Category: Speeches

  • Biography information for Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Luciana Berger on Health.

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    Norman Lamb

    NHS England recognises that the number of adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) is gradually increasing over time. The growth in numbers is taken into account by NHS England as part of its annual commissioning process and will be considered in the ongoing development of its five year specialised commissioning strategy.

    Information concerning the number of people living with CF in each of the last four years is not available. In the following table we have provided the number of CF patients (adults and children) cared for by specialist centres in England in each of the last three years. This data has only been collected since the introduction of the tariff for CF services in 2011.

    Year

    Patients

    2011

    7,291

    2012

    7,620

    2013

    7,778

    We would expect all CF patients to have a CF specialist in charge of their care and, as part of the ongoing support they receive, to be assessed at specialist centres.

  • Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers, by country of origin, have been waiting for a decision on their application for asylum for (a) one and (b) more than five years.

    James Brokenshire

    Figures for asylum applications for main applicants, by nationality, from 2009 to 2013 are published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) in the release Immigration Statistics.

    The number of asylum applications from main applicants pending an initial decision, by nationality, for (a) more than one year and (b) more than five years, as at the end of 2013, can be found in the table," Asylum application from main applicants pending an initial decision as at 31/12/2013" which i will place in the House library.

    These figures are a subset of those also published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the release Immigration Statistics.

    Figures for asylum applications from main applicants refused a grant of asylum, Humanitarian Protection, Discretionary Leave or other grants of leave, at initial decision, by nationality, from 2009 to 2013 are published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the release Immigration Statistics.

    The latest release Immigration Statistics October to December 2013 is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2013 and from the Library of the House.
    Asylum data tables volume 1 is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283693
    /asylum1-q4-2013-tabs.ods

    “

  • Biography information for Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Biography information for Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Alison Seabeck on Work and Pensions.

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    Esther McVey

    The Department provided substantive answers to all parliamentary questions in the 2013-14 parliamentary Session.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in each of the last four years.

    Jeremy Wright

    The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of the offences specified in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000, the Indecency with Children Act 1960, the Sexual Offences Act 1967 and the Criminal Law Act 1977, in England and Wales, from 2008 to 2012 is provided in the attached tables.

    Please note that offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 sections 9 to 12, 14 to 19, 25 to 26, 47 to 50 provide data where the victim can be specifically identified as a child, whereas offences under sections 3, 4, 52 to 53, 57 to 59, 61 and 66 to 67, are not specific to the age of the victim.

    The tables do not include data for offences under section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967, or under section 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000. These offences, along with section 54 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, were repealed by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and there have been no convictions in the last four years.

    The number of offenders found guilty of offences under section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 was provided in answer to PQ 193582 and can be found at Official Report c638W, 1 April 2014. It is not possible to separate out the age of the victims of offences under section 2.

    Similarly, it is not possible to separate out the age of the victim of offences committed under sections 30 – 41 Sexual Offences Act 2003 from centrally held data. For data on offences under this legislation as a whole, I refer the honourable lady to the answer provided to PQ 193810, which can be found at Official Report column 136W, 7 April 2014.

    Section 20 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 deals with offences in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Statistics for these offences in Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Government, with those in Northern Ireland being a matter for the Department of Justice Northern Ireland

    Court proceedings data for England and Wales for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.

    The Government takes very seriously all matters relating to the sexual abuse of children and adults. Our laws in these areas are rightly robust and clear. The 2003 Act, which came into effect in May 2004, significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales.

  • Biography information for Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Nicholas Brown on Health.

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    Norman Lamb

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces evidence-based guidance and advice for health, public health and social care practitioners on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. All work undertaken by NICE is subject to the same high level of scrutiny consideration.

  • Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Peter Bottomley on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what timescale Benjamin Mire would have been removed from his appointment to the property tribunal following the conclusion of the report on the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office had he not resigned from that post.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Mr Mire’s conduct was investigated in accordance with The Judicial Discipline (Prescribed Procedures) Regulations 2006 (as amended). These regulations provide opportunities for the subject of the disciplinary process to make further representations and for the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice to consider these and take such action as they think fit. It is therefore not possible to specify a time frame for concluding the disciplinary process. Mr Mire resigned before the disciplinary process was concluded.

    Since 1st October 2013, judicial conduct has been considered under the Judicial Discipline (Prescribed Procedures) Regulations 2013. These now provide for the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice to continue to make a finding of misconduct in certain circumstances where a judicial office holder has ceased to hold office during the course of a conduct investigation.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions (a) HM Courts Service and (b) his Department has had with North Wales Police about future cell provision at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    No detailed discussions have taken place between HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) or the Department with North Wales Police with regards to future cell provision at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court. HMCTS is considering its options. Further discussions will take place once preferred options have been identified.

    Any decision for new arrangements for dealing with custody cases at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court will be guided by the principles of access to justice and best value for the taxpayer.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will include small and medium-sized enterprises in the procurement process for its contract to manage direct debit payments for vehicle tax discs.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will deliver direct debits for vehicle excise duty in two phases. Initially, the DVLA will partly use its existing contract for IT service provision with elements being subcontracted via an open competition which will include small/medium enterprise interest.

    The full strategic solution will be pursued in an open competition which will start in 2015. This open competition will also invite interest from Government frameworks which support small/medium enterprise involvement.

  • Clive Betts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Clive Betts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the hydrogen fuelling market; and when he expects to have completed them.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As set out in Driving the Future Today our strategy document published last year, the Government is committed to the move to ultra-low emission vehicles. We recognise the economic opportunities for the UK that this transition provides as well its potential contribution to cutting the emissions from road transport.

    The Government’s approach to this agenda has been consistently technology neutral and we have been active participants in UKH2Mobility. This is a joint industry-Government project evaluating the potential for hydrogen as a transport fuel and the scope to make the UK an early market for the commercial deployment of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) from 2015 onwards. The UKH2Mobility project is ongoing and both Government and industry participants are working together to consider the steps needed to secure the benefits of moving to hydrogen as a transport fuel for the UK. This includes the clear contribution that studies have shown FCEVs can make to improving air quality in the UK. We have undertaken no specific research on the impact of FCEVs on air quality in London.

  • David Mowat – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Mowat – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mowat on 2014-04-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reform the Business Premises Renovation Allowance following HM Revenue and Customs’ recent consultation.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government has introduced legislation in Finance Bill 2014 to clarify the scope of Business Premises Renovation Allowance. The aim is to address exploitation of the allowance, whilst preserving it as an investment incentive and ensuring continued value for money for tax payers.