Category: Speeches

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking in relation to tensions between North and South Korea following North Korea’s artillery shelling and detonation near the border between those countries.

    Baroness Warsi

    On 31 March 2014, during a pre-planned and pre-advised live-fire exercise, a small number of artillery shells from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea landed in waters south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea. The Republic of Korea military responded with its own artillery fire into waters on the northern side of the NLL. There were no reported casualties.

    We have been monitoring the situation closely and are in contact with international partners. The situation is currently calmer but tensions remain high. In a Written Ministerial Statement on 31 March, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), urged both sides to exercise restraint and not to retaliate further.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints she has received about UK visa applications processed by TPContact in (a) Israel, (b) Russia, (c) South Africa and (d) Ukraine to date.

    James Brokenshire

    Any failure against the contractual critical service levels may result in
    deductions against their submitted invoices. In the event of continuous and
    unacceptable failures the Department has the ability to terminate the contract.

    The performance of Teleperformance as with all of our contracts is subject to
    close Home Office scrutiny. The governance processes include regular meetings
    at all levels, from local operational teams up to senior official levels, to
    allow in-depth reviews of performance against the service standards set out in
    the contract, and to provide an escalation route to resolve any issues that may
    arise. We also expect suppliers to provide continuous improvement in delivery
    of customer services over the course of the contract, which is also monitored
    through these processes.

    The Department withheld payment of the contractual transitional payment until
    transition was complete in each country where Teleperformance operates. This
    has now been has now been approved for payment in countries where visa
    application centres (VACs) are operational but withheld in locations still to
    be transitioned. Ongoing contractual payments will be subject to the service
    credit process outlined above.

    The data required to judge performance against contractual service standards is
    not yet available. We are not aware of any withdrawn applications linked to
    delays in processing at the identified visa application centres since they took
    over this service. The Home Office is currently collating data on complaints
    for the period since Teleperformance commenced operations and it is not
    available for publication.

    UK Visas & Immigration has worked closely with Teleperformance from the point
    at which contracts were awarded to prepare for live operations, including the
    summer peak. Annual and monthly application volumes and forecast figures for
    2014 were provided to Teleperformance as part of the tender process and local
    discussions have taken place to determine the number of appointment slots
    available. Opening hours have been extended and appointment availability has
    been increased in a number of locations to prepare for the summer period. Where
    VACs are open every day, the availability of appointment slots is continually
    monitored, with further measures being taken if appointments are consistently
    fully booked.

  • 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 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the teaching of instrumental music lessons in (1) maintained schools, and (2) academies.

    Lord Nash

    The new national curriculum for music is designed to ensure that all pupils in maintained schools have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, to perform and to progress to the next level of musical excellence. Music remains a statutory subject for all children between the ages of 5 and 14.

    At key stage 1, children should be taught to play tuned and un-tuned instruments musically. At key stage 2, they should be taught to play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, playing musical instruments with increasing fluency, and expression. At key stage 3, pupils should build on their previous learning through playing and performing confidently with increasing fluency and expression.

    At key stage 4, children have an entitlement to study an arts subject, and maintained schools are required to offer at least one arts subject, which can include music.

    Academies’ funding agreements require them to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. We trust headteachers to understand the benefits of, and deliver, a high-quality music education.

    In addition, we are providing £171 million funding for 123 music education hubs across the three years 2012-15 to improve the quality and consistency of music education in England. One of the hubs’ core roles is to ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through whole-class ensemble teaching. Hubs must also provide opportunities for pupils to play in ensembles and perform from an early stage, and ensure that clear progression routes are available and affordable to all young people.

    In the first year of the music education hubs, nearly half a million children were given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument for the first time and hubs organised almost 15,000 school choirs, orchestras and bands in conjunction with schools. More than a third of those children who learned a musical instrument for the first time have continued learning to play. As hubs work with more schools, we want to see that number rise.

  • 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 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many agency workers have been employed as cover for clerical staff in each month since January 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    Since April 2010 we have cut our overall spend on temporary staff by £35.5m. We only use temporary staff to fill business-critical posts and essential frontline services where they can provide a fast, flexible and efficient way to obtain necessary skills that are not currently available in-house. We will continue to examine our use of contractors and look for further reductions.

