Category: Speeches

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24122, when his Department last made an assessment of responsibility for damage to cultural property in Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We remain concerned about any damage to cultural property in Yemen and are aware of reports of alleged damage by actors in the conflict. Yemen and many members of the Saudi-led coalition are parties to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict and to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. We have raised our concerns regarding protection of cultural property with both the government of Yemen and the Saudi Arabian government.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, 25 February 2016, HCWS549, on offender management, what financial penalties were incurred by his Department as a result of terminating the contract to develop a bespoke tagging product with Steatite Limited; and how much his Department spent on that contract before its termination.

    Dominic Raab

    The relevant termination costs are subject to ongoing commercial discussions. We have spent approximately £21m on programme mobilisation to date. The majority of this was spent on investment in the telecommunications network, mapping software, monitoring service and other programme costs which the MoJ will be able to reuse for ongoing electronic monitoring work.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of elections due to take place in November 2016 on political stability in Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The Government is concerned that elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may not take place by the Constitutional deadline in November 2016. We believe that it is still technically possible to hold the elections on time and remain committed to doing what we can to support this process.

    On 4 March 2016 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my Hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), announced in Kinshasa that the UK was prepared to make available £11.4 million to support the elections provided that certain conditions were met. These conditions include the production of a credible timetable and budget for the elections.

    We have called upon the Government of the DRC to ensure that political freedoms, freedom of media and speech and human rights are respected to ensure a peaceful and fair environment for the elections. We have also called upon all actors to respect the law and avoid inciting violence and disorder.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for completion of the Office of Rail and Road’s (a) enhancements cost adjustment and (b) civils adjustment mechanism processes; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    I understand that the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) will provide an update on the Enhancement Cost Adjustment Mechanism (ECAM) in its June Network Rail Monitor. The ORR’s latest assessment of the ECAM can be found on page 30 of its most recent ‘Network Rail Monitor: Quarters 1-2 of Year 2 of CP5, 1 April 2015 to 17 October 2015’, published on 1 December 2015. Its latest assessment of the Civil Adjustment Mechanism can be found on page 27. A link to the document in question can be found here: http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/19925/network-rail-monitor-2015-16-q1-2.pdf.

    “

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the NHS England Five Year Forward View on Mental Health, published in February 2016, what progress has been made on Recommendation 33 on health and wellbeing support to NHS organisations.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government is working with delivery partners to carefully consider the independent Mental Health Taskforce’s recommendations and aims to publish a strategic implementation plan in the autumn that will set out how Government and partners will deliver the recommendations.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has refused any request for a US administration flight to land on Diego Garcia.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    Use of the defence facility in Diego Garcia is governed by the Exchange of Notes between the UK and US, which places treaty obligations on both parties. No request for a US administration flight has been refused under existing procedures.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to include proposals related to musculoskeletal conditions in the planned Green Paper on disability employment.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Green Paper will explore a range of ways to improve the prospects and transform the lives of disabled people and people with musculoskeletal conditions and other long term health conditions so that their health needs and employment aspirations are met in the best possible way.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had discussions with the car insurance sector regarding (a) the cost of premiums and (b) the variations in that cost around the UK.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department has held a number of meetings with the motor insurance industry on a range of topics. The cost of motor insurance is the responsibility of insurers based on the applicant’s risk. This includes factors such as the driver’s age, driving record, type of vehicle and where they live. Data from the ABI’s quarterly average private comprehensive tracker shows that the average premium in Quarter 3 2015 is 6.7% lower than in Quarter 3 2012.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will discuss with the Highways Agency the time taken to (a) programme and (b) complete highway works on the M54 in Shropshire.

    Andrew Jones

    (a) With regard to current and future works on the M54 in Shropshire, there are currently no delays to the programme of works for the current financial year, 2015/16.

    (b) For the forthcoming financial year, 2016/17, Highways England is in the process of finalising the programme of works. This will be completed by the middle of February. The proposed works are:

    Scheme

    Nature of work

    M54 WB J3 Exit Slip Resurfacing

    Pavement

    M54 J7-6 Fence & Barrier

    Fences and Barriers

    M54 J2-M6 J10A WB

    Pavement

    M54 J10a-J1 Drainage

    Drainage

    M54-M6 J10a-J1 WB Drainage

    Drainage

    M54-M6 J10a-J1 EB Drainage

    Drainage

    M54 J4 Traffic Signals Refurbishment

    Traffic Signals

    There have recently been problems with the concrete carriageway on the eastbound side of the M54 between junctions 3 and 2. Highways England has carried out a significant number of temporary repairs and is likely to undertake some more substantial repairs by the end of April 2016, whilst we investigate a longer term solution.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department had with the International Accounting Standards Board on the effect of conversion to IFRS accounting standards for financial services companies on leverage ratios for those companies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In the UK, listed companies have been required to use International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) since 2005. Banks who are not required to use IFRS are able to choose between using IFRS or using UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

    This Government has not had any discussions with the International Accounting Standards Board around the effect of companies being required to convert to IFRS, though continues to engage with that body and all others involved in setting standards for the financial services sector.