Category: Speeches

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of a smoking ban in prisons on the number of incidents of violence relating to cigarettes.

    Jeremy Wright

    The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) support the desirability of attaining a smoke free prison estate in the future and continue to work towards this objective. However, the timing of that implementation will take account of the operational realities of running safe, decent and secure prisons and in particular the impact any smoking ban may have on the general safety of staff and prisoners. Therefore the decision on timing to move to smoke free prisons will reflect an operational assessment of risk, which will include an assessment of potentially adverse impact on prisoner behaviour and how this risk can be minimised and effectively managed. This assessment is ongoing and the risks are being carefully considered to ensure effective plans and support are in place before introducing smoke free prisons.

    The work by NOMS on moving to a smoke free prison estate will continue to be informed by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies in Nottingham University; by further assessments of air quality in prisons; and by the work with Public Health England and expertise from the New Zealand prison service which has introduced smoke free prisons.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to ensure that the funding of infrastructure projects in the Jordan Valley is not dependent on approval from the Israeli government.

    Justine Greening

    We continue to believe the best approach to development in Area C is to engage constructively with Israel to help Palestinian communities to plan and build for their future without fear of demolition. We consistently emphasise the need for unfettered humanitarian provision, including necessary infrastructure.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many social housing tenants who were liable to pay the under-occupancy penalty have moved house since 1 April 2013.

    Esther McVey

    The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the postal vote turnout was as a proportion of all votes cast in each UK parliamentary constituency at the 2010 General Election.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission has placed the answer to the hon. member’s question in the library.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many spaces were agreed under each contract with a private provider for additional spaces in existing prisons signed since May 2010; how long each contract was for; and what the value was of the contract (a) in total and (b) per space agreed.

    Jeremy Wright

    A significant amount of this information is not held centrally, and we would need to interrogate a very large volume of separate files to obtain the information required and then review and collate that information. By doing so we would incur disproportionate costs.

  • Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects work on the electrification of the railway line between Hull and Selby to begin.

    Stephen Hammond

    Feasibility work on the project continues. Subject to further development and implementation funding and confirmation of the business case the scheme’s promoter, First Hull Trains, anticipates that certain physical works could commence in 2015.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the Government has made of the likely change in the number of people in the UK who will be aged 90 years and over between 2012 and 2023.

    Mr Nick Hurd

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

  • Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the approach of the new Palestinian government to the peace process with Israel.

    Hugh Robertson

    President Abbas was clear that new interim technocratic government will uphold a commitment to the principle of non-violence, a negotiated two state solution, and an acceptance of all previous agreements and obligations, including Israel’s legitimate right to exist. Reuniting Gaza and the West Bank under a government committed to these principles is a necessary condition for resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. We now look to the new government to demonstrate these commitments through its actions as well as its words.

  • Ms Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ms Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Harriet Harman on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of all secondary school age children in England were learning a musical instrument in (a) academies, (b) community schools, (c) free schools, (d) primary schools and (e) other schools in each of the last five years.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The information requested is not held by the Department for Education. A recent report[1] published by Arts Council England shows that in the academic year 2012/13, 437,975 pupils in years 1-9 received free whole class ensemble teaching. This is 8.6% of the national cohort. 430,998 pupils were in years 1-6 (12.4% of the cohort) and 6,977 were in years 7-9 (0.4% of the cohort).

    Many other children learn instruments in and out of school, but these figures are not collected or held centrally.

    [1]http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-funding/funding-programmes/music-education-hubs/

    “

  • Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the contribution to economic growth of payment protection insurance repayments.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. The effects of payment protection insurance repayments were taken into account in their latest forecast of the economy, published in the March 2014 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.