Category: Speeches

  • Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to increase capacity on the railway between Exeter and Plymouth.

    Claire Perry

    Future rail proposals are being developed with local stakeholders the department and Network Rail, this group will be deliver a local plan for rail investment covering the next 10-20 years. The first step in this process is a meeting of interested parties which is being organised by the South West Peninsular Group, and is due to take place early February. This meeting will work through what is required to provide the South West with greater accessibility and to examine wider issues surrounding connectivity to and within the South West Peninsula.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what total amount her Department has invested in returnable capital, loans and capital, since 2010.

    Justine Greening

    Since 1 April 2010 DFID has invested £100m in the following returnable capital programmes.

    – Private Infrastructure Development Group

    – Africa Risk Capacity Insurance Company Limited

    – Poorer States Inclusive Growth (Samridhi Fund)

    – Affordable Housing loan with National Housing Bank

    – Infrastructure Partnership loan with IDFC Limited

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations he has consulted on the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is committed to full and effective consultation on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and has discussed it with a broad range of stakeholders across the UK. Organisations consulted include business representative bodies, such as the CBI and the Federation of Small Business, and trades unions including the TUC, Unison, the GMB and others. We have also regularly consulted Which? to discuss the potential benefits to consumers and of a coalition of civil society campaigners, including the Trade Justice Movement, Friends of the Earth, War on Want and the World Development Movement.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Insolvency Service provides value for money for creditors of liquidated companies.

    Jo Swinson

    The Insolvency Service has recently undertaken reviews of its systems and processes to identify ways to reduce costs. It also regularly reviews its fees. In addition, measures contained in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will benefit creditors by saving an estimated £20m per year from the cost of all insolvency proceedings.

  • William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William McCrea on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to devolve corporation tax to the Northern Ireland Executive.

    Mr David Gauke

    Following the 23 December Stormont House Agreement, the Government introduced and published the Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Bill on 8 January 2015. The Bill is available here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-bill-to-devolve-corporation-tax-in-northern-ireland

    “

  • Margot James – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Margot James – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margot James on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils in each primary school in Stourbridge constituency met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013-14 academic year.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    School level performance in the phonics screening check is not published in the performance tables. Schools are not held to account for their performance in this diagnostic check, although they do have to inform parents of their child’s result in the way they think most suitable. The results are available on www.raiseonline.org for schools to use and for local authorities and Ofsted as part of their inspections process.

    The overall proportion of pupils attending schools in Stourbridge constituency who met the required standard of phonics decoding by the end of year 1 in the 2013/14 academic year was 77%. Nationally 74% of year 1 pupils met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013/14 academic year.

    “

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 2087 sonar-fitted T23 Frigates were employed in the hunt for a suspected Russian submarine to the west of the United Kingdom this year.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the annual increase in the United Kingdom of births since 2002 they consider to be due to (1) rising fertility among United Kingdom-born mothers, and (2) births to migrant females.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and attached a copy of the response.

  • Menzies Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Menzies Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Attorney General, whether he has issued a direction under 4(b) of the Protocol Between the Attorney General and the Prosecuting Departments to the Serious Fraud Office on a case under investigation by that office in the last four months; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Buckland

    It would not be appropriate to give a running commentary on SFO investigations. I am aware of the provisions within paragraph 4(b)4 of the Protocol, which state that if any such direction were to be made then I would make a report to Parliament, so far as was compatible with national security.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with (a) the Crown Prosecution Service, (b) the Attorney General, (c) HM Revenue and Customs and (d) the Financial Conduct Authority on the use by UK residents of the provisions of the European Savings Directive to avoid paying UK tax by opening anonymous bank accounts in jurisdictions abroad since 1 January 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    The European Savings Directive has been in force since 2005. It is a mechanism for achieving tax compliance through either disclosure of investment income data to the tax jurisdiction of the individual concerned or (in limited circumstances) applying withholding tax at source as an alternative to information disclosure.