Category: Speeches

  • 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, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department’s executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies.

    Matthew Hancock

    I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the Hon Member.

    Until 2013, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills did not keep a record of the age of internal apprentices. The table shows the age of both externally recruited apprentices since 2010 and ages of those apprentices embarking on the Departments’ internal apprenticeship programme in 2013. The 2013 figure refers to the ages of those on the Departments’ internal programme. There are no externally recruited apprentices in the 25 years or over category.

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    16 to 18

    0

    0

    0

    1

    19 to 24

    2

    1

    2

    11

    25 years or over

    0

    0

    0

    16

    The Department for Business Innovation and Skills currently has 53 apprentices. We have had 4 successful completions this year.

    16 of these 53 apprentices are under the age of 21 with a further 6 apprentices under 21 expected to join the Department later in the year.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of staff within her Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years were white British.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    Declaration of ethnicity for staff at DFID is voluntary and it is therefore not possible to confirm the ethnicity of any staff who have been subject to disciplinary proceedings.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of women with (a) two, (b) three, (c) four and (d) five or more jobs; and how many such people do not earn a total income above the lower earnings threshold through all their employments.

    Mr David Gauke

    Estimates of the number of (a) people and (b) women who work in more than one job but do not pay national insurance, even though their total earnings are above the lower earnings threshold; and, of those, how many are women, are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pension-coverage-lower-earnings-limit-and-multiple-jobs

    The rest of the information requested is not available.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employed people worked from home 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.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many jobs have been (a) created and (b) safeguarded at each enterprise zone to date; how many (i) jobs and (ii) firms are currently based at each enterprise zone; and how many businesses have begun occupying premises at each enterprise zone since it began operation.

    Kris Hopkins

    More than 7,600 jobs have been created and 260 new businesses attracted to the 24 Enterprise Zones over the period April 2012- December 2013. However, I am unable to disclose zone-level information as the estimates that Enterprise Zones provide us with may be subject to local commercial sensitivities and disclosure may prejudice commercial negotiations. For this reason, it is for individual zones to determine whether they make this information available.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has been spent in each of the last five years to adapt National Health Service hospitals for obese people.

    Earl Howe

    This information is not collected centrally. Decisions on spending are a matter for local National Health Service organisations.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he has taken to secure the long-term provision of energy for the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    This Government published its Energy Security Strategy in November 2012 which sets out the range of policies in place to deliver energy security and meet demand up to 2050. The strategy sets out the Government’s approach which is based on competitive markets combined with effective regulation to deliver diversity of supply and robust infrastructure for consumers. This is supported through measures in a number of areas which will enhance energy security further whilst also delivering wider energy goals.

    These measures include resilience measures to prevent possible disruptions ranging from flooding through to industrial action, and to reduce the impact of incidents if they do occur and energy efficiency measures to lower our exposure to domestic and international energy market risks. We also work to maximise economic production of our oil and gas reserves to provide reliable energy supplies which are not exposed to international energy supply risks as well as working to improve the reliability of global energy markets to help ensure that, where the UK does require the supply of energy from overseas, it is dependable and affordable. In addition, reliable networks ensure that the energy we need is delivered, where we need it. Lastly, decarbonising our energy supplies will help to reduce our dependence on international fossil fuel markets in the longer term.

    Further details are set out in the document which can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/65643/7101-energy-security-strategy.pdf.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many schools will not have the facilities to provide hot meals in September.

    Lord Nash

    The Department for Education is providing funding, expert advice and support to assist schools in offering hot meals to all infant pupils from September.

    There will be a range of ways that hot meals are provided in schools, with some being fully prepared on site and others transported in. The vast majority of schools are on track to offer free school meals to all their infant pupils in September, and we have made it clear that we expect them either to offer hot options immediately, or to work towards doing so as soon as possible.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will investigate reports that Osama Hussain Al-Najjar has been tortured while held in custody in the UAE.

    Hugh Robertson

    We are aware of these reports, and will continue to monitor reporting of Osama Hussain Al-Najjar’s case.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to address transgender patient discrimination in the National Health Service.

    Earl Howe

    We expect people with transgender issues to have the same access to National Health Service treatment, including mental health services, as anybody else in the population. Mental Health has been a priority for this Government for several years now. We made this commitment explicit in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which, for the first time, creates equal status for mental and physical health across Government and for the NHS and social care.

    Since April 2013, gender identity services have been commissioned by NHS England. NHS England will continue to work with the transgendered community, clinical experts and stakeholders through the clinical reference group for gender identity services, to produce a single and consistent policy for the whole of England.

    In order to ensure equitable access to services, an England-wide Interim Protocol was consulted on, developed and became operational on 1 November 2013. The Protocol is based on the previously published and well received Scottish Protocol. The Protocol relies on the publication of the Inter-Collegiate “Good practice guidelines for the treatment of adults with gender dysphoria” published at the end of October 2013. A fully consulted policy document and service specifications will be published during 2014.

    In addition, NHS England has commissioned a review of transgendered patients’ access to the NHS. This review has considered all aspects of access to NHS services and is currently being finalised in readiness for publishing.