Category: Speeches

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the progress of the Credit Union Expansion Project.

    Lord Freud

    The DWP Credit Union Expansion Project contract began in May 2013. Around 80 credit unions are currently participating in the project. ABCUL has started delivering the Automated Loan and decision tool to participating credit unions and feedback is that the tool is ensuring loan decisions are faster, consistent and more efficient to deliver. Procurement of an IT banking platform is also being progressed but much remains to be done particularly on achieving sufficient growth for Credit Unions, and DWP continue to support and monitor the project closely

  • Baroness Scott of Needham Market – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Scott of Needham Market – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Scott of Needham Market on 2014-03-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce the level of illegal bird trapping within the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    The Sovereign Base Areas are a separate territory and not part of the Republic of Cyprus. Countering illegal bird trapping is one of the key priorities of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration and the Sovereign Base Areas Police. This is stated in the Chief Constable’s annual report and strategic plan. Police enforcement action has resulted in 132 arrests and convictions over the last four years for bird trapping offences and the seizure and destruction of large quantities of equipment. The Sovereign Base Areas Administration reviews regularly what additional measures could be introduced within the Sovereign Base Areas. The Sovereign Base Areas Administration also consults with the Republic of Cyprus on the implementation and where practicable, coordination, of measures to reduce illegal bird trapping.

  • Lord Trefgarne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Trefgarne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Trefgarne on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there exists a standard contract for general practitioners working within the National Health Service; and if so, whether they will place a copy of that contract in the Library of the House.

    Earl Howe

    NHS England has responsibility for commissioning National Health Service primary medical services.

    NHS England has an NHS England Standard General Medical Services contract, which covers around half the GP practices. A copy of the contract is available at:

    www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/commissioning/gp-contract/

    NHS England also intend to provide a standard Personal Medical Services contract.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-03-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to support the proposed European Union regulations on the sale of seeds, plants and plant material.

    Lord De Mauley

    The Government does not support the proposed European Union regulation on the sale of plant reproductive material as currently drafted. The future of the proposals is uncertain following rejection by the European Parliament.

  • 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 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why funding for the selective dorsal rhizotomy procedure was withdrawn by NHS England in the case of Jake Foster who suffers from Leigh’s disease.

    Earl Howe

    Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning specialised services. As a procedure, Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) falls within this remit.

    SDR is not typically considered as a treatment for patients with Leigh’s Disease. For this reason, NHS England has not to date considered developing or publishing a policy on the use of SDR for this condition.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to establish garden city principles in Ebbsfleet.

    Nick Boles

    [Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]

    We expect the new Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation, once established, to develop the vision for Ebbsfleet Garden City in co-operation with local partners.

    We would expect the Corporation, working with local partners and other experts, to consider how accepted Garden Cities principles, such as high quality, imaginative design, the provision of generous green space, mixed tenure homes and a strong local jobs offer, could be delivered in a way appropriate to local needs and circumstances.

    The Government wants Ebbsfleet to set high standards in terms of design quality. The Built for Life principles are industry developed standards for good design. We would look to those coming forward with development proposals at Ebbsfleet to adopt them, and encourage them to be ambitious by aiming for a ‘green’ rating.

  • Lord Addington – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Addington – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process they will put in place in order to gather information regarding the assessment of eligibility for the Disabled Students’ Allowance.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    There are no proposed changes to the current process of assessment. All applicants for the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) will undertake a study needs assessment and independent study needs assessors will provide recommendations, giving due regard to personal histories of recognised special educational needs, where these have been provided. The support and strategies recommended by assessment centres will be provided by a combination of reasonable adjustments by Higher Education Institutions and DSAs.

  • John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the effects on the community energy sector of removing eligibility for Enterprise Investment Scheme awards from business qualifying for renewable obligation certificates.

    Michael Fallon

    Eligibility for the Enterprise Investment Scheme is a matter for HM Treasury who will be consulting stakeholders on the proposals in due course.

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

    Lord Quirk – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the latest two years for which figures are available, how many of the pupils excluded from academies were admitted to local authority schools.

    Lord Nash

    Information on the number of exclusions from academies in England in the 2010/11[1] and 2011/12[2] academic years is available in table 16 of the “Permanent and fixed period exclusions from schools in England” statistical first releases for each year.

    Information on the number of excluded pupils that were admitted to local authority schools is not held by the Department.

    Academies are bound by their funding agreements to comply with the statutory requirements on admissions and the Admissions Code as if they were a maintained school. Schools, including academies, cannot refuse to admit pupils on the grounds of past behaviour unless they have received two or more permanent exclusions.

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-from-schools-in-england-academic-year-2010-to-2011

    [2]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-from-schools-in-england-2011-to-2012-academic-year

    “

  • 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 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which instances Probation Trust staff have been co-located with other public or private organisations in (a) Probation Trust premises and (b) other organisation premises; and what the annual cost to the Probation Trust is of sub-letting space shared with another organisation for the purpose of staff co-location.

    Jeremy Wright

    This information is not recorded centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.