Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in England have (a) staff trained in CPR or (b) a defibrillator on site; and what plans her Department has to ensure that all schools have (i) such staff and (ii) on-site defibrillators.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not hold information on the number of schools which have staff trained in CPR. All schools should have at least one first-aider, and the number of first-aid personnel will be based on local circumstances, considered as part of a first aid needs assessment in the school. Recognised certificated courses ‘First Aid at Work’ or ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’ train staff in the administration of CPR.

    The guidance published by the Department in November 2014 promoted a scheme to enable schools to purchase defibrillators at reduced cost. As of 23 October 2015, 735 defibrillators had been purchased by schools through this scheme. The Department does not hold information on the total number of schools with a defibrillator.

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support development programmes in Yemen.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Given the current humanitarian crisis in the country, the principal focus of the UK’s support to Yemen is on meeting immediate humanitarian needs and delivering basic services. The UK is one of the largest donors to the humanitarian crisis and has announced £75 million commitment so far. UK aid is providing vital medical supplies, water, food and emergency shelter, as well as supporting the UN work to co-ordinate the international humanitarian response. Our support is delivered through UN agencies and international NGOs.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2015 to Question 9704, whether current staffing levels for (a) torture prevention and (b) death penalty projects will be maintained in 2015-16.

    Mr David Lidington

    The staff levels in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as in all Departments, will be dependent on the outcomes of the Spending Review. The FCO’s work on the prevention of tortue and the death penalty will remain central to our human rights work overseas in 2015-16.

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department plans to apply the apprenticeships levy in Wales.

    Nick Boles

    My Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce further details of the apprenticeship levy at the Spending Review, including the scope and rate of the levy and how it will operate with respect to the Devolved Administrations.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on the implementation of the Choice Review.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department commissioned the Review of Choice in End of Life Care to examine the issue of choice in end of life care. The Review’s recommendations on achieving high quality care and greater choice were published earlier this year. We agree with the vision set out by the Review and we are working with NHS England to see how this can best be achieved. We intend to respond to the Review later this year.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2015 to Question 12538, and with reference to the statement in the Answer of 21 September 2015 to Question 10029 that Ely to Soham track doubling was among a small number of schemes that had been paused by Network Rail, which other schemes were paused by Network Rail.

    Claire Perry

    The Secretary of State announced on 25 June 2015 the pause of work on Midland Main Line electrification and TransPennine electrification. Network Rail subsequently announced to stakeholders that it was pausing work on Ely to Soham track doubling. No other pauses have been announced.

    Any further changes to Network Rail’s delivery plans will be announced as part of the outcome of Sir Peter Hendy’s review.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s policies on increasing access to public transport for disabled passengers.

    Andrew Jones

    We have made significant progress on increasing access. By the end of the year, we expect around 75% of rail journeys to start or end at a step-free station. That is an increase from around 50% when the Access for All programme started. That programme will deliver 151 step-free routes at stations this year. On the buses, only 57% met accessibility regulations in 2009-10. That number is now nearly 90% and rising.

  • Baroness Suttie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Suttie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2015-10-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with business on how labour inspection and enforcement could support implementation of section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, relating to transparency in the supply chains of commercial organisations.

    Lord Bates

    Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 focuses on encouraging businesses to take action to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains. The state seeks to prevent this type of abuse through labour inspection and enforcement. We want these two areas of activity to complement each other to prevent labour exploitation in the UK. We have recently launched a consultation on the Government’s approach to tackling exploitation in the labour market. We will use the outcomes of this consultation to ensure that our final proposals complement section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act as effectively as possible.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of brownfield land is controlled by central government departments.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold this information.

    The Housing and Planning Bill will require local authorities to have a statutory register of brownfield land that is suitable for housing, improving the availability and transparency of up-to-date information.

  • Mr Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Charles Walker on 2014-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces in England have signed local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

    Damian Green

    I understand that, as of 13 May 2014, 36 of the 39 territorial police forces in
    England – plus British Transport Police – are currently signed up to local
    protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The other 3
    forces report that they are in the process of agreeing such protocols with
    local partner agencies.

    The agreement of mental health protocols by local agencies is promoted at
    national level, including through the Mental Health Act 1983 Codes of Practice
    and the new national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which states that:

    ‘Every area should have a local protocol in place, agreed by NHS commissioners,
    the police force, the ambulance service, and social services. This should
    describe the approach to be taken when a police officer uses powers under the
    Mental Health Act’.

    The Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat can be found at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281242
    /36353_Mental_Health_Crisis_accessible.pdf

    The Department of Health, supported by the Home Office and Mind, is encouraging
    local areas to sign-up to the principles of the Concordat, with the expectation
    that all areas in England will have signed local declarations by December
    2014. The Department of Health will publish details of the areas that have
    signed such declarations.