Category: Speeches

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the level of TUPE contract protection available to fraud staff currently employed by local authorities who will be transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the single fraud investigation service.

    Esther McVey

    DWP has considered whether the creation of SFIS falls within the TUPE definitions. The regulations state “…the transfer of administrative functions between public administrative authorities is not a relevant transfer” (for the purpose of TUPE). After careful consideration, DWP has concluded that benefit fraud investigations fall within this category, and as such, TUPE would not apply.

    DWP has however, made clear that the success of SFIS is a priority and we intend to transfer staff currently working on fraud investigations from Local Authorities. To effect those transfers, DWP will apply the approach set out in the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice for Staff Transfers in the Public Sector (COSOP) and staff will transfer under a Statutory Transfer Scheme (STS) as provided for under Section 38 of the Employment Relations Act 1999. In line with COSOP, the terms and conditions for transferring staff will be protected.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the stabilisation period in respect of the privatisation of Royal Mail, as detailed in the engagement letter between his Department and the underwriting banks, ends; and how that period has been defined.

    Michael Fallon

    The stabilisation period, also known as a "greenshoe" or "over-allotment" option, is a market-standard provision that allows the Initial Public Offering’s (IPO) stabilisation manager to provide share price stabilisation (if required) for up to 30 days post-commencement of conditional dealings. In the case of the Royal Mail, the stabilisation manager was UBS and the stabilisation period ended on 8 November.

    In the engagement letter, the payment of the discretionary fee was linked to the ending of the stabilisation period. However, we informed the banks involved that a decision would not be taken in the timeframe set out in the engagement letter given the volatility of the Royal Mail share price after the IPO.

    We have not set a rigid timetable for the decision on the payment of the discretionary fee which remains unpaid.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in which years from 1984 to 2010 was there a reduction in the number of workless households.

    Mr Nick Hurd

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

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to consolidate departmental funding streams into a single national infrastructure fund; and if he will make a statement.

    Danny Alexander

    The Government believes that there is a powerful case for giving local business and political leaders the levers they need to create jobs and drive growth. In ‘Investing in Britain’s Future’, the Government accepted Lord Heseltine’s recommendations to devolve economic power to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) through the creation of the Local Growth Fund (LGF) with over £2 billion of budgets from skills, housing and transport for 2015-16. An area’s allocation from the LGF will be available to be spent on the priorities LEPs and their partners have determined in their strategic economic plans.

    The Government allocated capital funds between programmes at Spending Review 2010 and Spending Round 2013 on the basis of a zero-based review of the economic returns of every central government capital programme, with investment being targeted increasingly at economic infrastructure. Once allocated between programmes, funds were moved into the appropriate departmental budgets to allow departments to deliver those programmes.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much financial support his Department provided to Show Racism the Red Card in each of the last three years; and what controls are in place to prevent the use of such monies for party political campaigning.

    Stephen Williams

    The Department for Communities and Local Government provided the following funding to Show Racism the Red Card:

    Calendar Year

    2012 £52,460

    2013 £105,077

    2014 £47,427

    Total £204,964

    We are satisfied that the funding for Show Racism the Red Card was used for purposes outlined in the funding agreement – the provision of education workshops to equip young people with skills to reject the divisive messages of groups like the English Defence League – and that no funding was used for purposes of a political nature. Conditions in the funding agreement prevent funds being spent on anything other than educational work (including a prohibition on any political campaigning) and their status as a charity further preludes them from engaging in political activities.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s cost of defence output categories taxonomy.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The Ministry of Defence’s cost of defence taxonomy is as follows:

