Category: Speeches

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 69 of his Department’s Defence Equipment Plan 2015, what the reasons are for the decrease in planned spending on ISTAR; and how that decrease will be achieved.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the Defence Equipment Plan 2015, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2015. Paragraph 11 explains the movements in the high level elements of the equipment plan from the previous financial year. Each of the operating centre breakdowns in Section C of the Equipment Plan contains an explanation of any increase or decrease in spending from the previous financial year.

    “

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time staff are based in the Kabul Intimidation Investigation Unit; and what the roles of those staff are.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Intimidation Investigation Unit (IIU), based in Kabul, has six full time, in-theatre staff:

    A Ministry of Defence (MOD) civil servant leads the team as the Scheme Manager, overseeing the investigation of intimidation cases, presenting cases at decision panels, and managing any policy issues which arise.

    Another MOD civil servant, employed as the Policy and Secretariat Officer, manages the overall caseload appropriately and ensures that case records are maintained.

    Two appropriately trained and experienced police officers, seconded from Home Office constabularies, are employed to conduct the investigations into intimidation claims. Their tasks include conducting interviews and assessing evidence.

    Two British military interpreters, fluent in Pashtun and Dari, who provide support to interviews and translate documents that have been provided as evidence.

    Though not members of the IIU staff, the IIU receives additional in-theatre support from a Danish legal adviser, and from staff within the Labour Support Unit.

    The work of the IIU in-theatre is overseen by the Operation TORAL Civil Secretary, who dedicates the majority of their time to chairing the in-theatre decision panels and provides guidance should cases or issues need to be escalated.

    Additional support is provided from the UK by a full-time policy officer based at Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), and by senior managers within PJHQ who oversee the whole of Operation TORAL.

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

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the level of truancy was in Pendle in the last three years.

    Nick Gibb

    Information on pupil absence, including authorised and unauthorised absence, is published at school, local authority, regional and national level in the “Statistics: pupil absence”[1] series. Parliamentary constituency level information is not available.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-pupil-absence

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons the construction cost of the planned Hinkley Point C power station has reduced from £24.5 billion to £18 billion.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The £24.5 billion figure included financing costs (interest and guarantee costs) assuminga £16 billion IUK guarantee. The £18 billion figure is not directly comparable as it does not include these financing costs.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he has had with cleaners working in his Department’s premises to discuss payment of the living wage.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    There have been no meetings between Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and the cleaners.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Michelle Donelan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the implementation of seven-day-a-week NHS services on the payment-by-results contracts in clinical commissioning groups.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department and NHS England are working together to establish the costs of introducing seven day services over the spending review period.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to monitor the cost to nursing homes of employing agency nurses; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government has no plans to monitor agency costs to nursing homes.

    Care providers are independent businesses and agreements with agency staffing providers are commercial contractual arrangements.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 117 of the Counter-Extremism Strategy, published on 19 October 2015, what the timescale is for introducing the Extremism Community Trigger.

    Karen Bradley

    The Extremism Community Trigger will be introduced in due course.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 to Question 12154, for what reasons he did not refer to any legal basis in domestic law during (a) his oral statement of 4 September 2015, Official Report, column 23 and (b) the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9571; and if he will describe the legal basis in domestic law used for the targeted killing of British citizens outside declared war zones; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    I have nothing further to add.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to continue the Universal Jobmatch service after the contract expires in April 2016; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    DWP intends to exercise its right under the current contract to extend the service for a further 12 months. Commercial discussions are currently underway with the supplier.