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Category: Speeches

  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of EU immigrants were in receipt of benefit payments during the last two years for which figures are available.

    Lord Freud

    The information on benefit receipt by nationality is not available.

    The Department has published statistics on working age benefit recipients claiming within 6 months of National Insurance Number (NINO) registration. This information is known as “Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP benefit claimants” and is included in the “Statistical Bulletin on National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals”.

    The Government is looking at ways to reform the current administrative system under Universal Credit so that it will systematically record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times the former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the former hon. Member for Twickenham, held individual meetings with trade envoys in each year between September 2012 and May 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon Member.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) seafarer welfare and (b) compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention Regulation 4.1 on medical care onboard ship and ashore of the proposal in Question 35 of the Department of Health consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    UK regulations implementing Regulation 4.1. of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) make the shipowner responsible for meeting the cost of medical care for seafarers working on their ships, in order to ensure that such care is provided at no cost to the seafarer. Since the Department of Health’s proposal does not affect seafarers’ access to medical care at the point of need, no seafarers should be affected by the proposal, and there should be no impact on the welfare of seafarers. I am satisfied that the proposal in Question 35 of the Department of Health consultation is not contrary to the requirements of the Convention.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will update guidance on the use of personal electronic communications to conduct official Government business to include the use of WhatsApp and other instant messaging services.

    Matthew Hancock

    All Government business must be conducted in line with the Ministerial Code, Civil Service Code, Special Adviser Code and HMG Security Policy Framework. Local records management and information security policies are in place across Departments.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39159, what the figures for his Department’s spending on cycling programmes in each year to 2021 are in real terms.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Programme

    2016/17

    2017/18

    2018/19

    2019/20

    2020/21

    Total

    Cycling

    £m

    £m

    £m

    £m

    £m

    £m

    Real term spending

    £185.20

    £199.56

    £115.07

    £87.98

    £54.41

    £642.23

    We have applied the GDP deflator rates to the figures that were provided in response to the original PQ 37870. It should be noted that the future years GDP deflator rates are estimates only.

    Note that the above totals include sums from within current Local Growth Fund allocations. Not all of the Local Growth Fund is currently allocated, so as future allocations of the Local Growth Fund are made to Local Enterprise Partnerships, the amount supporting cycling projects through to 2020/21 is likely to rise.

    In addition to the totals above, from within the record £6 billion allocated to local highways authorities between 2015 and 2021 for road maintenance, this funding can help maintain footways and cycleways.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on safety of buildings on pupils of removing the expectation from guidance that most new schools should have automatic fire sprinkler systems fitted.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department has recently consulted stakeholders on proposed revisions to fire safety guidance, which seek to clarify when sprinklers will be fitted in schools. We are not changing the rules on fire safety. It has never been compulsory for sprinklers to be fitted in schools. All new schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations. Where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. We are actively considering responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the electrification works on the Manchester to Stalybridge railway line.

    Paul Maynard

    The electrification works on the railway line between Manchester and Stalybridge (Phase 5 of the North West Electrification Programme), due by December 2017 will see the installation of infrastructure and improvements to facilitate overhead electrification of the railway line, delivering journey time benefits for passengers in the north of England.

    Good progress has been made on the design and planning aspects of the project. Canopy works at Stalybridge station have been completed to achieve high level clearance required for electrification, and track interventions have taken place on Phase 5 infrastructure, including track lowering and renewals to enable electrification. Detailed Design is progressing well and is at an advanced stage of development.

    This is an extremely complex engineering project ensuring electrification is delivered alongside capacity and journey time improvements. Network Rail continue to work with their contractors to develop a delivery programme to maximise passenger benefits and minimise disruption to a busy passenger and freight rail corridor.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the length of time it is taking the British Virgin Island government to respond to its consultation on a public register of beneficial ownership.

    James Duddridge

    The BVI Government issued a public consultation document in November 2013, seeking public opinion on whether or not the BVI should adopt a central register of beneficial ownership. The consultation process concluded in March 2014 and this was followed by a review and analysis of the submissions. The results were published in February 2015. Since then the BVI Government has been working with the financial services industry to develop proposals which led to the Statement made by the Premier in the House of Assembly on 3 November on changes to the BVI Business Companies Act and Anti Money Laundering legislation. We will continue to work with the BVI authorities so that the changes to their systems meet the three criteria that the Government has set out.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of classroom teachers earning £65,000 or more per year are women.

    Nick Gibb

    The data provided to the Department for Education by schools in the School Workforce Census, November 2014, shows that 72 per cent of classroom teachers earning £65,000 or more were women.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of (a) the extent of differential treatment of Palestinian and Israeli child detainees by Israel and (b) whether that differential is consistent with Israelis international human rights obligations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain concerned about the use of a dual court system whereby Palestinians, except East Jerusalem residents, are subject to the Israeli military court system, irrespective of the charge, whereas Israeli citizens are dealt with by the Israeli civil justice system. We are clear that Israel has legal obligations as an Occupying Power with respect to the Occupied Palestinian Territories under applicable international law. We regularly discuss with the Government of Israel implementation of those obligations and raise our serious concerns regarding such issues as the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons.