Category: Speeches

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce stronger key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of Highways England.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government will review Highways England’s existing performance indicators and targets when setting the next Road Investment Strategy. As part of this process the Government will consider whether existing indicators and targets should be strengthened, and whether new indicators should be introduced.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement the Infertility Network UK recommendations on access to IVF treatment.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department funded Infertility Network UK (INUK) to develop advice to NHS Commissioners on standardising eligibility criteria for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. The Department has consistently encouraged NHS Commissioners to have regard to this advice. The INUK advice is listed as a resource for clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the NHS England “Commissioning Fertility Services Factsheet”.

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend that eligible couples should receive three full cycles of IVF treatment. The Government has made clear that blanket restrictions on treatment are unacceptable and all decisions on treatment should be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and in line with NICE Guidelines.

    While we have not made an assessment of access to IVF treatment, we are aware of the annual survey by Fertility Fairness. I have written to stakeholders, including Fertility Fairness, and invited them to discuss what could be done to improve the provision of IVF services along with representatives of NHS England and Monitor.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will confirm that stocks of air-launched weapons such as Brimstone used in Syria and Iraq will be maintained at planned levels at no cost to the agreed defence budget.

    Earl Howe

    I am withholding details of stock levels of air-launched weapons as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces and allies. However, the cost of replenishing weapons used for air strikes in Syria and Iraq will be met from the HM Treasury Special Reserve.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will publish the results of its consultation into the Reform of the Landfill Communities Fund; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    The government published a summary of responses to the consultation Reform of the Landfill Communities Fund alongside Autumn Statement 2015. This document can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/479337/Summary_of_consultation_responses-as15-final.pdf

    “

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the cost was to the public purse of indemnification of franchise partners to meet the costs for staff from Crown Post Offices who transferred into their employment in 2014 and 2015.

    George Freeman

    Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Arrangements for employees of these offices and changes to the Crown network are the operational responsibility of the Post Office.

    I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to you on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to obtain a special status for UK agricultural products from specific geographical origin within the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

    George Eustice

    Negotiations on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) concluded in 2014 and the agreement is expected to come into force in early 2017. CETA represents a good outcome for the UK. Economic analysis suggests the UK could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this agreement.

    Our most important GI (Geographic Indication) product, Scotch Whisky, will receive greater protection in the market and the agreement removes both tariff and non-tariff barriers to British food and drink exports to Canada.

    We will be working with the EU Commission, other Member States, the UK food industry and trade organisations to extend GI recognition under CETA for EU protected food name products not included in the initial negotiating list. In particular for UK products where exports to Canada have substantially increased since the CETA negotiations started in 2011.

  • 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 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cycling and walking projects will be funded annually by the (a) Government’s £80 million five-year Access Fund and (b) Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In February 2016 we confirmed that the Access Fund would be preceded by a £20m Sustainable Travel Transition Year. This competition is live and I therefore cannot confirm how many projects it will support. That said, support for cycling and walking is one of the Fund’s objectives and all bids will need to demonstrate support for cycling and walking in order to secure funding.

    The remaining £60m will support the Access Fund, which will launch in summer 2016. I cannot confirm how many projects will be supported by the Access fund, but, similar to the Sustainable Travel Transition Year, I can confirm that support for cycling and walking will be a key funding criterion. We therefore anticipate that all successful projects will support cycling and walking in some way.

    The Local Sustainable Transport Fund concluded in March 2016. All 44 projects in 2015/16 supported cycling and walking in some way.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools spent more than one year in temporary accommodation in each year since 2011.

    Edward Timpson

    Since the start of the programme in 2011, around 200 free schools have opened in some form of temporary accommodation. The majority of these schools have spent one to two years in temporary accommodation before moving to their permanent site.

    Opening free schools in temporary accommodation has ensured that we have been able to meet a need for places and support free school trusts to open much needed new schools at the earliest opportunity.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much electricity has been generated by Teesside Wind Farm in each year since it opened.

    Jesse Norman

    The Teesside Offshore Wind farm has generated the following amounts of electricity in each year since it opened;

    2013 (July to December):

    79,405 MWh

    2014

    121,808 MWh

    2015

    210,057 MWh

    2016 (January to March)

    57,729 MWh

    This information is publically available on the Ofgem website at:

    https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportManager.aspx?ReportVisibility=1&ReportCategory=0.

    “

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have lost their entitlement to motability cars during their reassessment from disability living allowance to personal independence payment; and how many such claimants have subsequently had their motability cars reinstated following an appeal to the first-tier tribunal in each year since 2010.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme, including collating its own management information. Whilst the Department meets regularly with Motability to discuss scheme performance, questions relating to the details of the scheme’s operation should be directed to Motability itself.