Category: Speeches

  • George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Hollingbery on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) time taken and (b) cost of dredging operations undertaken by the Environment Agency was in the (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14 financial years in each operational area; and what the expected benefits of such operations were.

    Dan Rogerson

    Dredging is not identified as a separate category within the Environment Agency’s budget allocations or work recording systems, as it is often carried out at the same time as other channel activities. It is included within the broader category of ‘conveyance’ on which the Environment Agency spent around £45 million and £32 million in total in 2012/13 and 2013/14 respectively. The Environment Agency carries out conveyance work, including dredging, where it cost effectively reduces flood risk to people and property. The Environment Agency estimate that, on average, conveyance work provides about £7 of reduced flood damages for every pound spent. Dredging can provide other benefits, such as land drainage and navigation.

    The funding spent on conveyance in each operational Environment Agency area was:

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Environment Agency Area

    Total Allocated (£M)

    Total Allocated (£M)

    Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire

    1.03

    0.56

    Cumbria and Lancashire

    3.77

    1.75

    Derbyshire Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire

    2.31

    2.27

    Devon and Cornwall

    2.77

    1.31

    Essex Norfolk and Suffolk

    3.96

    1.07

    Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire

    4.41

    4.47

    Hertfordshire and North London

    4.48

    3.40

    Kent and South London

    3.95

    3.12

    Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire

    3.26

    2.86

    Northumberland Durham and Tees

    1.11

    1.73

    Shropshire Herefordshire Worcestershire and Gloucestershire

    1.07

    1.39

    Solent and South Downs

    2.01

    2.10

    Staffordshire Warwickshire and West Midlands

    1.27

    1.42

    Wessex

    2.01

    1.38

    West Thames

    4.12

    1.60

    Yorkshire

    3.43

    1.82

    Grand Total

    44.95

    32.27

    We do not hold information on the time it took for each of the dredging operations to be undertaken.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage respect for freedoms of religion, association and speech in Niger.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief continue to be important human rights priorities for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

    We were concerned by recent attacks on churches and other buildings in Niger following protests against the publication of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. FCO officials recently met religious groups to discuss these incidents.

    We will continue to monitor the situation in Niger closely, both bilaterally and through our international partners such as the European Union and the United Nations.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the total amount spent from government sources on research into (a) stroke, (b) cancer and (c) coronary heart disease.

    George Freeman

    Spend on research funded directly by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is categorised by Health Research Classification System health categories. NIHR expenditure on research infrastructure and systems where spend cannot be attributed to health categories is excluded. In 2013/14, the NIHR spent £26.3 million in the category ‘stroke’, £129.9 million in the category ‘cancer’, and £46.3 million in the category ‘cardiovascular’ (including coronary heart disease – CHD).

    Research Councils UK has provided the following information on expenditure in 2013/14.

    £000s

    Stroke

    Cancer

    CHD

    Arts and Humanities Research Council

    –

    34

    –

    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

    323

    10,269

    1,829

    Economic and Social Research Council

    1,376

    2,177

    1,205

    Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

    –

    –

    –

    Medical Research Council (MRC)

    4,140

    79,900

    26,300

    Natural Environment Research Council

    –

    –

    –

    Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

    –

    395

    –

    The BBSRC does not fund research directly relating to understanding/treating specific human diseases. The underpinning health research that the BBSRC supports seeks to provide a better understanding of what makes a healthy biological system – and the key moderators of this health (both positive and negative) – and also informs strategies to help maintain resilient health across the life-course and reduce the risk of emergence of diseases typically associated with age-related health decline. In the context of stroke/cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer this may include basic bioscience of angiogenesis/tissue repair, inflammation, cell cycle/signalling/molecular transport, and immune system functioning, and how these processes operate and are influenced (e.g. by genetics and environmental factors such as diet and exercise) across the lifecourse. The BBSRC figures provided are based on examples where specific linkages can be made from the basic bioscience to potential applicability to stroke/CVD and cancer research, but there will be a wider body of more indirectly linked bioscience that may also contribute to developing important baseline understanding.

    The EPSRC invested £59 million in 2013/14 in research to develop new technologies that have applications across healthcare from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation, and also supports a much wider portfolio of research that underpins advances in medical science. The EPSRC supports basic research which delivers new techniques and technologies, ultimately delivering solutions that underpin the healthcare and life sciences sector, including the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries and the National Health Service. Around 25% of the £4 billion EPSRC portfolio is of relevance to healthcare and the life sciences.

    MRC cancer research expenditure shown in the table is taken from National Cancer Research Institute data for 2013.

    In addition to the expenditure shown in the table, the STFC also makes support available through its large facilities. For instance, cancer-related research is carried out using ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) in support of the University of Liverpool, who have an EPSRC grant. The grant pays the marginal staff cost and the running cost of the ALICE facility.

    In 2013/14 Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency has invested in research concerning stroke, cancer and CHD. The following table details spend for each condition. Figures include research into detection technologies and post-surgery therapies.

    £000s

    Stroke

    Cancer

    CHD

    Innovate UK

    972

    18,728

    345

  • Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on the use of reasonable force in the execution of a search warrant.

