Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2014-03-07.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the electoral registration figures were in each ward in the recent confirmation dry run conducted in (a) Cardiff County Council and (b) Vale of Glamorgan Council.

    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.

    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

    The ward results for Cardiff Council are as follows:

    Ward

    Green matches

    Amber matches

    Red matches

    Adamsdown

    55.0%

    7.2%

    37.8%

    Butetown

    55.3%

    3.8%

    41.0%

    Caerau

    84.1%

    2.0%

    13.9%

    Canton

    75.0%

    3.5%

    21.5%

    Cathays

    24.1%

    3.8%

    72.2%

    Creigiau/st. Fagans

    84.8%

    1.6%

    13.6%

    Cyncoed

    78.6%

    1.7%

    19.7%

    Ely

    84.9%

    1.6%

    13.6%

    Fairwater

    84.0%

    1.6%

    14.4%

    Gabalfa

    38.0%

    3.1%

    58.9%

    Grangetown

    65.8%

    4.7%

    29.5%

    Heath

    81.7%

    1.4%

    16.9%

    Lisvane

    87.2%

    1.2%

    11.6%

    Llandaff

    78.8%

    1.9%

    19.2%

    Llandaff North

    82.4%

    1.7%

    15.9%

    Llanishen

    81.7%

    1.4%

    16.9%

    Llanrumney

    85.1%

    1.7%

    13.3%

    Pentwyn

    82.6%

    1.5%

    15.9%

    Pentyrch

    86.1%

    1.8%

    12.1%

    Penylan

    71.3%

    3.5%

    25.2%

    Plasnewydd

    42.5%

    8.3%

    49.2%

    Pontprennau/old St. Mellons

    78.6%

    1.4%

    20.0%

    Radyr

    82.8%

    1.5%

    15.7%

    Rhiwbina

    87.2%

    1.3%

    11.5%

    Riverside

    62.0%

    8.1%

    29.9%

    Rumney

    84.0%

    2.4%

    13.7%

    Splott

    75.3%

    2.8%

    21.9%

    Trowbridge

    80.5%

    2.0%

    17.5%

    Whitchurch & Tongwynlais

    83.6%

    1.2%

    15.1%

    The ward results for The Vale of Glamorgan Council are as follows:

    Ward

    Green matches

    Amber matches

    Red matches

    BARUC

    81.8%

    2.6%

    15.7%

    BUTTRILLS

    83.0%

    2.0%

    15.0%

    CADOC

    82.9%

    2.0%

    15.1%

    CASTLELAND

    76.9%

    2.8%

    20.3%

    CORNERSWELL

    86.3%

    1.0%

    12.6%

    COURT

    82.5%

    2.4%

    15.1%

    COWBRIDGE

    81.9%

    4.0%

    14.1%

    DINAS POWYS

    86.6%

    2.0%

    11.4%

    DYFAN

    86.3%

    1.3%

    12.4%

    GIBBONSDOWN

    85.4%

    1.4%

    13.2%

    ILLTYD

    85.8%

    1.6%

    12.7%

    LLANDOUGH

    84.5%

    1.7%

    13.8%

    LLANDOW/EWENNY

    82.0%

    5.2%

    12.8%

    LLANTWIT MAJOR

    82.8%

    1.9%

    15.3%

    PETERSTON-SUPER-ELY

    81.3%

    5.0%

    13.7%

    PLYMOUTH

    82.9%

    3.9%

    13.3%

    RHOOSE

    84.3%

    2.3%

    13.4%

    ST. ATHAN

    82.2%

    2.3%

    15.5%

    ST. AUGUSTINE’S

    73.8%

    3.8%

    22.4%

    ST. BRIDE’S MAJOR

    82.0%

    3.8%

    14.1%

    STANWELL

    82.7%

    2.5%

    14.8%

    SULLY

    82.1%

    2.3%

    15.6%

    WENVOE

    82.6%

    4.9%

    12.5%

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Health and Social Care Information Centre takes to ensure that all its registers are complete and can be easily cross-referenced.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    As part of continuous improvement, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) will continue to review the completeness of all the registers that are being released. The HSCIC has committed to publishing details of all approved data releases including the purpose for which data was released, on a quarterly basis and continue to welcome scrutiny of these registers and feedback and will ensure that any genuine omissions are incorporated within these updates.

  • Lord Beecham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ascertain the number of ex-service personnel receiving (1) custodial, and (2) non-custodial, sentences.

    Lord Faulks

    The Ministry of Justice does not centrally collate or hold information on the current or previous occupations of those receiving custodial or non-custodial sentences; it is therefore not possible to identify ex-service personnel within centrally held data sources. However, in September 2010, the MOJ and Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) published an estimate of the number of regular ex-service personnel in prison in England and Wales and in March 2011, the MOJ and DASA published a further estimate of the number of regular ex-service personnel under probation supervision in England and Wales.

    Copies of the reports are available via the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ex-armed-forces-prisoners-in-england-and-wales-statistics-2010

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-on-probation-statistics

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, if he will make it his policy that the Government adopt when designing domestic policy the same gender equality provisions as contained in the International (Gender Equality) Act 2014 for development assistance provision.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Public bodies in England, Scotland and Wales are subject to the s149 of the Equality Act 2010 (Public Sector Equality Duty), which requires them to have to due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity between different groups, for example between men and women in carrying out their functions including policy development.

  • Lord Boateng – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Boateng – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidelines have been issued to the Legal Aid Agency to ensure that families of deceased victims are legally represented at an inquest where criminal charges have previously been investigated.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government is confident that the inquest system is functioning effectively following reforms introduced last July under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. We are committed to reviewing the impact of the reforms in 2015.