    Frigates
    Aircraft Carriers
    Destroyers
    Lynx Mk 3/8
    Minehunters
    Patrol vessels
    Survey vessels and Ice Patrol
    RW (SAR)
    Test, Simulation
    Landing Platform Dock
    Landing Platform Helicopter
    Landing Ship Dock
    Sea King Mk 7 ASaC, Mk 5 SAR
    Army Manning/Training Margin
    Army phase 1 training
    Army phase 2 training
    Army phase 3 training
    Defence CBRN Wing
    Civilian Training
    Light Brigades
    Air Assault Brigade
    Armoured Brigades
    Attack Helicopters
    Support Helicopters
    Mech Brigades
    RAF Force Protection
    RAF Reserves
    Royal Marines
    RNR and RMR
    Logistic Brigades
    2 MED Brigade
    Defence Medical Services
    Artillery Regts
    Engr Regts
    Signals Regts
    HQ Theatre Troops
    Commitments staff
    PJHQ, JFHQ, Theatre HQs
    Battle-Space Command and Control Communications and Information Systems
    IS and Communications Capability Projects
    Deployed Ops supporting units
    Deployable HQ
    Maritime Warfare Centre
    Joint Combat Aircraft
    Tornado
    Nuclear Deterrent
    Nuclear Estate
    Merlin
    Ship Submarine Ballistic Nuclear
    Ship Submarine Nuclear
    Estate Disposals
    MOD Estate
    Regional Prime Contracts
    Service Families Accommodation
    Single Living Accommodation
    Supporting infrastructure (utilities)
    Sustainability (DE&S War Reserves / Op Stocks)
    IS for Logistics
    Permanent Joint Operating Bses
    A400M
    BAe125
    BAe146
    C17
    Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
    Hercules
    Tristar
    VC10
    Auxiliary Oiler
    Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment
    Royal Fleet Auxiliary
    Forward Repair Ship
    Joint Casualty Treatment Ship
    Defence Intelligence Staff
    ASTOR
    E3-D
    Rivet Joint
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
    Electronic Warfare
    UK Air Surveillance and Control
    Army Joint and Collective Training
    Specialist Training
    Defence Academy
    RAF Joint and Collective Training
    RN Joint and Collective Training
    RAF Manning/Training Margin
    RAF phase 1 training
    RAF phase 2 training
    RAF phase 3 training
    Army Cadets
    Army Recruiting
    RAF Cadets
    RAF Recruiting
    RAF Aerobatic Team
    RN Cadets
    RN Recruiting
    Regional Forces – Northern Ireland
    Regional Forces – Germany
    Regional Forces – GB
    SIT Outputs
    Army Reserves
    RN Manning/Training Margin
    RN phase 1 training
    RN phase 2 training
    RN phase 3 training
    MOD Police and Guarding
    Special Forces
    Typhoon
    Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing

  • Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Crockart on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether households in Scotland on the feed-in-tariff scheme will continue on that scheme for the duration of their contract in the event of a Yes vote in the referendum on Scottish independence.

    Gregory Barker

    The UK and Scottish Governments have both said that there can be no pre-negotiations on what the terms of Scottish independence might be before the referendum takes place on 18 September.

  • Edward Leigh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Edward Leigh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Leigh on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received advice on the legality of the removal from power of President Yanukovich, pursuant to Article 111 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government is not in a position to comment on the legal system in Ukraine. On 21 February, agreement was reached between the then opposition leaders and the then President, Viktor Yanukovych to resolve the political crisis afflicting Ukraine by: signing a new law within 48 hours to reinstate the 2004 Constitution; holding pre-term presidential elections in 2014; and conducting a comprehensive constitutional reform. However, later that day Yanukovych fled Kyiv, abandoning his office as Head of State and was therefore not in a position to fulfill the obligation he undertook to sign the law reinstating the 2004 constitution.

    As the Ukrainian Government had already been dissolved by Yanukovych, Parliament was the only legitimate state body remaining. In view of Yanukovych’s action to effectively remove himself from office, Parliament approved a bill to remove Yanukovych from power, appoint an acting president and, in line with the constitution, to hold presidential elections within 90 days. The bill was approved by an overwhelming majority, including by representatives of Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions which remains the largest faction in the Rada.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) amount her Department spent and (b) fee income it has received in connection with (i) the asylum system, (ii) immigration control at home and abroad and (iii) enforcement in each of the last 10 years.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office does not have this information broken down on the financial
    system in line with the question. The published accounts for the former UK
    Border Agency break down relevant income and expenditure information since 2009
    and also in the Home Office Report and Accounts for 2012-13. These can be found
    at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?official_document_status=command_and_
    act_papers

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings the sub-groups set up to support his Department’s Working Group on the implementation of reforms to personal injury compensation following a road traffic accident have held; and when his Department plans to publish the minutes of those meetings.

    Damian Green

    The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.