Category: Speeches

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to devolve greater responsibilities to democratically elected county councils and county unitary authorities.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Government has always believed that local decision-making plays an essential role in building stronger local economies and communities and is open to discussions over possible offers from areas that are interested in greater devolution of powers. This basic principle of localism underpins the Government’s approach and is why programmes such as Growth Deals and Growing Places Fund have been made available to all local areas in England through Local Enterprise Partnerships.

    I also refer my hon. Friend to the Government’s publication, "The implications of devolution for England” (CM 8969) which outlines the views of both Coalition parties on the scope for greater decentralisation in England.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implications-of-devolution-for-england

    “

  • Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with British-based banks and other major companies which have outsourced customer services to overseas countries about the way in which enquiries from United Kingdom citizens who have entered into a civil partnership or same-sex marriage are handled.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The Government has had no discussions with businesses on this specific issue. The Equality Act 2010 provides that service providers are not allowed to discriminate, harass or victimise service users because they have a ‘protected characteristic’ – which includes sex and sexual orientation, amongst others. The Act provides that, in some circumstances, employers can be liable for the acts of their employees or agents. Businesses are required to comply with the relevant provision of the Act applicable to them unless an exception in the Act applies.

  • Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department has commissioned or carried out into the welfare of intensively-farmed dairy cattle which spend the majority or all of their lives indoors.

    George Eustice

    The Department funded a 3 year project in 2008 entitled “AW1026: A study to investigate the management and welfare of continuously housed dairy cows.”

    The final report has been published on our website and is available at the following link:

    http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=15761&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=AW1026&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children and young people were admitted to hospital due to mental health problems in each year since 2009-10.

    Norman Lamb

    The information is in the table:

    Year

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    A&E Attendances

    8,358

    9,328

    11,614

    13,655

    17,278

    FAEs

    11,909

    12,417

    12,361

    11,994

    12,126

    The table shows both the number of attendances in accident and emergency (A&E) in which the A&E diagnosis was ‘psychiatric conditions’ and the number of Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) in which the primary diagnosis was ‘mental and behavioural disorders’.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on how many people have experienced adverse health effects as a result of using the drug ruxolitinib.

    George Freeman

    Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Commission for Human Medicines through the spontaneous reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme. The Yellow Card Scheme collects information relating to suspected adverse drug reactions, which include both serious and non-serious effects which a health care professional or patient suspect may have been due to a medicine.

    The MHRA has received a total of 74 United Kingdom spontaneous suspected ADR reports in association with ruxolitinib up to and including 10 February 2015. This number includes reports received directly from healthcare professionals, patients and indirectly through pharmaceutical companies which have a legal obligation to report suspected ADRs.

    The inclusion of a particular ADR in a report does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the drug, only that the reporter had a suspicion it may have, or it had a close temporal relationship to the administration of the suspect drug. The fact that symptoms occur after a treatment does not necessarily mean that they have been caused by the drug itself, as underlying illnesses and other conditions may be responsible.

    In 2013, the product information for ruxolitinib was updated to warn healthcare professionals that cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have been reported with ruxolitinib and to recommend that patients are monitored at regular intervals for any new or worsening neurological symptoms or signs. The Market Authorisation Holder is currently conducting studies to investigate the risk of PML further. The benefits of ruxolitinib to adult patients with myelofibrosis who have an enlarged spleen or symptoms related to the disease are considered to outweigh the risks.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received about the feasibility of the technical work involved in prohibiting the use of strong encryption; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office have received a number of representations from members of the
    public on encryption. This Government supports the use of encryption, which
    helps keep personal data and intellectual property safe. It is also vital that
    the security and intelligence agencies can access unencrypted data to prevent
    threats to our national security, when it is necessary and proportionate to do
    so. We will continue to engage with industry regarding these issues.

  • 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 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations he has recieved from (a) the Law Society, (b) Rights of Women and (c) other organisations on legal aid for victims of domestic violence.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Ministers and officials maintain a regular dialogue with key stakeholders on matters such as domestic violence. It was as a result of this type of engagement that we made changes last year to make it easier for people to access legal aid in domestic violence cases.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ben Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend in Local Growth Deals announced from 5 December 2014 to 29 January 2015 on (a) roads, (b) public transport, (c) cycling and walking and (d) mixed mode schemes in each Local Enterprise Partnership area in each year from 2015-16 to 2020-21.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government announced an expansion of Growth Deals for Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) on 29 January 2015. This confirmed a total amount of additional funding for each LEP but, unlike the previous announcement in July 2014, did not specify the funding for individual projects that LEPs plan to deliver with this money. This is because many of the projects are at early stages of development and further work is required to finalise business cases, cost estimates and additional funding sources. For that reason it is not possible to provide the precise breakdown requested.

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Access to Work programme has spent on British Sign Language interpreters to date.

    Mr Mark Harper

    Since 1st April 2007 and up to 30th September 2014, the Access to Work programme has spent £150m on British Sign Language interpreters.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-02-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222161, what estimate he has made of the extent of the increase in UK GDP provided by falling oil prices.

    Priti Patel

    As noted in the answer given to the Honorable Member on 2 February 2015, falling oil prices will provide a further boost to the UK’s GDP, which in 2014 grew faster than any other major advanced economy. Cheaper oil and low inflation will support living standards across the country for hardworking families and reduce business costs.