Category: Speeches

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has held with football associations and police forces on ensuring security and protection for fans travelling abroad for the European Championships.

    David Evennett

    My Department has regular discussions with both the Home Office and the FCO on a range of matters in relation to the 2016 UEFA European Football Championships taking place in France this summer. Departments are in contact with the relevant football associations, and fans attending the tournament will be encouraged to follow the Government’s official travel advice.

  • Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what analysis they have undertaken of the results of successful appeals against Personal Independence Payment assessments.

    Baroness Altmann

    The Department gathers information on the reasons why Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions have been overturned from DWP Presenting Officers and the summary reasons from the Tribunal hearing. Internal Management Information for 2015/16 indicates that either new oral or documentary evidence supplied at the hearing are the leading reasons for PIP decisions being overturned in 75% of cases.

    These figures are from internal DWP systems, where only one of possible multiple reasons can be recorded. They are derived from unpublished information and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics standard.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what UK-led English language classes are available in the refugee camps in Calais, Dunkirk and Turkey.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The provision of services in the migrant camps in France and Turkey is the responsibility of the respective Governments.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of people in the UK who have been trafficked.

    Sarah Newton

    The Home Office and Ministry of Justice jointly fund the Adult Victims of Modern Slavery Care and Coordination Contract in England and Wales. Since July 2011, The Salvation Army has been delivering this service. The total Government funding over this period has been:

    Year

    Funding

    2011-2012

    (July-June)

    £2.3 million

    2012-2013

    (Jul-Jun)

    £3.8 million

    2013-2014

    (July-June)

    £3.9 million

    2014-2015

    (July -March)

    £4 million

    2015-2016

    (April -March)

    £9 million

    The Home Office estimates that in 2013 there were between 10,000 and 13,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK.

    In 2015 there were 3,266 of victims of human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – the UK’s framework for referring and supporting victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.

    In addition, 427 potential victims of modern slavery were identified in England and Wales via the “duty to notify” requirement which requires specified public bodies to report to the Government all potential adult victims of modern slavery encountered in England and Wales who do not wish to be referred to the NRM. Similar provisions will shortly be in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2015 to Question 227804, if his Department plans to commission further research on (a) patterns of long-term prescription of dependency-forming medicines and (b) the scale of addiction to benzodiazepines, z drugs and other such medicines.

    George Freeman

    The Department has commissioned the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Public Health Research Consortium to conduct a study to explore patterns of prescribing for specific medicines that have a risk of dependence, using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. These include: benzodiazepines; z-drugs; opioid-containing prescription drugs for pain; and the GABA-ergic drugs, pregabalin and gabapentin.

    This study will not assess dependence on such medicines, because being in receipt of a prescription is not indicative of dependence. However, it will seek to explore the circumstances in which prescriptions of medicines with a risk of dependence are issued. A better understanding of prescribing patterns is an important step in helping clinicians identify patients at risk of dependence on the medicines they prescribe.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff by full-time equivalence there were in his Department in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2014-15; and how many staff by full-time equivalence he expects there will be in his Department in (i) 2015-16, (ii) 2016-17 and (iii) 2017-18.

    Joseph Johnson

    The staff figures (full-time equivalent) for 2010/11, 2012/13 and 2014/15 are set out below:

    Year

    FTE (Core BIS only, not UKTI)

    Source/Notes

    2010/11

    2,781

    Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2011 (Core Dept (3,373) minus UKTI (592))

    2012/13

    2,692

    Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2014/15

    2014/15

    2,627

    Published in the BIS Annual Report & Accounts 2014/15

    In the further years of this Parliament, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is expecting to make further headcount reductions in the core Department, in line with our Spending Review settlement and our efficiency programme ambitions. The exact figures for full time equivalents in these years are not available at this stage.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the granting of market economy status to China.

    Anna Soubry

    My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.

    We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.

    The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.

    The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the risk of radicalisation of asylum claimants whose asylum claim has been refused but who cannot legally be deported because their destination country is deemed unsafe.

    James Brokenshire

    Those claiming asylum in the UK undergo a series of checks against immigration and police databases. Asylum claimants are screened to identify individuals who may have been involved in serious criminality outside of the UK, this includes (but is not limited to) war crimes, crimes against humanity and terrorism. Asylum claimants are also screened for indicators of national security interest and where identified further checks and investigations are undertaken.

    The Prevent statutory duty has made it a legal obligation for specified public bodies, including the police, local authorities, and health services, to have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into, or supporting, terrorism. We would expect authorities in contact with asylum claimants to have due regard to the risk of radicalisation in the same way that they would any other safeguarding issue.

    No one who is at risk of serious harm in their country is expected to return there, but we do expect those who do not need our protection to return home voluntarily.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to tackle stone theft.

    Karen Bradley

    Stone theft has a detrimental effect on towns and communities across England and Wales. The impact of these crimes includes both the economic cost to the victim, but there are also wider costs to the community, for example where schools, churches or heritage items are targeted by criminals.

    We have received no recent representations from local authorities on this issue, nor have we had recent discussions with the police on stone theft specifically. However, the police are working with Historic England, the Crown Prosecution Service and others to share intelligence and shape good practice in tackling and preventing heritage crime, such as stone theft.

    We would encourage all victims of stone theft, whether individuals or organisations, to report instances of these crimes to their local police, so that the crimes can be properly recorded and investigated. The local response is a matter for individual chief officers of police and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local issues and demands that they face.

    We are satisfied that the existing legislation provides the police and courts with sufficient powers to respond to stone theft.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the 1973 Cost Sharing Agreement between the US and the UK.

    Michael Fallon

    No.