Category: Speeches

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-04-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they envisage that the United Kingdom can maintain its influence in the European Union if it remains outside a reformed eurozone.

    Lord Newby

    As set out in the coalition programme for government, the UK will not be joining or preparing to join the European Single Currency in this Parliament. The UK can continue to be outside the euro and remain influential within the EU, as we are now. We work closely with member states on the key issues of the day– improving Europe’s competiveness, the single market, trade, taking tough action on Iran – and euro area members are often our closest allies. We have also been clear that as the euro area reforms, any new arrangements must work for those outside the single currency as well as those within it.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department does not hold a list of ministerial visits and to compile a list would exceed the cost threshold.

  • Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he had with investors in renewable energy before the changes to the Enterprise Investment Scheme on tax breaks for companies benefiting from the Renewables Obligation.

    Mr David Gauke

    Budget 2014 announced that companies benefiting from Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) and/or the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme will be excluded from the venture capital schemes, including the enterprise investment scheme.

    This change ensures the venture capital schemes continue to support smaller and growing businesses in a targeted and effective way. The government consulted extensively with stakeholders when similar action was taken to exclude companies benefitting from Feed-in-Tariffs from the venture capital schemes in 2011.

    Further information on the detail of the change will be published shortly, ahead of the publication of an impact assessment and legislation.

  • Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what fraction of global carbon dioxide emissions will be represented by UK carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of the proposed wind farm at Navitus Bay.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department does not undertake analysis or hold information of this nature relating to specific developments. In 2012 it was estimated that UK carbon dioxide emissions accounted for approximately 1.5% of global total carbon dioxide emissions.

  • Mike Gapes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mike Gapes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Gapes on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has made to the European Commission on proposed regulations relating to seeds.

    Dan Rogerson

    Defra has made numerous representations to the European Commission on its proposed regulation for Plant Reproductive Material. The representations have been through correspondence, negotiation at Council Working Groups, informal discussion, and in a specially convened meeting between Defra, Commission officials and UK stakeholders in London in June 2013.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to improve support and protection for women human rights defenders in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK takes this issue very seriously. Our primary approach to supporting human rights defenders is to work with and through multilateral institutions such as the EU and the UN to support national efforts. These bodies have the expertise and resources to fulfil this important role in country. The UK played a significant part in the EU’s recent decision to increase support to human rights defenders in Afghanistan, including plans to refresh the 2010 EU Strategy on Human Rights Defenders. The UK will work with the EU and other Member States to ensure that the refreshed strategy recognises the specific challenges that women human rights defenders face. We are also working to ensure that human rights, including the protection of human rights defenders, are a top priority for the EU’s proposed post-2014 country strategy for Afghanistan.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with 15 or more previous convictions were not sent to prison on conviction for (a) burglary and (b) violence against the person in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Jeremy Wright

    It has not been possible to obtain this information. I will write to the Honourable member in due course.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the relationship of the length of time of GP patient consultation and successful diagnosis.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    No assessment has been made of the relationship between the length of time of general practitioner (GP) patient consultation and successful diagnosis. Data on the length of GP appointments is not held centrally.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of prisoners’ access to books on (a) prisoners’ educational achievements, (b) prisoners’ behaviour and (c) reoffending rates; and what steps he is taking to improve prisoners’ access to books.

    Jeremy Wright

    Our assessment is that education and access to books is very important in the rehabilitation of prisoners. That is why the National Offender Management Service works closely with the Shannon Trust to support schemes such as ‘Toe by Toe’, which includes peer mentoring to improve reading levels. Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access.

    Prisoners may also buy books with their own money to which they have access. Up to 12 books may be held by prisoners in their cell at any one time and additional volumes may be stored locally at the prison.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of a GP consultation was in each year since 1984 for which data is available.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Data is not held centrally on the average length of general practitioner (GP) appointments.

    However, NHS England has advised that the latest information available indicates that the average consultation time with a GP is around 12 minutes (2006/07 GP Workload Survey).