Category: Speeches

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Army 2020, HC 263, published on 11 June 2014, page 12, what his Department’s response is to the recommendation that it should reassess its targets for recruiting reserves.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement and paper my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Philip Hammond) placed in the Library of the House on 19 December 2013 (Official report, column 124WS). The hon. Member will be aware that this is a five-year plan and I am confident that the Army will reach this target.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many senior members of each branch of the armed forces missed a promotion following the receipt of a police caution in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    None. Administrative action is no longer taken against Service personnel who receive a police caution.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for special advisers since May 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr Maude) on 19 June 2014 (Official Report, column 678W).

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the additional financial contributions made by parents to top up care for children with statements of special educational need.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has not made such an estimate. Where a child has a statement of special educational needs (SEN), it should detail the provision that the child requires to meet their SEN. The local authority has a duty to ensure that the provision set out in the statement is made.

    Where a parent feels that the provision specified in a statement is no longer sufficient, they can request a reassessment. They can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability against any decision not to re-assess, or if they do not agree with the provision set out in the resulting statement.

    The Children Act 2014 makes provision for education, health and care plans (EHC plans) to replace statements. EHC plans will cover the full range of the child’s needs. They will be subject to the same protections and rights of appeal as statements. In addition there will be a new duty on health commissioners to arrange health provision set out in the EHC plan.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 19 March (WA 32), whether they will make a Written Ministerial Statement when they place in the Library of the House a copy of the review of the way local authorities have used the funding provided following the abolition of the discretionary Social Fund.

    Lord Freud

    Decisions on how this information will be presented will be made in due course.

  • Paul Maynard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Maynard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Maynard on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Administration Court decision in the case CO/6036/2013, Halite Energy Group Limited v The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

    Michael Fallon

    Following the decision of the High Court , Halite Energy Group Limited v The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will now re-determine the application by Halite Energy Group Limited for development consent for the proposed underground gas storage facility including associated development in Preesall, Lancashire. He is currently seeking further information in writing from interested parties in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010 to enable him to do that.

    The Secretary of State is considering any potential wider implications of the decision, in consultation with the Planning Inspectorate.

  • Bob Ainsworth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Bob Ainsworth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Ainsworth on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the proportion of cases of domestic and sexual violence that were prosecuted in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to increase the prosecution rate for such crimes.

    Oliver Heald

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has no data on the total number of incidents of domestic violence and sexual violence that have occurred in each of the last five years and is unable, therefore, to provide an answer to the first part of the question.

    Increasing the number of rape convictions continues to be a priority for the CPS. On 6 June 2014, a Rape Action Plan was jointly published by the police and CPS which sets out a series of actions designed to improve the criminal justice response in rape cases. This followed a Rape National Scrutiny Panel led by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Policing lead for rape, which considered the investigation and prosecution of rape cases including their referral from the police to the CPS. The prosecution of domestic violence also remains a high priority for the CPS and prosecutors receive regular training, and are provided with relevant guidance. The Rape Action Plan can be found on the CPS website at;

    http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/equality/vaw/rape_action_plan.pdf

    “

  • Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date the Government plans to send and publish its reply to the European Commission letter of formal notice of persistent air pollution problems sent on 20 February 2014.

    Dan Rogerson

    The deadline for a response to the European Commission is 21 April. Correspondence between the Commission and Member States in infringement proceedings is confidential. We do not, therefore, intend to publish the UK’s response.

  • Bob Ainsworth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Bob Ainsworth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Ainsworth on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many small and medium-sized enterprises have premises in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry and (c) the West Midlands.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to assist in the return of occupied Ukranian government buildings to the Ukranian government.

    Mr David Lidington

    The occupation by armed groups of government buildings in towns in eastern Ukraine is a further dangerous escalation of an already dangerous situation. On 14 April the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning these acts and said that it was important that the EU gave a clear, strong and united response. He also called on Russia to repudiate these lawless acts.

    On 17 April, the Foreign Secretary welcomed the commitments made in talks between the EU, US, Ukraine and Russia in Geneva; that all illegally armed groups must be disarmed, all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners, and all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated. He said that rapid implementation was essential. On 23 April, he spoke about this issue with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, urging Russia to take steps to fulfil the Geneva Statement and to de-escalate the situation in eastern and southern Ukraine, including making a clear public statement calling for illegally armed groups in eastern Ukraine to disarm and vacate occupied buildings. He also invited Russian diplomats to join efforts by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Monitoring Mission in the eastern Ukraine.

    The British Government will continue to work closely in support of the government in Ukraine, and encourage Ukraine’s political leaders to continue to respond to events calmly and with determination, in order to harness the united efforts of all Ukrainians to work together for a successful future.