Category: Speeches

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance were sanctioned for failing to complete their job search evidence form on 25 December 2013.

    Esther McVey

    Claimants are expected to do all that is reasonable within full time working hours in any week to look for work and this is not restricted to specific days.

    Claimants with sincerely held religious beliefs can restrict their availability during religious festivals and holidays.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the consultation on the proposal to introduce Contracts forDifference auctioning was published; when the European Commission adopted the final state aid guidelines for environmental protection and energy for 2014–2020; and when the Government’s response to the consultation was published.

    Baroness Verma

    The move to competitive allocation of Contracts for Difference has been a long-standing feature of Electricity Market Reform. In early 2014, the Government consulted on proposals to move straight to competitive allocation for some technologies. This consultation ran from 16 January 2014 to 12 February 2014; the Government’s response was published on 13 May 2014.

    EU Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020 were adopted in principle on 9 April 2014. Prior to that adoption, the Commission worked with member states on the development of the guidelines, including draft versions and receiving comments.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to increase the amount of government spending allocated to Northern Ireland.

    Mr Andrew Robathan

    The Government continues to provide considerable additional support and, as a result of spending decisions announced at Budget, the Executive will receive positive Barnett consequentials of over £21 million. However, the long term answer for the Northern Ireland economy is a private sector revival and not increases in Government spending.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether officials or Ministers of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Home Office or the Cabinet Office have met Bello Adoke, the Nigerian Attorney General, since 2012; and if so, what was the date of each meeting.

    Baroness Warsi

    Given the the range of frequency of the many meetings by Government officials with the Nigerian Attorney General I am unable to offer a full list of these. However, I can confirm that from the list of Government departments requested, at Ministerial level only the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, my Hon. Friend the Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Mr Wright), has met the Attorney General, Bello Adoke, in Abuja on 9 January 2014.

  • Lord Harris of Haringey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Harris of Haringey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2014-03-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the difference both in absolute terms and in percentage terms in the compensation for those affected by HS2 who (1) live in the Rural Support Zone, and (2) live outside it.

    Baroness Kramer

    The Government is not yet able to confirm the outcome of the recent consultation on property compensation for Phase One of HS2, but expects to make an announcement soon.

  • 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 what are the rules relating to the release of patients’ private medical information to insurance companies by general practitioners.

    Earl Howe

    General practitioners (GPs) must ensure that patients have provided explicit consent before disclosing information to insurance companies. Additionally, under the provisions of the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, patients have the right to view medical reports prepared for insurance companies and, where a patient has exercised this right, a GP cannot disclose the report to the insurance company until the patient has had the opportunity to review it or if the patient withdraws their consent.

  • Lord Harrison – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Harrison – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent steps they have taken to ensure that information on the engagement activities of pension funds and other institutional investors with investee companies is made fully accessible.

    Lord Freud

    The Government supports the principles set out in the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) UK Stewardship Code including schemes becoming active stewards of their investments and reporting on that stewardship. The Code sets out a number of areas of good practice to which the FRC believes institutional investors should aspire, and operates on a ‘comply or explain’ basis. It includes guidance for pension schemes and other asset owners on steps they can take to protect and enhance the value that accrues to the ultimate beneficiary. The FCA requires UK authorised asset managers to report on whether or not they apply the Code.

    The UK stewardship code is voluntary, however we would encourage workplace pensions schemes to comply with the principles set out in the code. In addition we are developing governance standards of workplace defined contribution schemes, and have asked the Law Commission to investigate how fiduciary duties currently apply in the investment chain. The Pensions Regulator’s defined contribution Code of Practice also sets out the legal requirements and standards they expect trustees of defined contribution schemes to attain. This includes a section on investment which also references the FRC Stewardship code. These initiatives are part of our on-going work to ensure schemes are governed and administered to deliver in members’ interests.

  • Lord Dykes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Dykes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are considering with the United States authorities and other countries to counter cyber virus crime and extortion.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime, which the National Crime Agency (NCA) published in May this year, makes clear that the threat from organised crime groups using cyber tools to commit fraud and online attacks is an increasing risk. This Government has taken significant action to transform the way the UK responds to the cyber threat, including cyber crime, underpinned by £860m additional investment between 2011/12 and 2015/16.

    The UK is working closely with US authorities and with a wide range of other countries to tackle the problem of cyber crime and the associated problem of extortion. The recent international operation between the NCA, the FBI and 9 other countries to disrupt the communications used by criminals to connect with computers that are infected with malicious software (‘malware’) known as GameOverZeus and Cryptolocker illustrates the level of international cooperation that the NCA undertakes. This included close coordination in delivering protective security advice through GetSafeOnline and Cyber Streetwise.

    We are also working overseas to help increase the capability and capacity of other countries to tackle cyber crime, through support for improved legislative arrangements, such as the implementation of the principles of the Budapest Convention on Cyber Crime and the development of capacity internationally to tackle cyber crime.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his Office’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Mr Nick Clegg

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 26 Mar 2014, Column 300W.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent stonings in Pakistan; and what steps they will take to ensure that the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter are being upheld in that country.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made a statement on 29 May urging the Government of Pakistan to do all in its power to eradicate honour killings and calling on the Pakistani authorities to investigate fully the murder of Farzana Parveen. We continue to urge the Pakistan government to bring the perpetrators to justice. I am pleased that Prime Minister Sharif condemned the murder and immediately demanded action.

    Pakistan is included as a “country of concern” in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Human Rights Report and we regularly raise the subject of human rights for all Pakistan’s citizens with the Pakistani government. We continue to encourage Pakistan and all Commonwealth countries to uphold the values as set out in the Commonwealth Charter signed in 2012.