Category: Speeches

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the procedures are for people involved in assessing applications for the Condition Improvement Fund to contact applicants seeking further information when required.

    Edward Timpson

    The Education Funding Agency (EFA) provides detailed guidance for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) applicants when the application round is launched. The EFA’s enquiry service is on hand to answer applicants’ queries throughout the process.

    CIF assessors do not make contact with applicants during the assessment window. This is to ensure that all bids are assessed consistently on the basis of the evidence which applicants have submitted. Unsuccessful CIF applicants can request a review of their outcome through the CIF appeals round.

    Local authorities, voluntary-aided partnerships and larger Multi Academy Trusts receive a direct School Condition Allocation to address condition needs for their schools.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on the application of the cap on public sector exit payments to employees of Sellafield Ltd; and if he will make a statement.

    Jesse Norman

    In relation to Sellafield Limited employees, my rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State has received representations, including from employees, employee representatives and Members of Parliament.

    The Government has legislated for a cap on public sector exit payments via the Enterprise Act 2016, as promised in the manifesto. The cap will apply to public sector organisations in line with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classifications; Sellafield Limited is classified as part of the public sector by the ONS.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to support the creation of jobs through low carbon growth (a) within and (b) outside the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The ONS will publish estimates of the number of people directly employed in the low carbon economy in December 2015. Notwithstanding this, the Government’s commitment to low carbon infrastructure helps support many thousands of highly skilled jobs across the economy. For example, the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C is estimated to support around 25,000 jobs, of which 7,000 are local. Similarly, the two Siemens offshore wind facilities in Hull announced in 2014 are estimated to support 1,000 direct jobs and 300 construction jobs. Internationally, low carbon strategies and potential jobs that arise from them will be guided by countries’ delivery of their intended contributions to a global climate change agreement. The UKis committed to supporting the world’s poorest to become more resilient to the effects of a changing climate and to take the clean energy path to growth and prosperity. Its international climate finance has helped support the creation of 39,000 jobs in developing countries up to April this year in relation to low carbon climate resilience.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has formed a view on the legality of the maritime claims made by the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea as set out in the nine-dotted line map annexed to the Notes Verbales communicated to the UN Secretary-General in May 2009.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The UK takes no position on the underlying and conflicting claims in the South China Sea. We encourage all parties to resolve all their maritime disputes peacefully, in accordance with international law, for example the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contingency arrangements her Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided by my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister on Thursday 14 January 2016 (UIN: 21952).

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of reservists who are able to serve at short notice in the event of a major conflict.

    Earl Howe

    Volunteer Reservists (VR) on the trained strength (26,560 as at 1 December 2015) are required to respond to a mobilisation call-out at 28 days’ notice and may then carry out additional training for an operation. The length of time required for this training will depend on the complexity of the operation, which may require familiarisation training on equipment which they will be required to operate, and procedural training to prepare for the environment they will encounter. Further preparations may be required, such as vaccinations, which depend on the environment of the operation and which will affect the length of time between mobilisation and deployment.

    For a medium scale intervention operation we would expect the period between mobilisation and deployment for VR to be around 180 days. However, the use of intelligent mobilisation means that willing and available VR are routinely mobilised in around 90 days for specific tasks and this can be significantly shortened in some circumstances.

    No estimate has been made of the number of Reservists who would be able to serve at short notice in the event of a major conflict.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times the former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the former hon. Member for Twickenham, held individual meetings with trade envoys in each year between September 2012 and May 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon Member.

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the proposed new flightpaths before a decision is taken on a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    On 14 December 2015, the Government formally announced that it accepted the Airports Commission’s case for new runway capacity in the South East, as well as the Commission’s three shortlisted schemes. We continue to consider all three schemes, including a third runway at Heathrow.

    The Government continues to consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report, including on flight paths, before taking any decisions on next steps. Ultimately, any proposals to alter the airport’s flightpaths would be subject to the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airspace Change Process.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 22 February 2016, Official Report columns 24-5 whether his Department plans to release further analysis of the economic benefits of the UK staying in a reformed EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Treasury’s document published on the 18th April, was a rigorous and objective assessment of the economic impact of EU membership and the alternative. As stated in this document there will be a further document with an independent assessment of the short term implications of leaving the EU.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) on what dates and (b) by what margins Govia Thameslink Railway has been in breach of the terms of its franchise agreement since the start of that franchise in 2014.

    Claire Perry

    Since Rail Industry period 7 in financial year 2015/16 (ending mid October 2015), Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have exceeded the breach level for the Cancellations benchmark. The Secretary of State issued GTR with a Remedial Plan Notice last year requiring them to set out in a Remedial Plan the measures they will take in order to improve their performance and included remedial plan benchmarks against which GTR are measured for the duration of the Remedial Plan. GTR have not breached the remedial plan cancellations benchmark and are under the breach benchmark for delays and peak short formations.