Category: Speeches

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of cash retentions on the viability of small businesses in the construction sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    The Government does not collect data on the different types of unsecured debts and the creditors to whom they are owed across the full range of formal insolvency procedures.

    The Government acknowledges that some people are unhappy with the system of retentions as it stands, but it is an embedded feature of the construction industry.

    Therefore, our general approach is towork with the industry through the Construction Leadership Council and its supply chain payment charter; endorsing its commitment to zero retentions by 2025. Achieving this commitment will involve far-reaching changes to the way the sector works.

    It is not clear that requiring money to be placed in trust funds is the best way to overcome any shortcomings in the system of retentions: it would impose a financial burden on construction clients, many of whom are themselves small businesses, and where there is financial weakness, may itself make insolvency more likely. The Government is commissioning research on the costs and benefits of the retention system and alternatives, including the use of trust funds. This will inform future action.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many young people in young offenders institutions receive 30 hours education each week.

    Andrew Selous

    Since 16 August 2015, education providers in public sector Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) are required to provide 27 hours of education a week, which is supplemented by 3 hours of physical exercise. On average, 27 hours of education is being provided in these YOIs.

    Although the majority of education time is protected, the number of hours of education actually received by young people is sometimes lower than this due to a variety of necessary interruptions, such as court appearances, family visits, or medical appointments. The number of people in YOIs receiving 27 hours of education each week is not recorded centrally. The Youth Justice Board is currently working with the National Offender Management Service, YOIs and education providers to increase the number of education hours received by young people.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2015 to Question 8139, what (a) correspondence and (b) meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust on patients being admitted to private facilities outside Lancashire in 2014.

    Ben Gummer

    There has been no such correspondence or meetings. These are operational matters for the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

  • Liam Byrne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liam Byrne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total forecast spending on alcohol treatment services is for the future years for which information is available.

    Jane Ellison

    Figures for the 2016-17 and future public health grants will not be known until after the 2015 spending review. There is currently a consultation on the proposed target allocation formula for the 2016-17 public health grant, which includes a formula for substance misuse services, which closes on 6 November.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by his Department with the Saudi Arabian government.

    Dominic Raab

    The Information Commissioner’s Office has upheld the decision not to publish this Memorandum of Understanding. That correspondence can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2015/1432375/fs_50579089.pdf.

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  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) enforcement cases and (b) out-of-court settlements there were for non-payment of vehicle tax between (i) October 2013 and June 2014 and (ii) October 2014 and June 2015.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) employs a range of enforcement activities including reminder letters, out-of-court settlements, wheelclamping or prosecutions. There were 609,938 cases eligible for enforcement action between October 2013 and June 2014. Of these, 135,456 were settled by way of an out-of-court settlement payment. Between October 2014 and June 2015 there were 757,086 cases eligible for enforcement action with 161,117 reconciled by way of an out-of-court settlement payment.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gerald Kaufman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 27 August 2015 with regard to Amy Jones.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the member of Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), replied on 21 October 2015

  • Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the premium renewal service for passports is not available for children’s passports.

    James Brokenshire

    Access to the premium service is subject to the ability of HM Passport Office to carry out sufficient checks and safeguards within the four-hour period under which a decision must be taken on the passport application. The renewal or replacement of a child’s passport requires additional security checks to be conducted to protect the best interests of the child and it is not feasible for these to be completed within the current premium service timescale.

  • Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her joint declaration with the French Minister of the Interior of 20 September 2014, how much funding her Department has contributed to the Joint Intervention Fund announced in that declaration.

    James Brokenshire

    The joint declaration of 20 September 2014 included a £12 million contribution from the UK Government towards a joint fund to strengthen security at Calais and other juxtaposed ports. Since 20 September 2014, the UK Government has committed an estimated £11.54 million from that fund on security and other improvements at the juxtaposed ports, including £1.5 million into the joint fund for a secure zone for HGVs at Calais.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications were received per individual training place in England for (a) nurses and (b) midwives in each year between 2010 and 2015.

    Ben Gummer

    Information relating to the number of applications for pre-registration nursing and midwifery training is not collected by the Department.

    Information on applications and admissions to full time education courses in the United Kingdom is collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).