoxide detectors.

    Carbon monoxide detectors fall under the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) 2005 which states any product placed on the market must be safe. Trading Standards will remove products that do not meet the requirements of the GPSR.

    These types of carbon monoxide detectors are obsolete and no longer generally available.

  • Poulter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Poulter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if his Department will make funding available for discounted or complimentary travel for apprentices.

    Nick Boles

    Apprenticeships are full time paid jobs which include substantial and sustained training, lasting a minimum of 12 months.

    There is no central public funded support available towards travel costs for apprentices, but some Local Authorities do offer discounts or concessions for young people on apprenticeships, as they do for those in other forms of learning.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review safety arrangements on English beaches; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Safety at public beaches is generally the responsibility of the local authority, who carry out risk assessments to determine appropriate safety measures. Generic guidance for the safe use of beaches is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-safe-at-the-coast-beach-safety-advice

    “

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on patient safety of the 10 per cent headcount reduction initiative introduced by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Responsibility for determining appropriate staffing levels rests with hospital trusts. In making their assessment, trusts should focus on the numbers and skill mix needed to deliver quality care, patient safety and efficiency.

    We are advised by NHS Improvement that St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is implementing a financial recovery plan, part of which involves reducing pay costs by 10% by 31 March 2017.

    We are further advised that the Trust plans to achieve financial sustainability by not recruiting to certain posts as and when they become vacant. We understand that the Trust is also reviewing its expenditure on discretionary pay and on employing temporary bank and agency staff.

    We are assured that the Trust will take all necessary steps to ensure staff can continue to deliver services safely and effectively and that any posts judged essential to delivering services safely and effectively will continue to be filled.