    Mike Penning

    The Police and Criminal Evidence Act Code of Practice B governs the searching of premises and the seizure of property from those premises by police officers. This includes the conduct of officers executing a search warrant (see paragraphs 6 to 6.15) and a note on compensation matters (see note 6.A). A copy of the PACE Code of Practice B can be found at GOV.UK.

    The execution of a search warrant is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of the force concerned and so too is the consideration of damage claims which, as PACE Code B makes clear, will depend on the circumstances in each case.

    The Department does not hold or collect data concerning the number of awards of damages paid out by police forces.

  • John McDonnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John McDonnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many forms or documents need to be completed by people applying for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

    Mike Penning

    According to latest figures, in the financial year 2013-14 we made payments totalling more than £242m to victims of violent crime.

    We also aim to make our application process as simple as possible. Applicants need only complete one form when applying to Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and we have an online application service. Those who have no access to online services, or who need additional support, can apply by phone. Depending on the nature of the claim, applicants may be asked to provide evidence to support their claim, for example: medical reports or employment information.

    In the last financial year 94 per cent of applicants we surveyed after receiving their decision, including people who were refused compensation, said they were happy with our service.

    Where necessary, CICA will ask applicants to provide basic medical evidence to support their claim. Applicants are expected to meet the cost of a medical report up to the value of £50. If additional medical information is required this will be paid for by CICA. If an applicant cannot afford to pay for the initial medical report, CICA will pay and deduct this from any award of compensation made. There are no other charges associated with making a claim.

    An application received in one financial year may not necessarily be resolved in the same financial year. Although we aim to make compensation payments as quickly as possible, we have a duty to the taxpayer to investigate claims properly while ensuring that the applicant gets the level of compensation they deserve. In some cases it may not be in the best interests of an applicant to finalise a claim before the long term implications of an injury can be properly assessed.

    Question

    2013

    2014

    (224448)

    How many victims were granted compensation by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

    21,846*

    16,238*

    (22449)

    How many people applied for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

    33,574

    32,297

    *This is the total number of victims compensated and their claims concluded within those calendar years.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly; all staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government bodies.

    All staff have access to a wide range of professional development courses through their parent employers, through Civil Service Learning, and in the form of continuous on the job training. The Office does not have a record of time spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

  • Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tessa Munt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tessa Munt on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individual cold weather payments were made to recipients in the UK in winter 2013-14.

    Steve Webb

    Only one trigger was recorded in the 2013/14 Cold Weather season and an estimated 1,100 payments paid. Further details can be found in the ‘Social Fund Cold Weather Payments for Great Britain from 1st November 2013 to 31st March 2014’ update on Gov.uk which may be found at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/299461/sf-cwp-31-03-2014.pdf.

    “

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

    Esther McVey

    Departmental expenditure on training in each of the last three financial years, for which audited accounts have been published, is shown in the table.

    Training

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Total Spend

    £6,599,138.40

    £8,613,542.60

    £9,421,756.17
  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost to the public purse of maintaining disused court buildings; and how many disused court buildings are currently lying empty because they have not been sold.

    Lord Faulks

    The Court Estate Reform Programme (CERP) was introduced in 2010 to improve efficiency through the closure of poor quality and underused court buildings. The total cumulative gross benefits expected from CERP is an estimated £152m over the SR10 period. At the end of June 2014, approximately £140m had been realised through resource savings of approximately £98m and gross capital proceeds of £42m.

    There are 32 closed courts currently not in use. Of these, 27 were closed between May 2010 and March 2013 as part of CERP and business as usual closures. The full year cost of maintaining these courts in 2013/14 was £942,162. A further five courts were closed since then. The cost of maintaining these courts since their closure to date has been £122,444. All closed courts are being prepared for or undergoing sale processes.

    The cost of maintaining courts following closure includes costs on rent and rates, maintenance, labour costs on facilities management, fuel and utilities and other property costs. One court, Stourbridge County Court, was closed but is being used for administrative purposes.

    The Department is committed to disposing of surplus property assets expeditiously and reducing holding costs. The sale of former courts is dependent on a number of factors e.g. market, potential future use, location and the fact that some are occupied in part by the police and local authorities which also make disposal difficult. We have improved efficiency through the closure of poor quality and underused court buildings.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enhance the quality of careers guidance available in schools in England.

    Lord Nash

    It is essential that all young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. This includes finding new ways to broaden young peoples’ exposure to the world of work and ensuring they have key skills like character and grit. A new, independent careers and enterprise company, announced by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 10 December 2014, will support schools by increasing the level of employer input into careers guidance, inspiration and enterprise. This is a vital part of our plans to strengthen links between schools and the world of work to ensure young people get the support they need. The company will have the specific remit of spreading existing good practice to every part of England. The company will receive start-up funding drawn from the £20 million for careers announced in the autumn statement.

    The new company is a key part of a wider package of measures to improve careers guidance in schools. We have revised our statutory guidance to clarify our expectations of schools in relation to their duty to secure independent careers guidance, and will review it again in time for the next academic year. We have established a clear accountability system. Ofsted is giving a higher priority to careers guidance in school inspections and we publish destination measures which help schools and colleges to be held to account locally and inform choices by parents and students. We have also enhanced the role of the National Careers Service to help bring schools and employers closer together.