Category: Speeches

  • Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are being taken to improve television reception in the South Wales valleys.

    Matt Hancock

    Under a 2006 agreement, digital terrestrial, cable and satellite digital television services together cover practically all UK households, so that in all but the most exceptional of cases, everyone should be able to get free-to-air digital television, by one means or another.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to implement a strategy to tackle invasive non-native species at the European level; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The United Kingdom has been instrumental in calling for an EU-wide strategy to tackle invasive non-native species. We support the new EU Regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction of invasive alien species, which came into force on 1 January 2015. Since that time we have been working with the European Commission and other Member States to agree the first list of species that will be subject to the Regulation, and to put the required measures in place to tackle those species as required by the Regulation.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 14607 and with reference to the consultation document entitled, Tackling Exploitation in the Labour Market, published in October 2015, what research (a) has been commissioned and (b) will be commissioned better to understand the nature of labour market non-compliance.

    Karen Bradley

    Labour market enforcement bodies routinely collect operational intelligence on the nature of labour market non-compliance. The Government is consulting on the merits of establishing a Director of Labour Market Enforcement, whose proposed role would include making better use of such intelligence and commissioning further research, if needed, to better understand the nature of non-compliance.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are responsible for any aspects of the finance and operation of the two universities in Northern Ireland, and if not, who is.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    Higher Education policy is devolved. The Department for Employment and Learning of the Northern Ireland Executive is the department responsible for Higher Education Institutions in Northern Ireland. This includes responsibility for providing funding to their HEIs for teaching and for recurrent research (also known as Quality Related research funding). In addition, the UK Government provides funding through the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ Science & Research Budget for Research Councils, which are reserved bodies, and to the National Academies. The Research Councils provide funding for specific projects and programmes of research on a competitive basis open to universities across the United Kingdom, including those in Northern Ireland. Similarly, academics from universities across the UK can bid for funding from the National Academies.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the post-construction obligations on large volume housing developers in enforcing compliance with building regulations.

    James Wharton

    It is the responsibility of the housing developer to ensure that work is compliant with the building regulations both during construction and post-construction. During the construction period, the building control body would be responsible for checking compliance. Post-construction, where there is a new home warranty in place, the warranty provider provides cover for up to ten years after construction and can include compliance with aspects of the building regulations.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on (a) new IT equipment, (b) new furniture, (c) new artwork, (d) catering and events, (e) renovating its buildings and facilities, (f) new plants and shrubs and (g) special advisers’ travel expenses since May 2015.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education has spent the amounts shown in the table below on the following list of categories from 1 May 2015 to 31 January 2016.

    a) New IT equipment

    £868,312

    b) New furniture

    £11,861

    c) New artwork

    No Expenditure

    d) Catering and events

    £326,575

    e) Renovating buildings and facilities [1]

    £9,862,679

    f) New plants and shrubs

    No Expenditure

    g) Special Advisers’ travel expenses (including rail journeys)

    £1,555

    [1] The figure for renovating buildings and facilities is for DfE and its Agencies and does not include expenditure on school buildings.

    The figures are for the Department, its Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Government Equalities Office, Equality and Human Rights Commission and Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

  • 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 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of non-EU citizens who face being deported after 6 April because they earn less than £35,000.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    No migrant workers will be deported from April 2016 as a result of the £35,000 settlement threshold.

    The threshold only applies to those who entered Tier 2 (General), the skilled work route, from 6 April 2011. Tier 2 workers sponsored in shortage or PhD-level occupations are exempt. Skilled workers may remain in Tier 2 (General) for up to six years in total, after which they are expected to meet the settlement criteria or leave. For those who entered in April 2011, the six year maximum period of stay will expire in April 2017.

    Those who are paid below the threshold may apply to switch into any other routes for which they are eligible. Those workers who cannot extend their stay will be expected to leave the UK voluntarily when their visa expires. The Home Office published a full impact assessment on the changes to Tier 2 settlement rules when they were laid before Parliament on 15 March 2012. This is available on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117957/impact-assessment-tier2.pdf.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2016 to Question 33455, how many people are employed to investigate tax evasion in HM Revenue and Customs’ (a) affluent unit and (b) high net worth unit.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Custom’s 26,000 (full-time equivalent employees) strong enforcement and compliance workforce of risk and intelligence analysts, compliance officers and fraud investigators tackle the full range of compliance risks ranging from hidden economy to the wealthy.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether a dedicated hotline for postgraduate loan applicants will be established by the Student Loans Company.

    Joseph Johnson

    There is a dedicated enquiry line for applicants for the new master’s loan for postgraduate study. The number is 0300 100 0031 and the line is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent by his Department on private school fees for children whose parents are stationed (a) in the UK and (b) overseas in the last financial year.

    Mark Lancaster

    Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) was reviewed as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010. Since then, our reforms have reduced costs by around £30 million per annum along with an associated reduction in claimants. Work continues to further reduce the cost of the allowance, whilst ensuring funding goes to those who really need it, with the latest governance changes taking effect on 1 September 2016.

    The requested information is provided in the following table.

    Continuity of Education Allowance, Number of Claimants and Cost (UK and Overseas) by Financial Year (FY)

    FY 2015-16

    UK Claimants

    3,040

    Overseas Claimants

    630

    Total Claimants

    3,670

    UK Cost (£ million)

    67

    Overseas Cost (£ million)

    13.8

    Total Cost (£ million)

    80.8

    Note: all numbers are rounded