Category: Speeches

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Annual Report 2015 of the Service Complaints Ombudsmen for the Armed Forces, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that (a) some complaints first processed by the Service Complaints Commissioner in 2008 remain open and (b) other referrals by the Service Complaints Commissioner have been outstanding for over a year.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Service Complaints Ombudsman acknowledges in the Annual Report 2015 that the Services’ commitment during 2015 to resolve complaints that were raised before 2014, resulted in a reduction in their number of around 50%. The Ombudsman acknowledges that in some cases there is just cause for delay, but where her investigations under her new powers find that delay was unjustified and avoidable the Ministry of Defence will learn the lessons as part of its commitment to achieving a service complaints process that is fair, effective and efficient.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s future requirement for (a) officer cadets and (b) ratings.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Under current planning assumptions the Royal Fleet Auxiliary expects to recruit the following number of Officer Cadets and Apprentice Ratings in each of the next five years:

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    2019-20

    2020-21

    Cadet

    32

    32

    32

    32

    32

    Apprentice

    128

    128

    117

    117

    93
  • Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will conduct an investigation into the ethical basis for the move of Southern Health Chief Executive Katrina Percy to another post at the same salary level; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mowat

    The decision referred to by the hon. Member was taken by Southern Health, as is appropriate, and is a matter for them and the relevant regulatory bodies.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the future of St Helena airport.

    Rory Stewart

    DFID officials, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State and DFID Ministers, are in regular contact with FCO officials about the future of St Helena Airport.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of households in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency that have access to superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    UK Government has allocated £122 million for the two Scottish SuperfastBroadbandprojects, which focus on areas where commercial coverage does not exist or is not planned.

    DCMS estimates that commercial coverage will provide superfast broadband availability to 83% of premises inEast Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, and theDigital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme will add a further 12% premises to the commercial coverage following completion of the first phase of the project.

    In addition the Government is supporting seven pilot projects to explore options for delivering superfast broadband services to the hardest to reach parts of the UK.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the amount of financial provision required to affect the level of competition between broadband providers by means of the broadband investment fund announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Greg Hands

    The Spending Review and Autumn Statement announced that the government will investigate the feasibility of setting up a new broadband investment fund, to be supported by both public and private investors, and managed by the private sector on a commercial basis.

    Access to cost effective, commercial finance is critical for any business to grow and expand. The government will hold discussions with industry participants to determine whether enhancing access to finance through a dedicated, commercial investment fund could help support the growth of alternative network developers in the broadband market. Decisions on the feasibility and size of the fund will be made following this market engagement.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to support initiative to the create an independent regional centre for security dialogue in the Middle East.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    A stable and secure Middle East is a key UK priority. We are working with the international community to support those tackling short term conflict and promoting longer-term reform in the region. We believe that regional security initiatives can have an important role to play too.

    We are not aware of any specific, new initiatives to create an independent regional centre for security dialogue in the Middle East, at the current time.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and (b) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about the planned cap on housing benefit for tenants in supported housing at the local rate of local housing allowance.

    Alistair Burt

    Ministers have not yet made any official representations to other Government departments about the proposed changes to housing benefit for tenants in supported housing. Neither has the Department made any formal estimates of the people likely to be affected by the proposed changes. However, discussions are ongoing at official level between Departments.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the National Wildlife Crime Unit on reducing wildlife-related crimes.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office has not conducted an assessment of the effect the Unit has made on reducing wildlife-related crimes.

  • Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of introducing the national living wage into social care from April 2016.

    Greg Hands

    At the time of the Summer Budget 2015 the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimated the costs of the National Living Wage to employers across the economy would be almost £4 billion in 2020, equivalent to just over 1 per cent of corporate profits.

    It was in recognition of costs such as the NLW and growing demand for care services that the Spending Review announced we would be making additional funding available to local government for social care, worth up to £3.5 billion a year by 2019/20. This will support councils to continue to focus on core services and to increase the prices they pay for care, including to cover the costs of the National Living Wage.