Category: Speeches

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what meetings his Department had with the National Farmers’ Union in the six months before the start of the pilot badger culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset in 2013; and whether he advised that union to operate a media blackout during the first phase of the culls.

    George Eustice

    Meetings were held with the National Farmers Union in the six months prior to the start of the pilot culls in 2013.

    There was no media blackout during the pilots. Defra and the National Farmers Union continued to make spokespeople available to talk to the media throughout the period in which culling was taking place.

    However, both the National Farmers Union and Defra were always clear that operational information that could compromise the effectiveness of the cull or the safety of those involved would not be disclosed during the operation.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-03-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made before the 2012 Budget of the average annual payment required from each property valued above £2 million in order to raise a net sum of £2 billion per annum.

    David Gauke

    The number of residential properties in the UK valued at more than £2 million was estimated before Budget 2012 to be around 55,000.

    Before Budget 2012, an assessment of the average annual payment required from each property above £2 million in order to raise a net sum of £2 billion per annum was not made.

    On 1 July 2013, during Report stage of the Finance Bill, I referred to “a simple calculation arrived at by dividing £2 billion by 55,000 (an internal HMRC estimate of the number of properties valued at over £2 million) to give a ‘mean’ average of £36,000.”

    A so-called mansion tax would depress stamp duty land tax and inheritance tax yields. The exact impact would be dependent on the rates and bands chosen.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he took to ensure that the foreign commercial vessels fishing in the waters of Ascension Island from 2010 to 2013 did not use slave labour.

    Mark Simmonds

    The Ascension Island government is legally responsible for administering the marine fishery in the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Fishing Zone centred on the Island.

    There as no condition placed in the licenses issued by the Ascension Island Government from 2010 to 2013 relating to slave labour. The primary responsibility for the setting and enforcement of standards on such matters lies with the flag state of each vessel.

    The Ascension Island Government paused the issuing of licences for commercial long-line fishing from 1 January 2014 in order to undertake a full review of the management of its fisheries with a view to a new structure to be put in place by 2015. Revised conditions for licences will form a part of that outcome.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-11.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many voters in (a) London, (b) each London borough and (c) each parliamentary constituency in London could not be matched as part of the recent confirmation dry run carried out by the Electoral Commission.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match. This work was carried out by the Cabinet Office and not directly by the Electoral Commission.

    The red and amber results for London, each London borough and each parliamentary constituency in London were as follows:

    LONDON

    Red

    Amber

    London

    1,523,114

    280,337

    LONDON BOROUGH

    Red

    Amber

    Barking & Dagenham

    26,127

    2,430

    Barnet

    58,211

    8,529

    Bexley

    30,494

    2,168

    Brent

    58,460

    12,198

    Bromley

    39,726

    4,737

    Camden

    52,346

    20,136

    City of London

    2,779

    258

    Croydon

    57,129

    8,005

    Ealing

    58,701

    12,776

    Enfield

    40,801

    6,474

    Greenwich

    40,056

    4,769

    Hackney

    57,498

    10,065

    Hammersmith & Fulham

    39,378

    16,210

    Haringey

    53,621

    15,010

    Harrow

    37,983

    4,588

    Havering

    28,332

    2,606

    Hillingdon

    45,437

    4,366

    Hounslow

    45,995

    6,085

    Islington

    51,188

    12,795

    Kensington and Chelsea

    43,133

    13,482

    Kingston upon Thames

    26,100

    3,118

    Lambeth

    81,417

    14,165

    Lewisham

    52,211

    8,834

    Merton

    34,821

    4,981

    Newham

    64,311

    8,981

    Redbridge

    48,608

    5,702

    Richmond upon Thames

    28,672

    4,654

    Southwark

    67,234

    9,160

    Sutton

    23,790

    3,148

    Tower Hamlets

    53,028

    8,225

    Waltham Forest

    46,129

    7,389

    Wandsworth

    73,033

    17,032

    Westminster

    56,365

    17,261

    LONDON PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES

    Red

    Amber

    Barking

    17,910

    1,651

    Battersea

    26,831

    6,751

    Beckenham

    10,868

    1,041

    Bermondsey and Old Southwark

    33,169

    3,549

    Bethnal Green and Bow

    27,095

    4,655

    Bexleyheath and Crayford

    10,728

    750

    Brent Central

    25,187

    6,123

    Brent North

    23,399

    3,410

    Brentford and Isleworth

    26,105

    3,809

    Bromley and Chislehurst

    12,019

    1,345

    Camberwell and Peckham

    27,167

    4,040

    Carshalton and Wallington

    11,186

    1,491

    Chelsea and Fulham

    26,701

    8,467

    Chingford and Woodford Green

    12,736

    1,379

    Chipping Barnet

    16,855

    2,190

    Cities of London and Westminster

    33,759

    7,674

    Croydon Central

    17,235

    2,057

    Croydon North

    24,436

    4,033

    Croydon South

    15,458

    1,915

    Dagenham and Rainham

    12,564

    1,195

    Dulwich and West Norwood

    23,880

    4,861

    Ealing Central and Acton

    23,996

    6,646

    Ealing North

    17,761

    2,709

    Ealing Southall

    16,944

    3,421

    East Ham

    32,053

    4,476

    Edmonton

    13,762

    2,233

    Eltham

    11,835

    1,226

    Enfield North

    12,557

    1,533

    Enfield Southgate

    14,482

    2,708

    Erith and Thamesmead

    16,321

    1,184

    Feltham and Heston

    19,890

    2,276

    Finchley and Golders Green

    20,416

    3,855

    Greenwich and Woolwich

    20,864

    2,975

    Hackney North and Stoke Newington

    28,427

    6,110

    Hackney South and Shoreditch

    29,071

    3,955

    Hammersmith

    25,041

    10,874

    Hampstead and Kilburn

    29,704

    13,337

    Harrow East

    15,483

    1,852

    Harrow West

    18,134

    2,206

    Hayes and Harlington

    17,540

    2,110

    Hendon

    20,940

    2,484

    Holborn and St Pancras

    32,516

    9,464

    Hornchurch and Upminster

    11,456

    1,073

    Hornsey and Wood Green

    26,706

    8,550

    Ilford North

    15,605

    1,554

    Ilford South

    25,007

    3,242

    Islington North

    25,295

    7,491

    Islington South and Finsbury

    25,893

    5,304

    Kensington

    30,769

    10,351

    Kingston and Surbiton

    19,493

    2,381

    Lewisham Deptford

    24,795

    4,336

    Lewisham East

    16,939

    2,741

    Lewisham West and Penge

    18,129

    3,239

    Leyton and Wanstead

    20,763

    3,727

    Mitcham and Morden

    16,823

    2,280

    Old Bexley and Sidcup

    10,802

    802

    Orpington

    9,187

    869

    Poplar and Limehouse

    25,933

    3,570

    Putney

    21,693

    3,538

    Richmond Park

    18,456

    3,023

    Romford

    12,529

    1,117

    Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner

    13,858

    1,443

    Streatham

    30,298

    5,420

    Sutton and Cheam

    12,604

    1,657

    Tooting

    24,509

    6,743

    Tottenham

    26,915

    6,460

    Twickenham

    16,823

    2,368

    Uxbridge and South Ruislip

    18,405

    1,343

    Vauxhall

    34,137

    5,455

    Walthamstow

    20,626

    3,189

    West Ham

    32,258

    4,505

    Westminster North

    25,385

    9,845

    Wimbledon

    17,998

    2,701

    Results for all wards are available on the Commission’s website here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls

    “

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records his Department keeps of the monthly 2-star assessments of its risk registers.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence makes extensive use of risk management tools and techniques across the different areas of departmental business. Risk registers are generally created, updated, and assessed as part of day-to-day management action; and the relevant records are kept at local level.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many graduates of British universities aged 21 to 25 are claiming unemployment-related benefits.

    Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Eric Joyce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Eric Joyce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eric Joyce on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the UK armed forces would lose their jobs as a result of Scottish independence.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The UK Government is not planning for Scottish independence and neither is the Ministry of Defence. Existing members of the UK Armed Forces would still be part of the UK Armed Forces and, as far as the UK Government is concerned, would be able to continue to serve in them, subject to the usual requirements of service.

  • Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregg McClymont on 2014-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people of pensionable age providing unpaid childcare support.

    Steve Webb

    The information requested is not available. The Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents estimates that grandparents provided informal childcare for 1.8m children in 1.4m families in 2012/13 with 4% of these families making some form of payment to the grandparent. We are unable to identify the ages of these grandparents; previous studies have shown that around half of grandparents are aged over 65.

    Source for grandparent age distribution:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220274/eia-ni-credits-changes.pdf

    Source for Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2012-to-2013

    “

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to increase awareness of early screenings for prostate cancer for men at risk.

    Jane Ellison

    The Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) Scientific Reference Group (SRG) keeps the evidence on prostate cancer screening under review, and has not yet seen compelling evidence that screening should be offered to high risk groups.

    The PCRMP is in place to ensure that men over 50 without symptoms of prostate cancer can have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test free on the national health service after careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of the test and after a discussion with a general practitioner.

    The patient information sheets on PSA testing make it clear that the risk of prostate cancer is greater for men with a familial history of prostate cancer and black-African and black-Caribbean men.

    The National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) previously highlighted the increased risk of prostate cancer in black men through the ‘Cancer Does Not Discriminate’ campaign, including distributing over 200,000 health supplements and an editorial in The Voice newspaper.

    In 2011, the Department, NCAT, North East London Cancer Network and Prostate Cancer UK worked with NHS Newham and Barts Health Care Trust to pilot the Newham Prostate Health Drop-in Clinic at the Newham African-Caribbean Resource Centre. 322 men had a consultation at the clinic, 59 were referred to secondary care and nine new diagnoses of early stage prostate cancer were made.

    The learning gained from a formal evaluation of the pilot was shared widely with stakeholders within London and across England, including NHS England. The pilot won the in the 2013 Civil Service Diversity and Equality Award for Understanding and engaging with communities.

    The Department is represented on the multi-disciplinary PCRMP SRG and the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group, along with representatives from clinicians, professional bodies, academics, the voluntary sector and patient groups.

  • Lord Jopling – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Jopling – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2014-03-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 10 March (WA 348), whether they will now answer the question.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    As I stated to the House on 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 846, and
    repeated in my reply to the noble lord, Lord Vinson on 10 March (WA 348), the
    Government remains committed ‘to holding another vote on the final package of
    measures that we will apply to rejoin’.