Category: Speeches

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government Response to Lord Heseltine’s report No Stone Unturned: in Pursuit of Growth, when he expects to publish a draft legislative reform order to ensure that the current legislation on combined authorities is fit for purpose.

    Brandon Lewis

    As I told the House on 18 March 2014, Official Report, Column 704, and as my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles) indicated on 3 March 2014, Official Report, Column 621, we are minded to amend legislation to allow councils that do not share the same boundaries to join a combined authority, if they wish. This change can be delivered through a Legislative Reform Order, subject to statutory consultation and approval of Parliament.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made in turning around failing hospitals.

    Mr Jeremy Hunt

    Through the use of special measures, the Care Quality Commission, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority are making considerable progress at turning around failing hospitals.

    Across the trusts now in the regime, there are over 1,200 new nurses and nursing assistants, as well as 118 more doctors.

    I am delighted that Basildon yesterday became the first trust to exit special measures. This is clear proof that our tough action to turn these hospitals around is working.

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will list all academy sponsors with 10 or more academies. [R]

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Sponsors with 10 or more academies are:

    · Academies Enterprise Trust (AET)

    · Academy Transformation Trust

    · ARK Schools

    · Cabot Learning Federation

    · CfBT Education Trust

    · Clifton Diocese

    · David Ross Education Trust (DRET)

    · Diocese of Salisbury Academies

    · Diocese of Wakefield

    · E-ACT

    · Elliot Foundation

    · Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust

    · Harris Federation

    · Kemnal Academy Trust, The (TKAT)

    · Northern Education Trust

    · Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service (NRCDES)

    · Oasis Community Learning

    · Ormiston Academies Trust

    · Outwood Grange Academies Trust

    · REAch2 Academy Trust

    · School Partnership Trust Academies (SPTA)

    · The Education Fellowship Trust

    · The Griffin Schools Trust

    · The Primary Academies Trust

    · United Learning

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 723W, on Northern Ireland government, when she last had a meeting with the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer I gave on 13 May 2014, Official Report, Column 521W.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of which countries in Africa (a) have the highest incidence of illegal killing of wildlife and (b) have the largest illegal trade in wildlife with China.

    George Eustice

    As a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the UK supports work to monitor the illegal killing of wildlife. My Department has provided £270,000 since 2009 to support the CITES Secretariat to undertake such work, including the MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) project and ETIS (Elephant Trade Information System).

    In response to assessments made of illegal killing, the CITES Secretariat has identified the following African counties as primary source countries for ivory: Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Republic of Tanzania. Assessments have also shown that illegal killing poses a significant threat to rhinoceros populations, particularly in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

    These countries are taking action under CITES, such as producing National Ivory Action Plans, but many are going beyond this. For example,Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon and Tanzania announced the Elephant Protection Initiative at the London Conference in February. This initiative aims to secure new funding from private and public sources for the implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan. Other recent developments include Gabon announcing plans to impose new penalties for poachers and traffickers, and Ethiopia committing to destroying its ivory stockpiles.

    Further knowledge is needed about the trafficking of the products of poaching of wildlife from source countries to consumer countries, particularly in Asia. The Declaration adopted at the recent London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade took an important step forward in relation to this, with over 40 countries agreeing to undertake further assessment, initially over the next twelve months, of the markets and dynamics of the illegal wildlife trade, and the progress made in combatting it.

  • 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 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2014, Official Report, column 971W, on the Electoral Administration Act 2013, whether non-individual electoral registration entries will be included on the register by the time of the freeze date for the next boundary review on 1 December 2015.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Mr Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mr Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Andy Slaughter on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his article published in the Daily Mail on 6 September 2013, what the evidential basis was for his statement that countless left-wing campaigners are using the judicial review system as a promotional tool.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The rationale for the Government’s reforms is set out in ‘Judicial review: further proposals for reform – the Government response’ (https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/judicial-review). The Government is determined to improve the judicial review process so that it is not open to abuse and arguable cases can proceed quickly to final resolution.

    Most of the Government’s reforms to judicial review are being taken forward through the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill which will be subject to the full and proper scrutiny of Parliament.

    “

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Leader of the House, how many questions to each department did not receive a substantive answer by the time of prorogation; and how long each question had been waiting for an answer.

    Mr Andrew Lansley

    This information is not held centrally and would be a matter for the individual departments concerned.

    My office collates wider departmental performance information for Ordinary and Named Day Parliamentary Questions, which I submit in relation to each session to the Procedure Committee. Each department is required to set out in its evidence to the Procedure Committee, any factors which have caused delays in answering written questions.

    Statistics relating to departmental performance for the 2012/13, 2010/12 and 2009/10 Parliamentary sessions were previously provided to the Committee and are available on the Parliament website. I expect to provide data for the last Parliamentary session shortly.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government or the Official Opposition on Barnett consequentials for Wales resulting from future High Speed 2 expenditure.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Ministers in the Department for Transport are in regular contact with the Welsh Assembly on a variety of matters; however, Ministers have not received representations from the Welsh Government or the Official Opposition regarding HS2 and Barnett consequentials.

    Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-transparency-data#meetings

    “

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was in each local authority for an assessment for a disabled facilities grant in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.