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Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2016 to Question 37099, if the Government will support an independent investigation into allegations of attacks on Syrian asylum seekers by Turkish border guards.

    Mr David Lidington

    Turkey continues to show extraordinary generosity by hosting over 2.7 million Syrian refugees. This has included granting Syrian refugees the right to work, and providing education and committing to increase access to it. Turkey also offers humanitarian support to refugees across its border with Syria. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my answer of 25 May 2016 in response to his Written Question of 18 May 2016 (37099). It remains our understanding that the Turkish government has made preparations to accept more Syrian refugees should conditions in Syria necessitate so, but that its approach is to enable humanitarian aid to be provided to affected populations in northern Syria. Turkey has confirmed that its border remains open to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees. We take all allegations about Turkish treatment of migrants seriously, and raise them regularly with the Turkish authorities.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to stop the shipment of UK nuclear waste to Andnyamantha homelands in Australia up to 2020.

    Jesse Norman

    There is a very small quantity of Australian owned radioactive waste currently stored in the UK. We anticipate that this will be returned to Australia in due course in line with contractual commitments. The location of any storage and disposal facilities for this waste will be a matter for the Australian authorities.

    Any shipment of radioactive material out of the UK will comply with all relevant international laws and use ships which meet national and international requirements.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government has taken to assess levels of awareness of the sensitivity of personal data and the importance of protecting such data among (a) consumers and (b) small businesses.

    Matt Hancock

    The Cyber Aware (formerly Cyber Streetwise) campaign aims to drive behaviour change amongst small businesses and individuals so they adopt simple secure online behaviours to help protect themselves from cyber criminals. Research carried out by the campaign found 41% of respondents were “concerned a lot” about their personal details being accessed without permission, whilst 48% were “concerned a little” and 11% were “not concerned.” 40% were “concerned a lot” about providing personal information via an email scam/phishing email and losing money, whilst 40% were “concerned a little” and 20% were “not concerned.”

    The Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey states that 69% of businesses say cyber security is a high priority for senior managers. 36% of businesses say the main reason they invest in cyber security is to protect customer data and 34% of businesses have rules specifically around personal data encryption.

    The Data Protection Act requires of businesses that “appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), as the independent regulator of the Data Protection Act (DPA), conducts an annual tracker survey which measures individuals awareness of rights under the DPA and gauges individuals’ perceptions of the way organisations handle their personal information. The latest version, which can be found at www.ico.org.uk, states that 97% of respondents were aware of the Data Protection Act.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department is developing programmes to tackle the (a) interconnectivity of domestic abuse and disability and (b) interconnections between other vulnerable groups.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    My Department recognises that those with disabilities may be more at risk of experiencing violence, and our work to prevent Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) takes into account issues of violence, including domestic abuse, against those with disabilities. We recognise the importance of considering disability in our programming, through for example the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women (to which we contributed £2 million in 2015, a £6 million investment over 3 years), which has this year made a grant to a project focused specifically on access to justice of girls and women with disabilities who have experienced VAWG in Zimbabwe.

    DFID supports a comprehensive social inclusion approach to leaving no one behind and to understanding the interconnections between other vulnerable groups including people with disabilities, older people, youth, children, marginalised girls and women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities, indigenous people, different faith groups, refugees and internally displaced persons and migrants. Many face multiple forms of discrimination and disadvantage with women and girls with disabilities particularly at risk as they live with double discrimination. DFID’s programming investments are based on an extensive poverty analysis at the country level which includes an assessment of the level of access, opportunity and influence of different geographic and social groups. DFID is currently engaging in a Bilateral and Multilateral Aid Review where country offices and partners are being asked to increase their work on ensuring we reach the most disadvantaged groups such as those experiencing multiple discrimination.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much income from passengers was earned by the Isle of Wight Island Line in each of the last five years.

    Claire Perry

    We do not have the running costs of the Isle of Wight Island Line in each category of expenditure in each of the last three years. What we do have are the figures for 2014/15 as supplied by SSWT:

    Costs

    £m

    Staff costs

    2.093

    Station Lease costs

    1.298

    Depot Track Renewals, Maintenance, Materials

    0.66

    Track access and Electric Traction

    0.123

    Other

    0.443

    Total Costs

    4.617

    SSWT have informed us that the Island Line generated the following income in each of the last five years:

    2010/11 = £0.9m

    2011/12 = £1.0m

    2012/13 = £1.0m

    2013/14 = £0.9m

    2014/15 = £0.9m

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the whereabouts and medical condition of the two Birzeit students who were arrested on 7 October and are being detained in an undisclosed location.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this issue. Officials in our Embassy in Tel Aviv have, however, raised our concerns over the treatment of Palestinian detainees on many occasions, including with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, Attorney General’s Office and National Security Council.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Food Standards Agency has made on coordinating steps in partnership with the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency and the National Crime Agency to stop the marketing of Miracle Mineral Solution as a cure for children with autism; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued advice that Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) is not safe and should not be sold as a supplement. It has been working with local authorities across the country to share knowledge, investigate and disrupt the sale of MMS and other similar products.

    Further activity is being conducted with the support of the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and with the involvement of the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit. This activity is ongoing and it would not be appropriate to comment in detail.

    However, the FSA has secured the removal of MMS products from some major marketplace websites, and it has shared information internationally through the National Crime Agency, alerting authorities in other countries to planned seminars at which the use of MMS is promoted.

  • and whether in future such fixed sterling amounts will not be subject to amendment according to exchange rate movements.” – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    and whether in future such fixed sterling amounts will not be subject to amendment according to exchange rate movements.” – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by and whether in future such fixed sterling amounts will not be subject to amendment according to exchange rate movements.” on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the decision of the European Council concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU, which states that not all member states have the euro as their currency”

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government has made representations to the European Commission to suggest that the reviews of the Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive coverage level in non-euro states should occur after the Commission completes its review of suitability of the coverage level as a whole and also that changes for non-euro states reflect genuine, very large and lasting changes in exchange rates.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to paragraph 2.256 of Budget 2016, when he plans to announce further details of the Government’s support for a bid to host the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

    David Evennett

    My officials are holding regular discussions with the Rugby Football League (RFL) and UK Sport about establishing the support the RFL requires for a successful bid. The government will make a further announcement ahead of the bid deadline in June.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the People’s Republic of China on that government’s proposed new law on control of foreign non-governmental organisations.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We have longstanding concerns about the new law, which we made clear to the Chinese authorities through an EU letter on 4 June 2015. We have also fully supported the EU’s other actions in expressing concern about the law, including various written representations and its Item 4 statement at the Human Rights Council in March. I set out our views to the Chinese Ambassador in June last year and we raised the matter at Ministerial level during the UK-China People-to-People Dialogue in September 2015. We fully support the recent EU statement of 4 May.