Category: Speeches

  • Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew George on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the (a) social and (b) environmental impacts of the housing opportunities for inadequately housed people arising from his decision to change section 106 agreements for (i) builders and (ii) rural areas not covered by section 157 of the Housing Act 1985; and what further steps he will take to monitor such impacts and opportunities in the future.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 12 February 2015 to Questions 223173.

  • Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much land is currently held by NDA Properties Limited; and what the use, value and location is of that land.

    Matthew Hancock

    NDA Properties Limited holds, in approximate figures: 30 acres of land at Berkeley, Gloucestershire; 130 acres at Bradwell, Essex; 220 acres at Chapelcross, Dumfriesshire; 340 acres at Dounreay, Caithness; 10 acres at Harwell, Oxfordshire; 5 acres at Hunterton, Ayrshire; 30 acres at Drigg, Cumbria; 1,570 acres in West Cumbria; 14 acres at Springfields, Lancashire; and 270 acres at Trawsfynydd, Gwyndd. The land covers a wide variety of uses, including agricultural land, woodland, land used for operational purposes, and offices. For commercial reasons, NDA Properties does not make public its valuations of land held.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to review the regulatory framework for the dental profession.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Law Commissions’ completed a review of the regulation of all health and social care professionals including dentists and reported in April 2014. They made 125 recommendations to improve the legislative framework and we published the Government response on 29 January 2015, accepting the vast majority of these recommendations.

    The Government remains committed to legislate on this important issue when parliamentary time allows and are working closely with the regulatory bodies and the Professional Standards Authority to build on the important work the Law Commissions have done.

    In the meantime we are taking forward a section 60 Order to amend the Dentists Act 1984 to make changes to the General Dental Council’s (GDC’s) investigation stage fitness to practise processes. A consultation has recently been undertaken on these measures which will be introduced subject to Parliamentary approval. It is expected the provisions should lead to the swifter resolution of complaints, as ultimately they will improve the efficiency of the GDC’s fitness to practise processes, whilst also enhancing patient protection and public confidence in dental regulation.

  • Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken for the determination of applications for Tier 4 visas Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies certificates was in the last period for which figures are available; and what the average time taken for applications equivalent to those applications was in the period before that period.

    James Brokenshire

    Information on the average time taken to decide a Confirmation of Acceptance
    for Studies request application is not routinely published.

    There are two types of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) requests
    that a sponsor can submit:

    An ‘annual CAS request’ for an allocation of CAS to cover a 12 month period
    An ‘ in-year CAS request’ if additional CAS are needed at any point during
    the year.

    The Home Office introduced a published service standard on 1 January 2014 of 18
    weeks and aims to conclude all such cases within that timeframe.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are taking to ensure that sports centres, theatres and other public places are being adapted to provide for those people who are physically disabled but not necessarily in a wheelchair.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against disabled people in the provision of goods, facilities and services. Sport England has produced the ‘Accessible Sports Facilities’ guidance note to ensure that providers meet the needs of the widest range of people in the design, operation and maintenance of sports facilities.

    The Arts Council has published guidance called ‘Building Inclusion: Physical Access Guidance for the Arts’ which covers access in relation to all aspects of arts buildings from arrival and circulation to toilets and signage for all users – staff, artists and the public.

    The Arts Council’s current capital programme has focused on repair, renewals and refurbishments including supporting applications that seek to improve physical access. Organisations in the Arts Council’s 2015-18 portfolio will need to provide an Audience Development plan for access for deaf and disabled people as part of the Funding Agreement negotiations.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of applications her Department has received for free schools in districts experiencing a high or severe need for extra primary school places in the present academic year.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    As reported in the National Audit Office review of free schools, 70% of free schools have opened in areas where there was a need for additional school places.

    Based on data provided by local authorities in May 2013, nine authorities were projected to have high or severe basic need for more primary school places in the 2013/14 academic year. Between May 2010 and May 2014, the Department for Education received a total of 34 applications to open primary free schools in these areas. This represents 8% of all primary free school applications received over the same period.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the CITES Management Authority has declared that the Cayman Turtle Farm is a humane facility.

    George Eustice

    The elected government of the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, has devolved constitutional responsibility for animal welfare and conservation including for legislation and policies governing the Cayman Turtle Farm.

    An independent investigation in 2002, carried out in support of an application to register the Cayman Turtle Farm as a captive-breeding operation under CITES, a Convention for which Defra is responsible, concluded that the standards of care at the Cayman Turtle Farm were humane.

    The UK Government has been in contact with the Cayman Islands Government more recently, expressing the UK’s commitment to raising animal welfare standards and requesting an assurance that the Cayman Islands Government takes the findings of a report by the then World Society for the Protection of Animals seriously and be committed to making appropriate improvements. I am pleased to say that the Deputy Premier of the Cayman Islands, Mr Kirkconnell, gave that assurance in a response to the Secretary of State on 24 October 2013.

    The UK CITES Management Authority has not made a recent assessment of whether the Cayman Turtle Farm is a humane facility.

  • Khalid Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Khalid Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Khalid Mahmood on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the statement of 10 July 2014 by the Secretary General of the UN on the escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We support the statement of 10 July 2014 from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. There has now been further escalation with Israel’s ground operation started on 17 July. The UK will continue working towards our three policy objectives for the Gaza crisis – to secure a ceasefire, to alleviate humanitarian suffering, and to keep alive the prospects for peace negotiations, which are the only hope of breaking this cycle of violence and devastation once and for all.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds in each UK spinal cord injury centre are ring fenced for the exclusive treatment of spinal cord injured readmissions or outpatients.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England’s Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) service specification clearly sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. It sets a core requirement that each specialised SCI Centre (SCIC) can demonstrate they have a minimum of 20 beds dedicated exclusively for the treatment and rehabilitation of SCI patients. Specialised SCI Services encompass all activity for SCI patients provided by the host trust of the SCIC, including any readmission or attendance for SCI-related care, wherever the treatment is located in the trust. A copy of the specification can be found at the following link:

    www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d13-spinal-cord-0414.pdf

    NHS England is aware that a number of beds in one ward at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit are being used as escalation beds by medical specialties to assist with patient flow. It is planned for these beds to re-open as specialist spinal beds from September 2014.

  • Graham Brady – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Brady – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Brady on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the World Health Organisation budget was contributed by the Government in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the sterling value of that contribution was.

    Jane Ellison

    The total World Health Organization (WHO) revenue for 2013 was $2614 million; the United Kingdom contributed $312.2 million of that, which represented 11.9% of the WHO’s budget. The UK total contribution comprised of $30.7 million, assessed contributions and $281.5 million, voluntary contributions. This is around 185 million in sterling. The total UK contribution to WHO in 2013 also includes funding to WHO hosted partnerships such as Stop TB partnership, partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and Roll Back Malaria partnership.

    All of this UK funding contributes to the Government’s 0.7% international development target.