    In responding to each question we have utilised data provided by our contracted supplier of temporary clerical staff and contracted supplier of temporary operational staff. As the data provided has been supplied by two different third parties there is a slight difference in the way that the answer to question 3 and 4 has been presented.

    Temporary operational staff relate to Operational Support Grades (OSGs) used within HM Prison Service. We have contracts in place to provide temporary OSGs to fill in gaps in requirements, for building projects or to fill vacancies short term. Temporary OSGs are a very small proportion of our staff complement.

    Uniform operational support staff are Operational Support Grades (OSGs).These are uniformed staff who undertake a wide range of duties in prisons, for example operating prison gates, working in security and managing stores areas. They also escort contractors and their vehicles.

    1) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on clerical agency staff across –

    January 2014 – £2,983,633.14 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £2,613,023.10 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £2,591,678.87 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £2,900,742.70 (5 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,398,053.57 (4 week period)

    June 2014 – £658,700.28 (1 week period)

    2) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on uniform operational support staff –

    January 2014 – £1,082,247 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £1,420,329 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £1,137,834 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £1,249,908 (4 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,282,468 (5 week period)

    The spend for May 2014 also includes the backdated annual pay rise for eligible workers from 1st April 2014.

    3) The following number of clerical agency staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 1571 (Average headcount)

    February 2014 – 1634 (Average headcount)

    March 2014 – 1624 (Average headcount)

    April 2014 – 1578 (Average headcount)

    May 2014 – 1644 (Average headcount)

    June 2014 – 1674 (Average headcount)

    4) The following number of uniform operational support staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 697 (Peak worker number)

    February 2014 – 845 (Peak worker number)

    March 2014 – 867 (Peak worker number)

    April 2014 – 853 (Peak worker number)

    May 2014 – 855 (Peak worker number)

    June 2014 – Peak worker number not available yet.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Government invested in highway and infrastructure construction in the North West in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

    Stephen Hammond

    HM Treasury’s Country and Regional Analysis November 2013 states that identifiable public capital expenditure on transport in the North West of England was: 2009/10 £1,229m, 2010/11 £1,268m, 2011/12 £1,261m, 2012/13 £1,257m.

  • Lord Rowlands – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Rowlands – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rowlands on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what nuclear power stations there are in the United Kingdom; which of those are being decommissioned; what has been the cost to date of each station; and what is the estimated cost of completion of the decommissioning process.

    Baroness Verma

    The current and former nuclear power stations designated to NDA are Berkeley, Bradwell, Calder Hall, Chapelcross, Dungeness A, Hinkley Point A, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Sizewell A, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa.

    All are being decommissioned with the exception of Wylfa which continues to generate.

    The costs of each station since their respective generation end dates, and during the period in which they have been in NDA ownership (since 1 April 2005) have been:

    Berkeley £400 million

    Bradwell £590 million

    Calder Hall £265 million

    Chapelcross £490 million

    Dungeness A £285 million

    Hinkley Point A £370 million

    Hunterston A £345 million

    Oldbury £72 million

    Sizewell A £280 million

    Trawsfynydd £540 million

    The estimated cost of completion (the remaining lifetime cost) for all of the sites named is £16.5 billion.

    EDF / British Energy stations are: Hunterston B, Hinkley Point B, Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Dungeness B, Heysham 2, Torness, Sizewell B.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many concluded applications for personal independence payment there have been to date, by parliamentary constituency.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek ways to contain and, if possible, eliminate the influence of al-Qaeda-affiliated and other jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq.

    Baroness Warsi

    The UK is deeply concerned by the growth of terrorism in Syria and Iraq, which threatens the Syrian and Iraqi people, the region, and the UK. We condemn all acts of terrorism committed in both states. Tackling the threat from foreign extremists currently operating as part of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a priority. I repeated the Statement on Iraq outlining the Government’s response given to the House on Monday 16 June by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), House of Lords Hansard, Official Report, Columns 703-706.

    The threat from foreign extremists is being tackled through a wide range of interventions from disrupting the flow of foreign-fighters travelling from the UK through to supporting the counter-terrorist efforts of regional partners.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation document, Tackling marketed tax avoidance, published on 24 January 2014, whether consideration was given to (a) running the consultation for longer than one calendar month and (b) initiating it earlier, to allow more time for the decision-taking process in advance of the March 2014 Budget Statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been successful in challenging tax avoidance and, in relation to avoidance cases that go to litigation, around 80% of cases litigated resulting in the tax being due. This led to around £1.7 billion of tax being protected in 2013. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the range and frequency of amounts of tax due without causing undue cost on the department to provide the information.

