Category: Speeches

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

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-09-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the London Fire Brigade’s proposal for a single, publicly accessible UK register of product recalls.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    We want to ensure consumers have easy access to information on product recalls. We have already asked an industry led Recall Review Steering Group to explore how a single source of information on product recalls can be delivered for business and consumers. We will be discussing proposals on this with them shortly. The London Fire Brigade are represented on the Recall Review Steering Group by the Chief Fire Officers Association.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to respond to the final report of the Lead Ammunition Group.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

    The Food Standards Agency has produced advice on the consumption of lead shot game which can be accessed at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/advice-to-frequent-eaters-of-game-shot-with-lead.

    “

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Dorset County Council area has been redesignated in the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.

    The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.

    Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:

    East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; and

    Purbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.

  • Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Graham Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with bookmakers on the single-staffing of high street betting shops.

    Tracey Crouch

    I meet with the betting industry, Gambling Commission, and other interested organisations regularly. I am aware of the concerns around single-staffing of high street betting shops but expect bookmakers to adhere to their statutory requirements and minimum voluntary standards to protect staff from risk.

  • Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nick Clegg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the rates of mental illness among school-age children.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The most recent prevalence survey estimated that 1 in 10 children have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and more have lower level problems. This is why the Government has made good mental health, character and resilience a high priority. The Department of Health is commissioning a new prevalence survey to update this estimate for a wider range of ages, from 2-19. It is due to report in 2018. We do not routinely collect data that allows us to measure the amount schools spend specifically on addressing mental health issues.

    We are committed to better understanding what schools are doing on this matter, which is why my department is commissioning an extensive survey. This survey will provide a robust national picture of mental health support provided by schools and colleges.

    It is for head teachers to determine how they spend their individual school budgets to best meet the needs of all their pupils. In the Spending Review we announced that the core schools budget will be protected in real terms through this Parliament. We are also protecting the Pupil Premium, which many schools use to fund mental health provision, at current pupil rates. Within these protections, we announced in December 2015 that an additional £92.5 million will specifically be provided in the high needs element of the Dedicated School Grant (DSG) next year.

    We have also made £1.4 billion available over the next five years to transform local children and young people’s mental health services to deliver more integrated and accessible services. Clinical Commissioning Groups have been required to work with others services locally, including schools, to produce plans that set out how they will transform children and young people’s mental health services locally to make them more accessible and increase the focus on prevention.

    We are also contributing to a £3 million joint pilot with NHS England for training single points of contact in schools and specialist mental health services, to ensure that children and young people have timely access to specialist support where needed. There are 22 pilot areas covering more than 200 schools across 27 CCGs.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the residence test for disability living allowance and personal independence payment on people who have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection.

    Justin Tomlinson

    People arriving in Great Britain – whether for the first time or if they are returning former GB residents – must meet the test of being habitually resident in order to receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. They must also have been present in Great Britain for 104 weeks out of the previous 156 weeks. These benefits are non–contributory, non means–tested and paid out of general taxation and, in the absence of a means test or National Insurance contributions condition, DWP uses the past presence test to demonstrate a sufficient connection to the UK social security system. There are no special arrangements for people granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, however those people who are granted refugee status are likely to be considered habitually resident for the purposes of making a claim and they would also then meet the past presence test once they have been resident in the UK for the requisite period of time. In addition, these claimants may be entitled to other, means tested benefits.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the potential effect of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 on costs to the NHS in each year between May 2017 and the end of the current Parliament.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department assesses the impact of all proposed measures before making legislation using standard government methodology. These assessments are set out in Impact Assessments which are scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee before publication alongside the Statutory Instrument.

    An assessment of the impact of the provisions introduced by the Tobacco Products Directive will be published alongside the implementing Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 in spring this year. Expected health benefits from improved smoking quit rates have been estimated at around £13 billion.

  • Andrea Jenkyns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrea Jenkyns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrea Jenkyns on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what research her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned on the effect of immigration on the demand for school places; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-06-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to ensure that the UK delivers on the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, to which it committed at the 69th World Health Assembly on 28 May.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK is supporting efforts to tackle viral hepatitis through a number of different channels. We support hygiene promotion and improving access to clean and safe water, to reduce the risk of transmission of hepatitis A and E. We are the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which increases access to immunisation in low income countries – including protection against hepatitis B. We support UNITAID, which is working to improve access to better diagnostics for hepatitis C, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), which is working to reduce prices and increase access to new treatments. In addition DFID supports comprehensive harm reduction programmes and strategies through its support to the Global Fund, which help reduce transmission of both HIV and Hepatitis C.

    DFID’s health focus is to improve the provision of basic health services for the poorest by strengthening health systems, improving health worker capacity and increasing access to essential medicines and equipment. Increasing coverage, access and quality will strengthen health services to address all health problems including viral hepatitis.

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-09-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits to the police and intelligence agencies in combatting terrorism and crime of making it mandatory for purchasers of pay-as-you-go SIM cards to produce appropriate forms of identification.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    This issue was considered in detail by an expert group comprising representatives of law enforcement, the security and intelligence agencies and communication service providers following the terrorist attacks in London in July 2005. The experts’ findings remain valid. They concluded that the registration of ownership of mobile telephones would not deliver any significant new benefits to the investigatory process.

    Mobile phones are not the only devices capable of making calls or sending messages. Many laptops, computers, popular MP3 players and games consoles also support the sending of messages and phone calls. These devices are increasingly being used for communications. It would be necessary to include these other devices in any mandatory registration scheme.

    Separately, the person who buys the device is not necessarily the person who will use it. Mobile phones are often sold or given to family members or friends which would mean that such information would quickly become out of date.

    Furthermore, those who were keen to avoid providing details would still find ways to circumvent the scheme, such as purchasing or registering phones under false identities.