Category: Speeches

  • Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what occasions Ministers or officials of her Department discussed the Immigration Bill with (a) the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) the Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Discussion with interested parties in Northern Ireland on the content of the Immigration Bill has been ongoing since the summer, and has included correspondence at Ministerial level and meetings and workshops at official level with relevant departments in the Northern Ireland Executive. Discussions are also ongoing with the officials of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive.

  • Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she plans to publish the new Health System Strengthening Framework.

    Grant Shapps

    In the government response to the International Development Committee’s report on Strengthening Health Systems in Developing Countries, DFID proposed to develop a framework for future work on health systems. DFID is developing the framework in consultation with the Department of Health and other UK institutions. DFID is due to update the Committee on progress against its recommendations, including the health systems strengthening framework, in November 2015.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will increase the requirements placed on Network Rail to consult local communities on infrastructure planning.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail has to comply with all relevant legislation in carrying out works on its network. It also has to comply with the terms of its Network Licence, enforced by the Office of Rail and Road, which includes provision on dealings with stakeholders and maintenance of long term plans for the network. Any changes to these licence requirements are a matter for the Office of Rail and Road.

    Network Rail works with over 60 Community Rail Partnerships (a government initiative). This involves local people in the development and promotion of local and rural routes, services and stations, aiming to increase passenger numbers and freight use and improve the revenue and efficiency of services.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available to people earning less than £110 per week net who are the principal carers for elderly relatives with a disability.

    Justin Tomlinson

    This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by carers.

    A variety of support is available to both carers and the severely disabled people that they care for. Support is both financial, including through the benefit and Tax Credit systems and the Universal Credit service, and in other ways through local councils and health services.

    Carer’s Allowance is designed to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person. For this reason it is not available to people earning more than £110 a week net of allowable deductions and expenses.

    Carers earning more than £110 a week may be entitled to other financial support, such as Universal Credit or Tax Credits if they satisfy the qualifying conditions.

    People with a disability can claim benefits in their own right in order to meet their needs. Depending on individual circumstances, such financial support can be through universal, extra costs benefits and/or means-tested benefits. Means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, include an additional amount for people with a severe disability (currently £61.85 a week for a single person) which can be paid to a disabled person to help meet the costs of caring if their carer is not receiving Carer’s Allowance.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people claiming income support (a) are pregnant and (b) gave birth within the last 15 weeks.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • The Lord Bishop of Derby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Lord Bishop of Derby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Derby on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require gangmasters to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check as part of their licence application process.

    Lord Bates

    The Government has no current plans to introduce a requirement for a Disclosure and Barring Service check in the Gangmasters Licensing Authority licence application. A public consultation on the role of the GLA in labour market enforcement was published on 13 October and invites views on operation of the licensing regime.

  • Lord Smith of Leigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Smith of Leigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Leigh on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they estimate is the cost to the NHS of bed-blocking by patients who have received all their medical treatment; and what steps they are taking to reduce this.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department has made no formal estimate of the costs of delayed discharge to the National Health Service. It is recognised that such delayed discharges do use resource which could be deployed elsewhere, and all parts of the NHS and those with responsibility outside it, are continually looking for ways in which to reduce the number of delays.

  • Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Young of Old Scone on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of graduates entering the rural economy.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Government requires the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to consider the changing patterns of demand and supply in relation to all subjects. Through the Strategically Important and Vulnerable Subjects advisory group, HEFCE seeks to identify where action might be necessary to ensure that the supply of graduates meets the needs of the economy and society. The advisory group includes representatives of agriculture, tourism and other related subjects that affect the rural economy.

    The Government supports Universities offering subjects that benefit the rural economy. Subjects such as agriculture and forestry attract high cost ‘band B’ funding. The Government has also provided funding to projects that enhance the impact of higher education in agriculture and related industries including the ‘National Centre for Precision Farming’ at Harper Adams University, the ‘Biovale’ programme at the University of York and the ‘Agri-Food Resilience Programme’ led by the N8 Research Partnership.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are employed in (a) the UK and (b) each region by companies (i) with headquarters in the EU and (ii) owned in the EU.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Help to Buy mortgages have been declined on the basis of a poor credit rating.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government does not collect information on the number of Help to Buy mortgage applications declined on the basis of a poor credit rating.