Category: Speeches

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of 10 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank who were murdered by the Israeli military in March 2013.

    Hugh Robertson

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office receives various reports throughout the year on the issues affecting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, this includes reports, from credited and un-credited sources, on Palestinians killed by the Israel Defence Forces.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many start-up loans have been granted to businesses in (a) Gillingham and Rainham constituency, (b) Medway and (c) Kent to date.

    Matthew Hancock

    12 Start-Up Loans have been granted to businesses within the Gillingham and Rainham constituency with a total drawn down value of £68,800.

    36 Start-Up Loans have been granted with a total drawn down value of £220,750 in the Medway constituency.

    265 Start-Up Loans have been granted in Kent with a total drawn down value of £1,498,105.

  • 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 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 724W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, for what reasons his Department has determined that a longer timeframe than one year is required to assess the effects of the under-occupancy penalty on rent arrears in the social rented sector.

    Esther McVey

    Rent arrears can have multiple causes and levels tend to fluctuate over time. Analysis of monthly, quarterly or even a single year of arrears is insufficient to reliably remove these normal fluctuations, driven by both seasonal and general economic trends, and to determine whether and to what extent the removal of the spare room subsidy has impacted on rent arrears levels

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Brandon Lewis

    All questions due for answer before prorogation received a substantive reply.No prorogation answers were given.

  • Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Huppert on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria were used to calculate the levels of area cost adjustment used for sixth form colleges in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Oxfordshire; and how frequently those criteria are reviewed.

    Matthew Hancock

    Area cost adjustments for 16-19 education and training are based on the differing wage costs across England, as indicated by the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The same area cost index is used for sixth form colleges as for all other post-16 institutions in England that are funded by the Department for Education. It is also used for education and training for adults funded by the Skills Funding Agency.

    The current area cost index was developed in 2002 by the Learning and Skills Council and has been reviewed on several occasions since then. Initially Cambridgeshire did not have an area cost adjustment, but in 2008 there was a specific review of the area cost adjustment for the county, which considered a range of factors and gave Cambridgeshire an uplift of 2% for the academic year 2009/10 and all years subsequently. The uplift for Oxfordshire is 7%.

    The whole post-16 funding formula was reviewed in 2012, and we decided at that stage not to make any changes to area cost adjustments.

  • Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Crockart on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the roundtables on nuisance calls and texts met; and when the next roundtable will meet.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The roundtable on nuisance calls and texts last met on 23 September 2013 and since then we have worked with stakeholders to finalise our Nuisance Calls Action Plan, which was published on 30 March of this year. The next roundtable meeting is being arranged and will be confirmed soon subject to diary commitments.

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had on the regeneration of the Brent Cross area with (a) Brent Council and (b) resident groups in Brent.

    Danny Alexander

    The Government has committed to working with the London Borough of Barnet to look at their proposals for the regeneration of Brent Cross. It is a matter for Barnet Council to discuss their plans with relevant stakeholders including Brent Council.

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Army 2020, HC 263, published on 11 June 2014, page 17, if he will provide details of the eight options for force structures that his Department considered in 2011, and his Department’s estimate of the savings each would have accrued.

    Mr Mark Francois

    I am not able to provide the information requested, since to do so could adversely affect the formulation of future defence policy.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2014, Official Report, column 443W, on armed forces: offenders, when he was first informed of this issue; what potential options are being considered; if he will ensure that the options under consideration do not disadvantage personnel who have been wronged; when he will update the House on any decision; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department first recognised the implications of changes to rehabilitation legislation relating to police cautions in September 2011, since when no administrative action has been taken against Service personnel who receive a police caution. Officials brought the issue to the attention of Ministers in early December 2011 and have provided further advice at intervals since then.

    It would be inappropriate to disclose the options that officials have presented for consideration. This is a complex matter, and I will update the House when I have reached a judgement.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Anna Soubry

    Details of Ministers visits and the purpose of each visit overseas are published quarterly and can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

    Details of Ministers overseas visits and the purpose of each visit from January to December 2013 are published. The details from January 2014 to date will be published in due course.