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Category: Speeches

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release, UK to step up NATO maritime commitment, published on 10 February 2016, which Type 45 Destroyer will be deployed to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 in October 2016.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Secretary of State did announce that the Royal Navy will deploy a Type 45 Destroyer to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 in October 2016.

    However, I am withholding details of the ship that will be deployed as such a disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Horam – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Horam on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many homes were completed under the Affordable Homes Programme launched in April 2011.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government has delivered 193,000 affordable homes through the 2011-15 Affordable Homes Programme. This programme exceeded expectations delivering 23,000 more affordable homes than anticipated.

  • Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the future of Channel 4.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The government wants to ensure a strong and secure future for Channel 4 in what is a fast-changing and challenging broadcasting environment. The government is looking at a broad range of options, including those proposed by Channel 4’s leadership.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to recommendation 8 of the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, The UK’s role in the war against ISIL following the cessation of hostilities in Syria in February 2016, published on 24 March 2016, what representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on seeking a negotiated, peaceful and democratic solution to the conflict in predominantly Kurdish areas of Turkey.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south-east Turkey is extremely concerning. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights need to be fully protected. PKK violence must end and the peace process be resumed. We stand ready to help in any way we can. The Foreign Secretary and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail infrastructure funding his Department is providing to each region in each of the next three years.

    Paul Maynard

    The Department for Transport provides funding for rail infrastructure in England and Wales, which makes up part of the total funding requirement for Network Rail to deliver its Control Period 5 commitments between 2014 and 2019. Government funding is not divided by region.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether employment and skills funding, announced by the Department for Work and Pensions on 26 January 2016, and allocated to the National Offender Management Service, will be guaranteed after the UK leaves the EU.

    Damian Hinds

    In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

    The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.

  • Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK armed forces personnel deploying on Operation SHADER include Special Forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    It is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on Special Forces.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of academic health science networks on uptake of medical technology.

    George Freeman

    Speeding up the adoption of innovation into practice to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience has been one of the four core contractual objectives for Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) since their establishment in 2013.

    AHSNs have taken a range of approaches in delivering their objectives which have been selected in response to the priorities of their local populations and health economies. AHSNs are supporting over 150 active programmes and projects across a range of clinical and cross-cutting themes, many of which support the spread and adoption of innovations in their localities. In addition, AHSNs also host the Small Business Research Initiative and are facilitating the creation of Test Beds – both of which involve supporting the development and spread of healthcare technologies.

    As part of NHS England’s assurance process, AHSNs are expected to publish annual reports to update their stakeholders on their achievements against their business plans. Annual reports can be found on individual AHSN websites.

    Case studies and exemplars of how AHSNs are supporting the speed up adoption of innovation into practice can be found in the resources section of the AHSNs Network website: www.ahsnnetwork.com

    “

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of current and past students who it expects will be able to pay off their student loans in full.

    Joseph Johnson

    The student loan system is progressive, with income contingent repayments protecting those on the lowest incomes and loans that have not been fully repaid being cancelled after 30 years. Therefore only a proportion of students are expected to fully repay their loans within this repayment term, although almost all students will repay at least part of their loan.

    The BIS Student Loan Repayment Model forecasts that around 45% of current full time students will fully repay their student loan. The majority of these students have Plan 2 student loans.

    It is forecast that around 75% of all past students with student loans since 1998 that are still making repayments will fully repay their student loan. This includes all full time students that finished their courses in the 2015/16 financial year or earlier, the majority of whom have Plan 1 student loans.

    The above figure for past students does not include those borrowers who have already fully repaid their student loan or had it cancelled. The Student Loan Company publication ‘Student Loans in England: financial year 2014-15’ published in June 2015 shows statistics on the number of borrowers that had fully repaid their loans or had them cancelled up to the end of April 2015. This can be found at the following link:

    http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/england.aspx

    “

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of additional dialysis beds and staff costs to the NHS in the event of NICE’s review of TA 85 [ID456] of immunosuppressant agents for kidney transplant is upheld.

    George Freeman

    We have made no such estimate.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently updating its technology appraisal guidance on immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant in adults. NICE consulted on its draft recommendations in August 2015 and published its final draft recommendations in December. NICE currently expects to publish its final guidance later this year.

    It will be for local National Health Service organisations to consider the impact of the NICE recommendations following guidance publication. NICE will publish a resource impact assessment alongside its guidance to support local implementation of its recommendations.