    The Government considered different options for the consultation period for the proposals but concluded that the time period made available was reasonable. There were a very large number of responses, which suggests that the timescale did not cause any undue impediment to those who wished to give their views in response to the consultation. ‘Tackling Marketed Tax Avoidance’ followed on from the earlier consultation over the summer of 2013 ‘Raising the Stakes on Tax Avoidance’, which consulted in detail on the initial proposal for the Follower Notice measure.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the reason for, and what action they are taking to address, the deterioration in ambulance 999 response rates.

    Earl Howe

    The following table shows performance against the response time standards for all ambulance trusts in England in the last two financial years.

    Table: Monthly performance of ambulance trusts in England for category A calls, 2012-13 and 2013-14

    Year

    Month

    Of all Category A calls, proportion responded to within 8 minutes

    Of all Red 1 calls, proportion responded to within 8 minutes

    Of all Red 2 calls, proportion responded to within 8 minutes

    Of all Category A calls resulting in an ambulance arriving, proportion within 19 minutes

    2012-13

    April

    76.2%

    –

    –

    96.7%

    2012-13

    May

    74.8%

    –

    –

    96.3%

    2012-13

    June

    –

    75.6%

    77.5%

    96.6%

    2012-13

    July

    –

    75.3%

    77.4%

    96.4%

    2012-13

    August

    –

    75.1%

    78.1%

    96.5%

    2012-13

    September

    –

    75.1%

    75.9%

    95.9%

    2012-13

    October

    –

    74.9%

    76.5%

    96.2%

    2012-13

    November

    –

    73.2%

    76.0%

    96.1%

    2012-13

    December

    –

    70.4%

    70.8%

    94.6%

    2012-13

    January

    –

    73.5%

    75.8%

    95.8%

    2012-13

    February

    –

    74.1%

    75.3%

    95.9%

    2012-13

    March

    –

    73.4%

    73.8%

    95.4%

    2012-13

    Full year

    75.5%

    74.0%

    75.6%

    96.0%

    2013-14

    April

    –

    75.4%

    76.0%

    96.4%

    2013-14

    May

    –

    77.9%

    77.8%

    96.9%

    2013-14

    June

    –

    77.4%

    77.1%

    96.7%

    2013-14

    July

    –

    75.5%

    74.0%

    95.8%

    2013-14

    August

    –

    77.0%

    75.3%

    96.2%

    2013-14

    September

    –

    75.1%

    73.8%

    95.9%

    2013-14

    October

    –

    74.6%

    73.6%

    96.1%

    2013-14

    November

    –

    74.1%

    73.0%

    95.9%

    2013-14

    December

    –

    72.8%

    71.7%

    95.4%

    2013-14

    January

    –

    76.4%

    76.3%

    96.4%

    2013-14

    February

    –

    75.2%

    74.0%

    96.0%

    2013-14

    March

    –

    76.2%

    74.7%

    96.1%

    2013-14

    Full year

    –

    75.6%

    74.8%

    96.1%

    Source: NHS England, ambulance quality indicators

    Notes:

    1. Ambulance service response times were split in June 2012 in to the most time critical (Red 1) and serious but less time critical (Red 2).

    2. Category A Red 1 calls are the most time critical and cover cardiac arrest patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse, and other severe conditions.

    3. Category Red 2 calls are serious but less immediately time critical and cover conditions such as stroke and fits, and a new clock start will allow call handlers to get more information about patients.

    4. Category A19 is the total number of Category A calls (Red 1 and Red 2) which resulted in a fully equipped ambulance vehicle (car or ambulance) able to transport the patient in a clinically safe manner arriving at the scene within 19 minutes of the request being made.

    The Government is aware of the increasing demand on urgent and emergency care services. The Urgent and Emergency Care Review is currently considering whole system change to the delivery of urgent and emergency care, including new models of delivery of care for ambulance services. The first phase of the review was published last November, and we expect NHS England to be publishing further reports later this year.