Category: Speeches

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on the voluntary exit scheme for staff at HM Revenue and Customs offices in Northern Ireland.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched two voluntary exit schemes in November 2013 for people in 21 of its offices and for people in its Debt Management and Banking division. Further schemes were opened in February 2014, for eligible staff at Administrative Assistant grade across the country and for people affected by the decision to replace enquiry centres with a new service for customers who need extra help.

    There are nine offices or enquiry centres across Northern Ireland where eligible people have been invited to apply for one of the schemes. A summary of the progress at 4 April 2014 can be found in the table below.

    Location

    Invited to apply

    Applied for VE

    Offered VE*

    Accepted VE

    Declined VE

    Pending Decision**

    Antrim

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Ballymena

    4

    3

    3

    1

    2

    Belfast

    17

    14

    11

    5

    3

    3

    Coleraine

    10

    9

    9

    3

    3

    3

    Craigavon

    11

    7

    7

    3

    1

    3

    Enniskillen

    30

    24

    23

    5

    17

    1

    Lisburn

    8

    7

    7

    4

    1

    2

    Londonderry

    79

    66

    66

    32

    34

    0

    Newry

    137

    45

    45

    30

    15

    0

    Total

    297

    176

    172

    83

    74

    15

    * 4 of those that applied withdrew their applications after being successful in obtaining a post in the new service for customers who need extra help

    ** A decision is pending for 15 people as they have until 28 April to decide whether or not to accept a formal offer of voluntary exit.
  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many, and which, local authorities have made representations to the Department for Education asking it to legislate to extend the power to outsource children’s social work functions, including child protection, under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008.

    Lord Nash

    Formal representations concerning outsourcing of social care functions, potentially including child protection, have been made by Staffordshire, Kingston, and Richmond local authorities. In addition a number of informal discussions on this topic have taken place with other local authorities.

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what research his Department has conducted on the accuracy of assumptions made in the National Housing Condition Survey that all stone properties built before 1920 are of solid wall construction.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC has not undertaken any research into the accuracy of the assumptions made in the English Housing Survey that all stone properties built before 1920 are of solid wall construction.

  • Roger Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Williams on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role his Department is playing in the Government’s review of the Muslim Brotherhood announced in April 2014.

    Mr William Hague

    The Government has appointed a senior member of the diplomatic service, Sir John Jenkins, to lead the review. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is contributing information and analysis through our network of Embassies across the Middle East and more widely, including by consulting academic experts. The FCO is also providing an oversight role as part of the review’s steering group.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 31 March 2014 on Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    Both of these reports make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the impacts of climate change. We are considering them with keen interest and will take full account of them when we publish the UK’s next Climate Change Risk Assessment, which in turn will inform the next National Adaptation Programme report.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Jenny Willott

    I refer the hon. Member to the answergiven by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Francis Maude) on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 433W.

  • James Clappison – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    James Clappison – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Clappison on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he plans to make to the government of Pakistan following the death sentence imposed on Sawan Masih as a result of an alleged offence of blasphemy; and whether he plans to raise that matter at a Commonwealth level.

    Hugh Robertson

    I am concerned to hear about the case of Sawan Masih and the imposition of the death penalty. We regularly raise the issue of blasphemy laws, and their misuse against both Muslims and religious minorities at the highest levels in Pakistan. During last week’s adjournment debate on the blasphemy law my rt hon Friend the Minister for Europe assured this House that "we must continue to pursue this issue" with the Pakistani authorities. We encourage interfaith dialogue and support those in Pakistan who are working for reform of blasphemy laws. We have also consistently pressed the government of Pakistan on the issue of the death penalty and our principled opposition to it in all cases. We consistently strive to foster debate on the death penalty within the Commonwealth and hope that these issues will be discussed by Commonwealth Law Ministers at their meeting in Botswana in May.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by My Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

  • David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent reports he has received on the removal of the Carnforth station platforms from the mainline; what steps he is taking towards their reinstatement; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Government has no plans to reinstate platforms on the West Coast Main Line and has not asked for or received any official reports on their reinstatement or removal in the 1960s. It would be for Lancashire County Council to determine whether such a scheme is a local priority and this is not the case at the present time.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Gregory Barker

    From November 2010 a single team was established to control the process for all formal disciplinary proceedings being undertaken against Civil Servants in the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC). Therefore central records only exist from that date.

    The proportion of Civil Servants in DECC, who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings since November 2010 to date and who are white British, is less than 1% of the total number of Civil Servants in each year.