Category: Speeches

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who used the Assisted Voluntary Returns scheme (a) submitted their first asylum claim after being detained in an immigration removal and (b) had their asylum case decided within the Detained Fast Track in each of the last five years for which records are available.

    James Brokenshire

    The information requested is shown in the following table:

    The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols, as such it should be treated as provisional and subject to change.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the level of political stability in Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The Northern Ireland Assembly is now over half way through its second term since the restoration of devolution in 2007 which of itself is a significant achievement. However, there is an urgent need to make progress on dealing with divisive issues such as flags, parading and the past. The Government also believes that implementation of welfare reform by the Executive is very important.

    The Government will continue to press for progress on these matters.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether guidance issued to local authorities on the Blue Badge scheme is mandatory; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Blue Badge Scheme Local Authority Guidance (England) is not mandatory as it is non-statutory guidance. It is guidance for local authorities on best practice in administering the Blue Badge Scheme.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans next to update the RAB charge on student loans.

    Greg Clark

    The next update of the RAB charge will happen when the Student Loans Company provides the Department with updated loans data. This typically takes place in early autumn each year.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate how much contract overruns in the Aircraft Carrier Alliance have cost the public purse to date.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 November 2013, (Official Report, column 399W). The Major Project Report 2013 reported the cost of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers at £6.102 billion (£6.2 Billion less assessment phase costs that do not fall under the remit of the Major Projects Report).

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department first learnt of the installation by Volkswagen of software to distort emissions tests on diesel vehicles; and what steps he took in response to that information.

    Andrew Jones

    The government first became aware of the installation of software fitted to Volkswagen vehicles to distort emissions tests following the announcement of the US Environmental Protection Agency investigation in the US on 18 September 2015.

    In response, the Vehicle Certification Agency, the UK regulator, has started investigations to establish whether this affects other manufacturers.

    As part of this work they will re-run laboratory tests where necessary and compare them against real world driving emissions.

    The government have called on the EU to conduct a Europe wide investigation into whether there is evidence that cars here have been fitted with illegal defeat devices.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the (a) capacity and (b) skills of Jobcentre Plus staff to provide appropriate support to disadvantaged parents.

    Priti Patel

    The support available to vulnerable and disadvantaged claimants is tailored to meet their individual needs, helping to overcome barriers that might make finding a job more difficult.

    Jobcentre Plus staff are provided with the skills and knowledge required to support a range of claimants with a diverse set of circumstances, and to respect each individual’s needs.

    Each member of staff works with their line manager to assess their individual skills and ensure they deliver high levels of competence and professionalism, including identifying additional training needs.

    This approach encourages continuous improvement and skills growth to meet the full range of customer needs.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many liability orders issued by the Child Support Agency (CSA) for the non-payment of child maintenance resulted in (a) bailiffs acting on the CSA’s behalf, (b) a county court third-party debt order, (c) an order of disqualification and (d) a warrant of commitment.

    Priti Patel

    The Department records statistics on the number of instances of different types of enforcement actions and publishes these in the Quarterly Summary Statistics. This information is set out on Page 41 of the Child Support Agency quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2015.

    Note:

    A County Court third-party debt order was the enforcement action used prior to the introduction of Regular and Lump Sum Deduction Orders.

    “

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9035, which properties are shared by his Department in flexible delivery locations; and which of these properties are shared with (a) local authorities, (b) the Scottish Prison Service, (c) third sector and other voluntary organisations and (d) other private or public sector organisations.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Our current Flexible delivery locations are attached. The majority of these do not constitute full time locations but are used on a part time basis as agreed locally. Due to that local agreement the number does fluctuate. In addition to the sites listed in the attached, we have one site currently working in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council with the intention of progressing to full co-location of all JCP services in Banff Local Authority premises in the near future.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the decision by the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia to uphold the sentencing of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was arrested as a juvenile, to death by crucifixion for seeking democratic reforms in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is very concerned about the case of Ali Mohammed Al-Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes the execution of a minor and the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”.