Category: Speeches

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) cats, (b) dogs and (c) horses were retired and rehomed under European Union Directive 2010/63/EU in 2013.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

    Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, authority may be given to
    re-home animals where those animals were bred or held for supply for use in
    regulated procedures, or were intended for use in regulated procedures, or have
    been used in regulated procedures. This may also apply to animals which are
    being kept under the care of the Named Veterinary Surgeon after completing
    procedures and is always contingent on our acceptance of certain reassurances
    relating to Section 17A of the Act. Records of each animal re-homed would be
    kept locally at the licensed establishment so that they can be available to
    Home Office Inspectors on request.

    European Directive 2010/63/EU, which was implemented in the UK and other Member
    States on 1 January 2013, does not provide legal grounds on which the UK can
    impose a mandatory obligation of re-homing under the Animals (Scientific
    Procedures) Act 1986. Nevertheless, we have provided guidance on re-homing
    animals in our Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures)
    Act 1983, section 5.21.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the funding to improve electoral registration engagement; and when he plans to report to Parliament on the effectiveness of this initiative.

    Greg Clark

    Funding has been provided to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain and five national organisations to support the costs of activities to maximise registration.

    They have been provided with guidance to support them in evaluating the success of activity delivered through this funding. Cabinet Office officials will continue to work closely with funding recipients to monitor and measure the outcomes.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library a list of all projects supported by the International Climate Fund.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The International Climate Fund is £3.869bn of climate finance, over 2011/12 to 2015/16, for developing countries to help them tackle climate change.

    The portfolio of International Climate Fund investments is growing and therefore additional projects will be approved and start up during the course of 2014/15. I have deposited a list of International Climate Fund projects up until 2013/14 in the House Library.

  • Sir Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sir Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Gerald Kaufman on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 7 February 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton regarding Mr J Rossi-Stephenson.

    Dan Rogerson

    A response to right hon Member’s letter of 7 February 2014, with regard to Mr J Rossi-Stephenson, was sent on the 3 April 2014.

    Copies of the response will be made available in the House library.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of the United Arab Emirates to ensure that Ahmad Zeidan is given his full legal rights and protections whilst in the custody of that government.

    Hugh Robertson

    It would not be appropriate for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to discuss the details of an individual case. However, consular officials have provided full consular assistance to Mr Zeidan since we were informed of his detention and will continue to do so. In any case where we have concerns about the welfare or human rights of a British National, with their permission, we will raise these.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he has taken to restrict access to departmental meetings by lobbyists since 2011.

    Greg Clark

    Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK. That transparency will be further extended by the recently enacted Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act, Part 1 of which will require consultant lobbyists that meet with Ministers and senior officials to declare their clients on a publicly available register.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Bank of England has engaged in any selling, leasing, loaning, hypothecating or re-hypothecating either independently or in conjunction with other parties, which could have had the effect of lowering or suppressing the quoted market price of gold since May 2010.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Bank of England has not been active in the gold market during or since May 2010, either in its own capacity, or acting as agent for Her Majesty’s Treasury for the UK’s official reserves (the “Exchange Equalisation Account” or EEA).

    As a result, the Bank did not engage in any selling, leasing, loaning, hypothecating or re-hypothecating of gold during this period.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2012, Official Report, column 1032W, on Work Programme, when he expects to publish the independent evaluation of the Work Programme.

    Esther McVey

    The Department will publish findings once the independent evaluation of the Work Programme is complete.

  • 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 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answers of 18 November 2013, Official Report, columns 696W and 698W and of 18 December 2013, Official Report, columns 632W, on armed forces: young people, if he will publish the terms of reference of the cost benefit analysis of the recruitment of young people into the armed forces; when he expects that report to be published; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The report has been submitted by the Army to Ministry of Defence (MOD) HQ, for consideration. It is not possible to provide a publication date for the report until the report’s findings have been considered.

    The terms of reference of the report are as follows:
    Question – “What is the cost overhead to MOD of Phase 1 training for Junior Entry (JE) soldiers versus Standard Entry (SE) soldiers joining the Army?”

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-03-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that all statistics identified as high impact outputs with less widespread support by the Office for National Statistics in its consultation on statistical products 2013 will continue to be funded for 2014-15.

    Nick Hurd

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 470W.