Category: Speeches

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with the US President on the publication by the Chilcot Inquiry of conversations between (a) Tony Blair and George W. Bush and (b) the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and George W. Bush in the period (i) leading up to the conflict in Iraq and (ii) after the invasion of Iraq; what response was received from the President; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Iraq Inquiry is independent of government, and should be allowed to complete its work without interference.

    Neither I nor Ministers have had any discussions with or made any representations to the Inquiry. Nor have I discussed the Inquiry with President Obama.

    The Inquiry has sought the declassification of material for inclusion in its report from many thousands of documents, some of which have been or will be published. Government does not, as a rule, comment on any discussions between officials and the Inquiry.

    The Maxwellisation process is a matter for the Inquiry.

    The Government remains committed to ensuring that the Inquiry’s final report will be able to disclose all but the most sensitive information which will be determined in accordance with the protocol governing the disclosure of documentary evidence which is available through the Inquiry website.

    Timing of the delivery of the report to me is a matter for the Inquiry, but it is my hope that the Inquiry can complete its work before the end of the year. Upon publication, copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ouseley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action has been taken against those responsible for the abandoned case involving eight South Wales police officers charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in the 1988 Lynette White murder inquiry.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    This case is the subject of civil litigation. HM Government is, therefore, unable to comment at the present time.

  • Mike Weir – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mike Weir – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Weir on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many internal reports, briefings or analysis papers HM Revenue and Customs has produced on the taxation arrangements for bareboat charters in the oil and gas sector since 2007; and what the findings were of each such report.

    Nicky Morgan

    HMRC produces reports, briefings and analysis on the tax system as a matter of course.

    More information can be found in the Budget 2014 document and the accompanying publications.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of local authorities which registered for emergency financial assistance under the Bellwin Scheme as a result of recent flooding have received payment within 15 working days.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]

    Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is casually linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. It operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.

    As at 27 March 2014, only five local authorities have submitted Bellwin claims in respect of the recent flooding. One of these claims was paid within 15 days. The other four claims have only been received in the last few days and should also be paid within 15 days. Local authorities have until the end of June 2014 to apply.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if she will make a statement.

    Damian Green

    Existing regulation and guidance, which includes the Covert Surveillance and
    Property Interference Code of Practice, applies to the use of aircraft
    including remotely piloted aerial vehicles. The Code provides a framework of good
    practice for public authorities using covert surveillance techniques. The
    Department has noted the responses by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on
    Drones to the recent consultation on a revised version of the Code and intend
    to lay a further draft before Parliament in due course.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have switched energy suppliers in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) England in each of the last 60 months.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC does not hold any sub-national data on switching energy suppliers, data is only available for Great Britain. This data is published in table 2.7.1 of the DECC publication Quarterly Energy Prices, which is made available online at the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics

    “

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding has been paid from the Help and Support for Separated Families (HSSF) Innovation Fund to each of the HSSF projects which signed contracts for delivery in April 2013.

    Steve Webb

    All Innovation Fund projects deliver different services and have different timescales. Their agreed payment schedules are considered commercially sensitive and cannot be shared at this time.

  • Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of updating awareness training for public order-trained staff operating alongside water cannon.

    Damian Green

    The Home Secretary has now received the request to authorise water cannon for
    use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this request and
    will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant information in
    the House Library.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve standards of NHS care for dementia sufferers.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England has an ambition that two thirds of the estimated number of people with dementia should have a diagnosis and access to post diagnostic support by March 2015. We are informed by NHS England that there is a tremendous amount of work being undertaken by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) across the country to improve diagnosis rates and quality of care for people with dementia. NHS England has found wide variation; with some CCGs having a longer journey to achieve the ambition than others. NHS England is providing a package of support to help CCGs to improve timely diagnosis and post-diagnosis support for people with dementia.

    In addition, the Government’s refreshed Mandate to Health Education England, published on 1 May 2014, stated that a further 250,000 NHS staff will receive Tier 1 training on dementia by March 2015, in addition to the 100,000 NHS staff who received Tier 1 training in 2013-14.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Simon Hughes

    I refer the hon Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham on 26 March (Official Report col. 300W).