Category: Speeches

  • Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tanlaw on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the use of British Summer Time, and what assessment they have made of the possible impact of maintaining BST throughout the year.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government has no plans to review the use of British Summer Time.

    In 2012, the Government published a review of the available evidence concerning the likely effects of moving to Central European Time (also known as Daylight Saving time) in the UK. This is attached, but is also available on the Government website at the following link.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34587/12-1036-review-evidence-putting-clocks-forward.pdf

    “

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were stockpiled (a) before and (b) after the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016 on the unlawful and discriminatory use of the past presence test.

    Penny Mordaunt

    No claims were stockpiled before the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016, 40 Disability Living Allowance claims were stockpiled after the ruling.

    Section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 provides that, where the Upper Tribunal decides on a social security appeal that the Secretary of State has made an error of law in his original decision and other claims subsequently fall to be decided by the Secretary of State, the judgment generally is not to be applied in relation to any period that predates the Upper Tribunal’s decision (s.27(3)). This statutory rule does not apply to the person who brought the original appeal, to people who have already lodged an appeal against a decision or who are still in time to do so, or to people whose case the Secretary of State has stockpiled (or whose appeal he has stayed) pending the judgment under section 25 of the Act.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department spent on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising (i) in 2014-15 prices and (ii) as a proportion of her Department’s expenditure in each year since 2010-11.

    George Eustice

    The Department’s expenditure is audited and published each year. Annual reports and accounts for each of the last five years are available here:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2010-11

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2011-to-2012–6

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2013-to-2014

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015

    “

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department plans to spend on domestic counter-terrorism operations in each of the next five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government protected counter-terrorism police funding over the last 5 years and the Strategic Defence and Security Review and Spending Review both confirmed a real terms increase to counter-terrorism police funding to invest in new capabilities.

    The Spending Review announcement set the overall budget for the Home Office. Officials are now going through the detail and will continue to provide advice to the Home Secretary on individual allocations and spending commitments. We anticipate that funding allocations for counter-terrorism will be confirmed in the New Year.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what planning for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria the Government has undertaken.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK has factored the need for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction into our planning from the beginning of the crisis and committed £1bn towards this. We are now working with international partners to coordinate stabilisation efforts as they develop, and to update our post-conflict planning to reflect the timeline envisaged in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) process. We are ensuring that an internationally coordinated stabilisation mechanism is ready for a scenario in which transition has taken place, when delivery of stabilisation efforts to support political transition will be necessary. This all rests on an inclusive political settlement, which is why the UK is pushing hard for the ISSG to deliver transition leading to a ceasefire and an inclusive government which represents all Syrians. The Syria Conference in February provides an important opportunity to advance stabilisation and reconstruction planning.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department’s policy is on when to inform Parliament about changes to pay grades of special advisers in any ministerial department.

    Matthew Hancock

    Annually.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2016 to Question 25631, over what time period the investigations into care sector employers took place; and how many of the employers found to be non-compliant following those investigations have been publicly named and shamed by the Government.

    Mr David Gauke

    If a worker believes they have not received at least the National Minimum Wage they should contact the Acas helpline in confidence on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently fast track for investigation any care worker direct complaints received through the Acas helpline.

    I refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him to Question 25631 for HMRC’s position on discussing outcomes. I further refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him by my hon. friend the Minister for Skills (Nick Boles) for detail on naming policy, Question 8685.

    The most recent naming announcement from February is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016.

    “

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure there is adequate funding for children with special educational needs in early years education.

    Lord Nash

    We have already announced over £1bn more for the early years entitlements within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant by 2019-20, which includes £300m per year to uplift the average funding rate to providers. We are also providing protection for high needs funding that will make sure that the level of funding rises in proportion to the number of children, including those under 5. This will make sure that local authorities continue to have the flexibility to target funding where it is most needed to help children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, including the youngest children. Further consideration will be given to funding for children with special educational needs in early years education as part of a consultation later this year.

    Local authorities are required by law to secure free entitlement places for parents that want their child to take them up. The Government is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high quality, flexible and affordable childcare and parents with children with special educational needs should have the same opportunities as other parents through access to high quality childcare. The Children and Families Act requires local authorities to have a ‘local offer’ which includes a statement on how they intend to tailor the childcare on offer for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

    Early implementation of 30 hours from September 2016 provides a real opportunity to develop innovative approaches to providing flexible childcare for working parents whose children are disabled or have special educational needs. Through Early Implementation, York, Northumberland, Newham and Wigan are among 8 LAs delivering the 30 hours entitlement from September 2016, a year earlier than planned. This will include delivering targeted places focusing on children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

    They will also be supported by Early Implementer Innovator areas including Brighton and Hove, Hampshire and Trafford, who will test the offer and how it works under specific circumstances, including developing approaches to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

  • 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 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account his Department has taken of the additional costs of insulating and ventilating schools and hospitals affected by the new flightpaths of a third runway in estimating the cost of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In its Final Report the Airports Commission recommended that support for schools, including insulation of school buildings, should be a priority component of Heathrow Airport Limited’s community compensation package.

    The Government is continuing to consider the comprehensive evidence published by the Airports Commission before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. In December the Government announced that we are undertaking a package of further work on developing the best possible package of measures to mitigate the impacts of expansion on local communities. This work includes the impact on schools.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect on VAT receipts of changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 before making that announcement; and if he will make a statement.

    Dominic Raab

    The Ministry of Justice received and analysed data from numerous sources when formulating the announcement in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. It will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including other Government Departments, solicitors and insurers in taking forward the new reforms. The Government will consult on the detail of these measures in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by a detailed impact assessment.