Category: Speeches

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of any economic benefits arising from the recent constitutional changes and the establishment of a new government in Kathmandu; and how they will support new business initiatives to stimulate the economy.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The amendments to the Constitution are a step towards resolving differences. We see a lasting political settlement as an important basis for future political stability and faster economic growth in Nepal.

    Promoting economic development and stimulating economic growth is a pillar of the Department for International Development’s Nepal programme.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many regional or minority languages are recognised by his Department; and how many of those languages receive funding for language programmes.

    James Wharton

    The United Kingdom has recognised seven languages under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Cornish and Manx. Cornish is the only language in England to have this status and since April 2010 the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided £650,000 to Cornwall Council for the development of the Cornish Language.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many merchant seafarers were employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in each year from 2008-09 to 2015-16.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The number of Royal Fleet Auxiliary employees on 1 Apr for each year 2008-09 to 2015-16 are as follows:

    2008-09

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2,245

    2,275

    2,300

    2,330

    1,975

    1,890

    1,810

    1,895

    All totals are rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of GDP the Government plans to spend on health care in each of the next four years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Spend as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is stated on United Kingdom public expenditure figures and is produced by HM Treasury. The Department of Health is responsible for reporting on health spend in England and is not in a position to provide equivalent spend figures for health by the devolved administrations in future years.

    The Spending Review settlement, delivered by the Chancellor in November 2015, set the Department’s overall budget for the remaining years of the parliament and the level of funding that will be available to the National Health Service. It set absolute spending totals, not spending as a percentage of GDP, providing certainty for financial planning over the period, according to the plans set out by the NHS itself, in the 5 Year Forward View.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she has had with social media companies to discuss harmful online content since May 2015.

    Mrs Theresa May

    Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations, including with newspaper and other media proprietors, editors and senior executives, are published on a quarterly basis and made available on the gov.uk website.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. Information on the Department for Culture Media & Sport statistics and can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

    “

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he intends to bring forward legislative proposals to replace the horserace betting levy with a horserace betting right.

    Tracey Crouch

    Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.

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

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on local authorities offering council tax discounts to in-house foster carers but not to independent or agency foster carers looking after children in care from that authority; and what information she holds on which authorities have such arrangements.

    Edward Timpson

    The arrangement of foster care placements is the duty of local authorities. The regulatory framework for the provision of foster care placements is clear that local authorities must have access to sufficient placements to meet the needs of the children they look after.

    The framework referred to above is clear that foster carers should not be economically disadvantaged as a consequence of carrying out their role on behalf of the local authority.

    There is no specific provision for foster carers in council tax legislation. However, local authorities are able to grant council tax reductions to any individuals or groups as they see fit.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on alleged human rights violations in that country; and what progress has been made on promoting a fair and independent judicial system in India.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) discussed human rights with Prime Minister Modi during Mr Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom in November 2015. Mr Modi reassured the Prime Minister and honourable members in his address to Parliament that he fully respected India’s traditions of tolerance and diversity. I raised the extensive interest taken by right honourable and honourable members in this place with the Indian High Commissioner on 12 January. The Indian Constitution provides for a judiciary which is independent of the legislature and the executive. The courts have proved to be a powerful medium of progressive change in India and a protector of India’s Constitution, challenging successive governments on various issues, including human rights. However, we do acknowledge that there is a backlog of cases and are encouraged by discussions in India to address this issue.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the Regional Air Connectivity Fund has not yet been allocated.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Regional Air Connectivity Fund was announced by the previous Government to provide up to £20 million annually to maintain existing domestic air routes to London that may be withdrawn, and to support new air routes from airports handling fewer than 5 million passengers per annum though start-up aid.

    The Government has already made £5.2 million available to maintain the existing air links between Dundee and Stansted airports, and between Newquay and Gatwick airports, and will continue to consider support for other routes that may be withdrawn.

    In addition, the Department last year undertook a tender process for airlines to bid for funding for start-up aid for new air routes. A total of eleven bids were received and the government announced last November that up to £7 million would be provided to support all eleven routes. It is now for the airlines to start operating these routes, with payments from the fund made upon delivery of the agreed service.

    We are now considering whether to take forward further start-up funding rounds and will make an announcement later this year.