    In addition, the Government has specifically protected legal aid for families at inquests. Legal Help (the advice and assistance level of legal aid) remains routinely available within the scope of the civil legal aid scheme. In exceptional circumstances funding can also be provided for the family’s legal representation at the inquest pursuant to section 6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999 (AJA) or section 10(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) (the applicable legislation depending on the date of the original application). A means test applies but can be waived in certain circumstances.

    The Lord Chancellor is prevented by statute from giving directions and guidance to the Legal Aid Agency in relation to an individual case, but has published general guidance to which the Director of Legal Aid Casework must have regard when making individual decisions on applications for exceptional funding for representation at inquests. The guidance sets out the relevant criteria and specifically addresses inquests where there is a death in custody or a death in the course of police arrest, search, pursuit or shooting.

    Following a review of its decision in the Groce family’s case, the Legal Aid Agency made a funding request to the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor has considered the request and has granted funding

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department were in receipt of excess fare allowance in each year for which figures are available.

    Anna Soubry

    The following table provides the numbers of Ministry of Defence civilian staff in receipt of Excess Fares Allowance (EFA) by financial year, from the earliest date that figures are available;

    Financial Year MOD Civilian Staff in Receipt of EFA
    2007-08 4,735
    2008-09 4,792
    2009-10 4,438
    2010-11 5,072
    2011-12 5,098
    2012-13 4,552
    2013-14 3,987
  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-03-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 12W, on individual savings accounts and with reference to HM Revenue and Custom’s policy paper published on the new ISA and changes to Junior ISA and the Child Trust Fund, what assessment he has made of the consequences for (a) the economy, (b) capital markets and (c) business of a shift in savings portfolio composition away from securities towards cash.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM TREASURY

    Tom Blenkinsop MP

    MIDDLESBOROUGH SOUTH & CLEVELAND EAST

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 12W, on individual savings accounts and with reference to HM Revenue and Custom’s policy paper published on the new ISA and changes to Junior ISA and the Child Trust Fund, what assessment he has made of the consequences for (a) the economy, (b) capital markets and (c) business of a shift in savings portfolio composition away from securities towards cash. 193987

    DAVID GAUKE

    From 1 July 2014 the overall annual New ISA subscription limit will be increased to £15,000 and can be used for either cash or stocks and shares investments, or any combination of the two, up to this limit. At the same time the annual Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund subscription limits will be increased to £4,000.

    These measures were part of a wider Budget packaged aimed at supporting savers. These ISA measures will reduce income tax on savings for people constrained by the current limits, improving incentives to save and increasing real household disposable incomes. Over 6 million people each year are expected to benefit from these increases, including over 5 million adults currently constrained by the cash ISA limit, three quarters of whom are basic rate taxpayers and a third are pensioners.

    As HMRC’s published Tax Information and Impact Note explains, the increase to real household disposable incomes resulting from the New ISA changes might feed through to higher consumption or savings in the household sector. There may also be a shift in the savings portfolio composition towards cash deposits. At the same time there may be an overall increase in savings invested in securities.

    Stocks and shares, and cash offer very different risk and expected return profiles, and the tax treatment will be just one factor affecting investors’ choice between them. In 2012-13, the FTSE All-Share Index grew by 5.6 per cent (excluding dividend yield). In contrast bank and building society deposit returns averaged 1.95 per cent.

    For individuals who prefer to hold their savings portfolio in stocks and shares rather than cash, the New ISA will provide a significant increase to the amount that can be invested and held within the tax-advantaged ISA wrapper for 2014-15, from £11,880 to £15,000.

  • Peter Aldous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Aldous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how often the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group meets per year; and if he will request that it will consider new specialised service applications for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency at its next meeting.

    Norman Lamb

    The Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG) is a Department expert committee which was set up to provide regular advice to Ministers on which services are specialised and should be prescribed in regulations for national commissioning by the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England). The Group met most recently in May 2014 and may meet up to four times a year.

    Evidence, supporting information and activity on those services currently prescribed in legislation for direct commissioning by NHS England and any new services identified as potentially specialised, are made available to PSSAG from a range of sources, which may include Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs), patient groups, clinicians, commissioners and members of the public. The proposals the group considers are in large part generated by NHS England through its CRGs. The PSSAG makes recommendations to Ministers who, before deciding whether to make regulations, consult with NHS England, as required by section 3B of the National Health Service Act 2006.

    NHS England advises that where it becomes the responsible commissioner for a service, it considers the funding priority of the service through its clinical priorities advisory group and manages a process for selecting providers. Any highly specialised services that become the commissioning responsibility of NHS England will be discussed at its Rare Disease Advisory Group.

    The commissioning of services for people with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a matter for individual clinical commissioning groups. We understand the Alpha 1 Alliance is working with NHS England and the Specialised Respiratory Clinical Reference Group to develop a proposal on alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency for a future PSSAG meeting.

  • John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce an online pension calculator for use by those who have left the armed forces.

    Anna Soubry

    The Armed Forces Benefits, Pension, Scheme Pays and Redundancy Calculators are available for serving Armed Forces personnel, but will not provide an accurate forecast for ex-Service personnel. They are able to request pension forecasts directly from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) which will be re-named Defence Business Services – Veterans UK with effect from 1 April 2014.

  • Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain McKenzie on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the local economy of the lower Clyde of basing the UK’s submarine fleet at Faslane.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.