Category: Speeches

  • Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Tunisia in each year since 2012.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The UK strongly supportsTunisia’s democratic transition and we are working to assist the Tunisian authorities as they deliver change. Since 2012, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided the following support to the Tunisian Armed Forces:

    In June 2012 the MOD and Department for Transport delivered Explosive Detection Equipment Training to the Tunisian Armed Forces in Tunisia;

    In May 2012, Tunisian military delegates attended an Economic Exclusion Zone course in the UK;

    In January 2014, a small team delivered a presentation to the Tunisian Armed Forces on the UK’s approach to Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR);

    There are currently two Tunisian students enrolled on the International Sub Lieutenant’s course in the UK.

  • Aidan Burley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Aidan Burley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Aidan Burley on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of women in Cannock Chase constituency were in work in each of the last five years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

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

  • Ms Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ms Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Harriet Harman on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of primary school children in England learning an instrument in school (a) paid a charge and (b) received their tuition free of charge in each of the last five years.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The information requested is not held by the Department for Education. A recent report[1] published by Arts Council England shows that in the academic year 2012/13, 437,975 pupils in years 1-9 received free whole class ensemble teaching. This is 8.6% of the national cohort. 430,998 pupils were in years 1-6 (12.4% of the cohort) and 6,977 were in years 7-9 (0.4% of the cohort).

    Many other children learn instruments in and out of school, but these figures are not collected or held centrally.

    [1]http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-funding/funding-programmes/music-education-hubs/

    “

  • 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, what the acceptable body mass index requirement is for an applicant to the Royal Navy.

    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.

  • Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Walley on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he next plans to meet representatives of organisations that have made representations on the environmental effects of the shale gas industry.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Secretary of State has no such planned engagements at present but always welcomes meeting a broad range of organisations to understand their needs and concerns. The UK Government is committed to the development of the shale gas industry in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

  • 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, if he will estimate (a) the savings generated by each branch of the armed forces having separate recruiting programmes and (b) the annual cost of each such programme.

    Anna Soubry

    Each branch of the Armed Forces has a distinctive brand that needs to be marketed separately in order to attract the best candidates.

    Capturing the cost of recruiting across the Armed Forces is a complex and resource-intensive task. For financial year (FY) 2010-11, when both the recruitment budget and recruitment targets were below normal levels, these calculations were not carried out. The costs of recruiting programmes for FYs 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13 are set out in the following table. The cost of recruiting in FY 2013-14 will be available in early 2015.

    Financial Year Royal Navy (£) Army (£) RAF (£) Total (£)
    2009-10 41,475,281 138,743,300 51,298,179 231,516,760
    2011-12 32,017,364 134,595,989 38,702,993 205,316,346
    2012-13 33,228,059 122,756,649 35,430,723 191,415,431

    As reductions have been made to force levels recruitment levels have been adjusted but not stopped as the Services are required to keep recruiting to maintain the right skills.

  • Lindsay Roy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Lindsay Roy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lindsay Roy on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Scotland that depend on the UK’s membership of the EU.

    David Mundell

    The Single Market gives UK businesses access to the world’s largest trading bloc with 500 million people and 21 million companies generating £11 trillion in economic activity.

    Since 1992, the UK’s bilateral trade with EU member states has more than trebled and trade with Europe accounts for roughly 3.5 million jobs in the UK, around 11% of the workforce.

    In 2012, Scottish exports to the EU are estimated to have amounted to approximately 45% of Scotland’s total international exports (excluding oil and gas). The Government does not collate figures for the number of jobs in Scotland that depend on UK membership of the EU. However, independent analysis published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research in March 2014 suggested that, in 2011, approximately 335,000 jobs in Scotland were associated with Scottish exports to the EU.

  • Edward Garnier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Edward Garnier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Garnier on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 13 May 2014, Official Report, column 462W, on private investigation, on what date she expects the new statutory licensing requirement to come into force.

    Karen Bradley

    We expect the new statutory licensing regime for those conducting the activity of private investigations to come into force in 2015.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by his Department were in each financial year since 2009-10.

    Brandon Lewis

    Under this Government’s transparency programme contracts are published on Contracts Finder, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

    “

  • Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Vernon Coaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to secure the future of coal mining at Thoresby Colliery in Nottinghamshire.

    Michael Fallon

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement I made as Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on Thursday 12 June 2014.

    As stated, I will continue to keep the House updated.