Category: Speeches

  • Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Alexander on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he has had with (a) representatives of the Colombian government, (b) Colombian civil society and (c) Colombian businesses to discuss his Department’s Action Plan on Business and Human Rights since its launch in September 2013.

    Mr William Hague

    I visited Colombia in February this year and discussed business and human rights in my meetings with President Santos, and in meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Trade, and with civil society. I welcomed the development of the Colombian national policy on business and human rights during these meetings and raised the importance of protecting Trade Unionists and human rights defenders. We have a strong partnership with the government of Colombia on implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in the context of the November 2011 Joint Declaration on Human Rights by the Prime Minister and President Santos.

    In addition, British Embassy officials in Bogota have had several meetings with the Colombian government, civil society and businesses in Colombia to discuss the UK Action plan on business and human rights in line with our commitment to working for widespread international uptake of the UN Guiding Principles and to developing partnerships with other countries to progress this.

    Last year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded a project to assist Colombia in drafting its national policy. The Colombian public policy on business and human rights has been formed as a result of consultation across 33 regions and involving over 19,000 people.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he gives on ensuring that all women seeking an abortion are given accurate, complete, balanced and up-to-date information regarding the potential health risks of the procedure.

    Jane Ellison

    Clinical guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (November 2011) recommends that services should make sure that “written, objective, evidence-guided information is available for women considering abortion to take away before the procedure. Information should be in a variety of languages and formats”. In addition, “staff providing abortion services should provide up-to-date evidence-guided information, supported by local data where robust, about complications and sequelae of abortion”.

    The Department requires independent sector providers to provide women with impartial evidence-based information (verbal and written) which includes “what to expect, during and after the abortion (to include potential side effects, complications and any clinical implications)”. Also the Care Quality Commission’s Essential Standards of Quality and Safety require that “the risks, benefits and alternative options are discussed and explained in a way that the person who uses the service is able to understand.”

  • Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse arising from using Capita to administer personal independence payment assessments.

    Mike Penning

    Expenditure forecasts from the introduction of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are calculated on a national basis and it is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown in respect of areas where administration of PIP has been contracted to Capita.

  • 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 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average (a) net and (b) gross earnings were of each prisoner in each month in each of the last four years.

    Jeremy Wright

    This information is not held centrally. To obtain this information would require an examination by each prison establishment of payment transactions made on the central prisoner monies recording system for each of the relevant periods. This would be a significant exercise and could only be done at disproportionate cost.

  • 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 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what cap exists on the level of income a prisoner can earn inside jail.

    Jeremy Wright

    Other than centrally-prescribed minimum pay rates, Governors have responsibility for setting rates of pay for their establishment, which should reflect regime priorities. Upper rates are not set centrally. NOMS Prisoners’ Pay policy is set out in Prison Service Order 4460, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons 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 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when HM Prison High Down has been (a) a recipient of and (b) a contributor to the detached duty programme in each month since September 2013.

    Jeremy Wright

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 May 2014 to Written Parliamentary Questions 194628 and 194740. The previous answer provided information on every establishment that had received or contributed staff on detached duty until the latest available date of 31 December 2013.

  • 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 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to enable employers to handle cases of employees suffering from work-related stress or other psychological problems affecting their work.

    Mike Penning

    Health and safety regulations already place a duty on employers to consult with all employees over issues that may affect their health and safety, including work-related stress.

    My department will also introduce a new Health and Work Service to provide occupational health advice and support for employees, employers and GPs to help individuals with health conditions, including stress and other psychological problems, to stay in or return to work. This service will provide a more effective system for employees to report work-related stress issues.

    The service is due to begin by the end of 2014.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to his oral contribution of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 908, on energy price freeze, what the evidential basis is for the statement that average annual investment in renewables has more than doubled in the current Parliament compared with the previous one.

    Michael Fallon

    This shows that average annual investment in renewables has more than doubled in the current Parliament, compared with the previous one.

    New Investment in UK Renewable Electricity

    $m

    2005

    2006

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    Total

    3,292

    2,974

    4,454

    4,511

    11,337

    9,651

    10,996

    10,339

    11,981

    Source: Bloomberg Energy Finance

    There are a number of sources analysing and interpreting new investment in UK renewable electricity, including DECC’s own analysis. However, data are not always readily comparable owing to differences in methodology, data collection points, timings and market coverage.

  • Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Alexander on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 692W, on Colombia, which representatives of non-governmental organisations accompanied him on his visit to Colombia in February 2014.

    Mr Nick Clegg

    I was accompanied on my visit by Lord Livingston of Parkhead and a delegation representing British businesses. Whilst this delegation did not include representatives of non-governmental organisations, I met a number of NGOs before the visit and during my time in Colombia.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the default rate has been on each of the Government’s export guarantee funds since May 2010.

    Michael Fallon

    UK Export Finance (UKEF) supports UK exports, principally through the provision of guarantees to banks extending loans to overseas buyers and insurance to UK exporters against the risk of non-payment. From 1 May 2010 to 31 March 2014, the percentage of guarantees and insurance policies issued by UKEF that have subsequently defaulted resulting in a claim being paid, or where a claim is currently under examination, is 0.2%.

    Given the tenor of transactions that UKEF typically supports, which can be up to 15 years, an in-year default rate does not give a clear indicator of the performance of UKEF’s portfolio. In accordance with the financial objectives and risk measures agreed with HM Treasury, UKEF measures the Expected Loss of its portfolio. Expected Loss is the statistical estimate of the amount of UKEF’s contingent liability which could be expected to turn into claims that are irrecoverable. Full details of UKEF’s performance and risk management can be found in its Annual Report and Account which is available in the libraries of the House.