Category: Speeches

  • Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 181W, on D-Day landings: anniversaries, on what date his Department received confirmation that each of the 70th anniversary D-Day commemoration events in the UK would take place.

    Anna Soubry

    The 70th Anniversary D-Day commemorative events in Portsmouth are being organised by Portsmouth City Council, and the military is supporting the event as requested. Similarly, the Services are supporting events planned by the Normandy Veterans Association (NVA). The Department is unable to predict the numbers who may be present at any of these events and has received no requests to facilitate attendance.

    The Ministry of Defence was made aware of Portsmouth City Council’s planned events in April 2013. We were informed about the majority of NVA events in February 2013, and the National Memorial Arboretum event in November 2013. We have been working closely with the Royal British Legion and the NVA on the planned events to mark this significant anniversary, and have ensured that a range of Service charities and associations are kept informed, including COBSEO, the Confederation of Service Charities.

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department is giving to local authorities to implement changes to apprenticeship funding.

    Matthew Hancock

    We are giving employers control of the funding for the training and assessment of the apprenticeships that they design. This will enable them to work directly with education and training providers to secure the most effective training for their apprentices. We will be testing a new funding model via apprenticeship starts in the 2014-15 academic year based on standards developed by our Trailblazer groups of employers. We will develop a comprehensive communication programme for employers (including local authorities) to help them understand the changes.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) 14, (b) 15, (c) 16, (d) 17 and (e) 18 year olds enrolled at each university technical college in 2013-14.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 November 2013, Official Report column 750W, for the number of pupils enrolled in university technical colleges in autumn 2013.

    Breakdowns by age will be published in the Statistical First Release, ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2014′, in June 2014.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether applicants to the Royal Navy who meet an initial body mass index requirement of 28 face a different check at any other stage of the process.

    Anna Soubry

    The recommended Body Mass Index (BMI) guidelines for entry into service in the Royal Navy are attached.

    Further assessment is by measurement of waist circumference: males with a BMI over 28 may join if their waist circumference is less than 94cm; females may join if their waist circumference is less than 80 cm.

    The standards do not change during the application process but BMI is measured as part of the medical assessment, and results may differ from a candidates’ individual declaration and/or the outcome of the initial BMI check.

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on legal fees in immigration cases when she has been (a) the defendant and (b) the appellant, in each of the last five years for which records are available.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office cannot report separately on expenditure on legal fees in
    immigration cases where the Secretary of State has been either defendant or
    appellant because it does not record data in the format required for such an
    analysis. The only way to answer this question would be to review all payments
    of litigation expenditure manually which would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse to date is of the Recruiting and Partnering Project.

    Anna Soubry

    The cost of the Recruiting & Partnering Project to date (for the three years from March 2011-2014) is around £300 million. This figure includes the costs of the service provider, CAPITA and costs to the Ministry of Defence such as military and civilian manpower, Information Communication Technology provision and infrastructure.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) net franchise payment, (b) revenue support sum and (c) net subsidy are for the 22 month direct award of the northern franchise to Northern Rail Ltd.

    Stephen Hammond

    For the 22 month Northern franchise direct award there is no revenue support mechanism and there is a £632.7 million contracted subsidy over the full period of the franchise.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average annual cost of training an apprentice aged 16 to 18 is; and what proportion of such costs is borne by (a) the public purse, (b) individuals and (c) employers.

    Matthew Hancock

    The cost of providing an Apprenticeship is highly variable.

    In 2012, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned a report from The Institute for Employment Research entitled: “Employer Investment in Apprenticeships and Workplace Learning”

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32306/12-814-employer-investment-in-apprenticeships-fifth-net-benefits-study.pdf

    The report gives details of the costs of Apprenticeships to employers in several sectors for 16-18 year olds and for 19-24 year olds. It also compares the contribution of employers to that of the state.

    “

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) junior entry and (b) standard entry soldiers enlisted in the Army in 2012-13; and how many such people left before completing Phase 2 training.

    Anna Soubry

    The minimum age for enlisting in the Army is 16 and those between the ages of 16 and 17, or in some cases 17.5, are trained as Junior Entry. The remainder are trained as Standard Entry. Those who commenced training in either the Junior Entry or Senior Entry cohorts in 2012-13, and of those who subsequently discharged prior to completing Phase 2 training are shown in the following table:

    2012-13

    Enlisted

    Discharged

    Junior Entry

    1,550

    290

    Standard Entry

    7,810

    1,750

    Individuals may withdraw or be discharged for a number of reasons, including medical and fitness factors, disciplinary reasons, or voluntary withdrawal. Personnel under 18 have a statutory right to discharge from the Armed Forces if they wish to leave.

    Figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in ‘5′ have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

  • Jim Dowd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Dowd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dowd on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many custodial sentences have been passed for convictions for fraud in the last five years for which figures are available; what the average length of those sentences was in each such years; and what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to increase the maximum sentence for fraud.

    Jeremy Wright

    The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for fraud offences, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the attached table. Average custodial sentence lengths have increased from 12.2 months to 14.9 months over the last 5 years.

    The maximum penalty for fraud is a 10 year custodial sentence. There are no immediate plans to increase the maximum sentences for fraud, but we keep all maximum sentences under review.

    Under this Government, if convicted of fraud, you are more likely to go to prison and for longer.