Category: Speeches

Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (a) how many people applied for disabled facilities grants, (b) how many such applications were successful and (c) what the average grant award was in each year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Brandon Lewis

The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect information on the number of people who applied for a Disabled Facilities Grant or the number of successful applicants. Information on the number of grants completed and the average cost per grant for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15 is provided in the table below.

	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Number of grants completed	44,102	45,383	43,986	36,874	42,586	33,922
Average grants awarded	£3,356	£3,724	£4,547	£5,966	£4,227	£5,453

The above data is provided by local housing authorities in their annual Logasnet returns. LOGASnet is the Department of Communities and Local Government’s web-based data capture and payments system. The data is not audited by DCLG.

01/01/2023

Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote trade opportunities for UK business in high-growth markets.

Anna Soubry

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Solihull (Julian Knight) on 25 February 2016 to Question 26214.

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01/01/2023
Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries his Department advises people not to visit on account of the threat to health there posed by the Zika virus.

James Duddridge

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not advise against travel to any country on account of the presence of Zika virus. The FCO travel advice advises British nationals who are planning travel to areas with confirmed cases of locally transmitted Zika virus to follow the advice of the National Travel Health Network and Centre and to discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider, particularly if they are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

01/01/2023
Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the First Report from the Women and Equalities Committee, Session 2015-16, on Transgender equality, HC 390, what consultation she has undertaken on the potential implications for single-sex provision in women’s refuges and other services for victims of domestic or sexual violence of changes to the Equalities Act 2010 recommended in that report; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage

The Government has welcomed the report from the Women and Equalities Select Committee into transgender equality.

The report provides a substantial number of recommendations covering almost a dozen public bodies, including several recommendations which call for significant changes to legislation and reforms to the NHS. Government is carefully considering these recommendations.

We continually engage with stakeholders from women’s and transgender communities and we would consider their views before making any changes to legislation.

01/01/2023
Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2016 to Question 41301, whether he has made an estimate of the total cost to his Department of hiring additional lawyers, financial and trade experts as a result of the outcome of the EU referendum; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 30 June given in response to PQ 41301. Structures and funding required for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are to be determined.

01/01/2023
Baroness Redfern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Redfern on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what alternatives to a sugar tax they have considered to reduce levels of childhood obesity.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

In developing Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action we looked at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. The policies in the plan focus on the ones that are likely to have the biggest impact on childhood obesity. In addition to the soft drinks industry levy, this includes the sugar reduction programme, helping all children to enjoy an hour of physical activity every day and a healthy rating scheme for primary schools.

The plan is informed by the latest research and evidence, including from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Carbohydrates and Health, Public Health England’s evidence package Sugar reduction: the evidence for action, other government departments, debates in this House and various reports from key stakeholders including the Health Select Committee.

We are confident that the measures we have announced will make a real difference and estimate could reduce childhood obesity rates by about a fifth (330,000) over the next ten years. Though we are clear in our goals and firm in the action we will take, the launch of this plan represents the start of a conversation, rather than the final word.

Copies of Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action, Carbohydrates and Health and Sugar reduction: the evidence for action are attached.

01/01/2023
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2015-11-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts they are making to protect low- to middle-income earners in the public sector from the proposed £95,000 public sector exit payment cap.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The Government set out its proposals for the cap on public sector exit payments in the consultation document published on 31 July 2015 and confirmed the design of the cap in the consultation response document published on 16 September 2015. The consultation document gave details of the number of exits over recent years that cost the taxpayer more than £100,000.

The precise number of those affected by the public sector exit payment cap will depend on the number and type of exits in coming years. However, in recent years the large majority of exits in the public sector are below the level of the cap. For example, the Whole of Government Accounts states that, in 2013-14, 1,838 out of 72,445 pay outs were in excess of £100,000.

The exit payment clauses currently before the House of Lords in the Enterprise Bill set out how the cap is expected to apply.

01/01/2023
Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many tribunal cases there were related to (a) section 17 of the Equalities Act 2010, non-work pregnancy and maternity discrimination and (b) section 18 of the Equalities Act 2010, workplace pregnancy and maternity discrimination in each of the last five years.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Cases relating to Section 17 of the Equality Act 2010, non-work pregnancy and maternity discrimination, are dealt with in the civil courts. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The number of cases relating to Section 18 of the Equality Act 2010, workplace pregnancy and maternity discrimination, which have been received by the Employment Tribunal can be found in the statistics published at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015.

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01/01/2023
Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will initiate a cross-government strategy to prevent homelessness.

Mr Marcus Jones

People find themselves facing homelessness for many reasons – and it is more than just a housing issue. Relationship breakdown, health and employment can all play a part. What is more, the costs of homelessness are felt across Government, through the criminal justice system, healthcare and the welfare bill.

I have re-established the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness, to ensure we have a joined up response and a shared sense of mission across Government.

Through this Group, my colleagues and I will ensure that we have a coordinated plan to tackle and prevent homelessness across departmental boundaries.

01/01/2023
Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were recruited to the (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force, (c) Royal Navy and (d) reserve forces in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Mr Julian Brazier

Intake to the UK Regulars by location is unavailable. However, the Ministry of Defence publishes UK Regular strengths by stationed location in our Quarterly Location Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/location-of-all-uk-regular-service-and-civilian-personnel-quarterly-statistics-index

Information on intake into the Volunteer Reserve by stationed location is provided in the attached table.

01/01/2023