Category: Speeches

  • Lord Moonie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the annual savings arising from the Warship Support Modernisation Initiative introduced in 2005–06.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    The Warship Support Modernisation Initiative (WSMI), introduced in 2002, encompasses three separate contracts between the Ministry of Defence and the operators within Her Majesty’s Naval Bases (HMNB) at Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth.

    Figures on savings are provided in the tables below. These are broken down on an annual basis where information is held in that format.

    Annual Savings from the WSMI arrangement with Babcock Marine Ltd at HMNB Clyde

    Based on the contractual share-line arrangements and the final/interim cost settlements the savings to MOD are as attached.

  • 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 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what sanctions the UK has imposed on Russia since Russian troops entered Crimea.

    Mr David Lidington

    The EU Foreign Affairs Council imposed asset freezes and visa bans on 33 named individuals, for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The UK has also frozen military cooperation with Russia, refused export licence requests, which may be used by the Russian military, and has postponed a number of planned Ministerial Summits. Along with other G7 members, the UK has withdrawn participation in the planned G8 Summit in Sochi in June, and will instead take part in a G7 meeting in Brussels.

  • 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 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the detailed breakdown of the estimated £12 to £15 million total cost of the special administration process in relation to Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust.

    Earl Howe

    The £7,250,000 incurred by the special administration process at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust relates to the period when the trust special administrators (TSAs) were appointed in April 2013, to the point at which the Secretary of State announced his decision to accept the TSAs’ proposals in February 2014.

    We are informed by Monitor that the total figure of £7,250,000 can be broadly broken down as follows:

    – Cost of the TSAs and supporting team to run the Trust – £2,000,000;

    – Cost of solution development – £3,600,000; and

    – Cost of stakeholder engagement and consultation – £1,650,000.

    Monitor has estimated the total cost of the special administration process will be £12 to £15 million. This was first announced as part of its decision to accept the TSAs’ final proposals on 16 January 2104 and re-stated in an announcement on 13 March 2014. This includes the £7,250,000 and £250,000 expenses incurred up to the point of the Secretary of State’s decision.

    The remainder of the estimated total cost consists of costs incurred in the period leading up to the dissolution of the trust. These are the cost of continuing to employ a team to run the trust, and the cost of implementing the recommendations set out in the TSAs’ Final Report.

    We are also informed by Monitor that an original budget for the remaining costs was agreed at approximately £7,000,000.

    That total figure of £7,000,000 can be broadly broken down as follows:

    – Cost of the TSAs and supporting team to run the Trust – £1,500,000;

    – Cost of delivering the transaction – £2,100,000; and

    – Cost of splitting the Trust – £3,400,000.

    The team running the trust will be required to remain in place up to the point at which the trust is dissolved.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Foyle, of 10 March 2014, Official Report, column 42W, on developing countries: abortion, for what reasons data on spend for individual components of sexual and reproductive health and rights policy are not compiled; and if she will estimate the cost of compiling that data.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID adheres to Development Co-Operation Directorate (OACD-DAC) expenditure coding requirements to allow comparison across donor spending towards attainment of the Millennium Development Goal targets. This does not include the facility to calculate spend for individual components such as sexual and reproductive health and rights –only against coding titles as have been internationally agreed.

    Only coding titles as have been internationally agreed can be individually disaggregated.

  • Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the future population level of each English region, in the light of the Office for National Statistics’ mid-year forecast of the population of England by 2034.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

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

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time for applicants for the personal independence payment (PIP) in each region of the UK is between submission of the DS1500 form and the date of receipt of the first payment after an assessment by each assessment provider.

    Mike Penning

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

    In order to manage the gap between Personal Independence Payment go-live and the first release of Official Statistics in Spring 2014, we are assessing whether we can release some further information. If the quality assurance of this information shows that it is sufficiently robust and reliable then we will publish it via ad-hoc statistical releases.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to give employers the choice of (a) having either a direct Government contract for apprenticeships and (b) accessing funding support through their chosen training provider.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government has consulted on different options for routing apprenticeship funding via employers. The consultation closed on 1 May 2014. We are currently analysing the responses and are committed to designing a system that works for employers of all sizes and in all sectors. Next steps will be announced in the autumn.

  • Lord Pendry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Pendry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by Policy Exchange, Watching the Watchmen: the future of school inspections in England, what measures are being taken to ensure that Ofsted inspectors used from private firms are accredited and qualified.

    Lord Nash

    This question is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the noble Lord and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what performance indicators he has agreed with National Savings and Investments (NS&I) on the delivery of tax-free childcare; how often NS&I will be benchmarked against such indicators; how often the results of this benchmarking will be made available; what penalties have been agreed for poor performance against these indicators; and if he will make a statement.

    Nicky Morgan

    On the 23 May the Government published a further consultation on the delivery of childcare accounts within Tax-Free Childcare. The consultation will be open until 27 June and the Government will consider the responses alongside those to the first consultation before it makes its decision on the provision of childcare accounts.

  • The Earl of Listowel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The Earl of Listowel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Listowel on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they offer to local authorities in respect of persuading children in their care to leave that care at the age of 16 or 17.

    Lord Nash

    The Government amended the statutory framework regarding 16- and 17-year-olds ceasing to be looked after in January 2014. The new regulation requires that where a child aged 16-or 17-year-old is looked after other than by virtue of a care order, the decision of the local authority to cease looking after that child must be approved by their director of children’s services. The intention behind the Regulation is to help ensure that young people do not leave care until they are ready and properly prepared. The Department for Education will, in the summer, revise the ‘Care Planning, Placement and Case Review’ statutory guidance to explain how local authorities should implement the new duty.