Category: Speeches

  • Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) staff at the Environment Agency, including such non-FCERM staff funded through the FCERM budget, were redeployed for emergency flood response activities in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15 to date.

    Dan Rogerson

    The figures are as follows:

    (a) 2010-11: No data available

    (b) 2011-12: No data available

    (c) 2012-13: Approximately 5,000 staff involved in flood response (this included Environment Agency Wales at that time). Of this, approximately 38% (1,900) of staff were from non-flooding and coastal erosion risk management (FCRM) functions. This does not include contractors.

    (d) 2013-14: Approximately4,500 staff involved in flood response. Of this, approximately 50% (2,250) of staff were from non-FCRM functions. This does not include the additional staff brought in from Natural Resources Wales, contractors, or the military.

    (e) 2014-15: Data not yet available.

    More detailed information on the numbers of the non-FCRM staff involved in flood incidents which were funded by FCRM or other budgets is not recorded.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Jenny Willott

    I refer the hon. Member to the answergiven by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Francis Maude) on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 433W.

  • David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will arrange for the hon. Member for Walsall North to receive a reply to her letter to the interim chief executive, HM Passport Office of 27 February 2014 on behalf of a constituent.

    James Brokenshire

    Her Majesty’s Passport Office replied to the hon. Member on 4 April 2014.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The table shows the proportion of staff within the Department for Culture, media and Sport who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years and declared themselves as white British.

    Year

    Percentage of DCMS headcount who have been dismissed

    Proportion of staff dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings who declared themselves as white British

    Proportion of staff subject to disciplinary proceedings who declared their nationality as British but ethnicity is undeclared

    1 April 2009 – 31 March 2010

    0%

    –

    –

    1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011

    0%

    –

    –

    1 April 2011 – 31 March 2012

    0.2%

    100%

    0%

    1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013

    0%

    –

    –

    1 April 2013 – 31 March 2014

    0%

    –

    –

    The figures as they relate to the period from September 2012 include the Government Equalities Office, which joined the Department in that month as part of a machinery of Government move. Before September 2012, the Government Equalities Office was part of the Home Office and the information requested for this period is not available.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to publish the Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance on bus reliability and punctuality.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Document on Local Bus Services has been published for a further period of consultation on 07 April 2014, for six weeks. The document has been revised following responses received during the first consultation. The Senior Traffic Commissioner is aware that the industry is keen for the final document to be introduced. She will review the responses to the second consultation after it closes on 19 May but at this stage can not confirm the planned date of publication.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department currently works towards meeting the diversity representation targets set by the Cabinet Office for Senior Civil Servants. Our current rates against those targets are:

    • Females in SCS – 34% (Target 39%)
    • Females at PB2 or above – 21% (Target 34%)
    • Disability – 3% (Target 5%)
    • Ethnicity – 1% (Target 5%)

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of shares in Royal Mail allocated to priority investors in its recent privatisation are still held by those investors.

    Michael Fallon

    As set out in the National Audit Office report, 22% of Royal Mail shares (220.5m) were sold to priority investors. As set out in the NAO report, at the end of January, over a half of the shares remain owned by these investors. Some have sold all their shares; some sold part of their shareholding; and others have acquired more shares.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department as part of its commercial contracts already includes discrimination and human rights provisions in its standard terms and conditions of contract and by submitting a tender or quotation to the Department, a supplier agrees to these terms.

    The Department is currently enhancing its approach to addressing equality issues in the procurement process.

    All organisations applying to the Department’s competed grant schemes are asked to confirm that they have an Equal Opportunities Policy Statement in place. Only applicants with a policy in place or in the process of being produced would meet the eligibility criteria for grant funding.

    The standard terms and conditions for grant awards contain a clause covering equality. All organisations that are awarded grants confirm that they agree to the terms and conditions prior to the release of the grant payment.

  • Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support the First Minister of Scotland has received from UK Trade & Investment ahead of his upcoming visit to the US.

    Michael Fallon

    UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in New York and San Francisco have worked closely with the First Minister’s team in planning arrangements for his visit.

    The Consul-General in New York hosted a lunch at his residence on 7 April 2014 in association with Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) for the First Minister and 17 Scottish companies in the accompanying trade mission, to which key business figures in the US were invited.

    On 8 April 2014 SDI and mission delegates attended a UKTI briefing discussion on marketing in the US. Mission companies will have access to meeting rooms for one-to-one meetings throughout the week, as well as UKTI staff who will be available to discuss business opportunities in the US market. UKTI staff are also supporting a number of events during the week, including the US office launch on 5 April 2014, of Scottish based Smarter Grid Solutions and other events where mission delegates will be present.

    For the visit of the Scottish Government’s External Affairs and International Development Minister, Huzma Yousaf, UKTI contributed to the guest list for Mr Yousaf’s Scotland Week reception in San Francisco. UKTI also contributed to energy sector invitees for the World Trade Centre-Northern California breakfast event for the Minister, as requested by the World Trade Centre.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what consideration her Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    My Department receives procurement services from the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD). The consideration given to diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering the bids for commercial contracts or grants will be in line with their respective policies and procedures.