Category: Speeches

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Government funding has been provided for tackling teenage knife crime in each year since publication of the Kinsella Review in February 2011.

    Norman Baker

    On 2 February 2011, Official Report, column 46WS, the Home Secretary announced
    £18 million funding to tackle knife, gun and gang crime. The funding was given
    to police, local agencies and the voluntary sector to tackle serious youth
    violence and prevent young people
    entering a cycle of crime. This funding addressed issues of gang and youth
    violence including knife crime.
    The two year funding supported enforcement and prevention work by police in
    three knife crime hotspot areas, alongside positive activities for young people
    and local work to bring about long-term changes in attitudes and behaviours.
    The money included up to:
    • £3.75 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13) for the
    three police forces areas where more than half of the country’s knife crime occurs –
    the Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.
    • £4 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13 ) for a
    ‘communities against gangs, guns and knives’ fund – for local voluntary organisations across
    England and Wales working with young people to stop involvement in knife and
    gang violence.
    • £10 million for prevention and diversionary activities and engagement with
    young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, including knife related violence
    • £1million to support the development of anti-knife, gun and gang crime
    materials for schools and a good practice website to enable local projects to share
    knowledge and expertise. About 280 practitioners are now sharing information
    through the Knowledge Hub set up in the Local Government Association website.
    • £250,000 for 2011-12 of the Ben Kinsella Fund (in addition to the £250,000
    provided for 2010-11) for young people to run anti-knife crime projects in their local
    area.

  • Stuart Andrew – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Stuart Andrew – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart Andrew on 2014-03-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Autumn Statement of 5 December 2013, Official Report, column 1106, which police service-related charities will receive funds from LIBOR fines in 2014; and what criteria are used to determine which organisations receive such funds.

    Nick Hurd

    In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that LIBOR fines will be invested in providing support for emergency services personnel and their dependents who are injured, suffering ill-health, or bereaved, during or as a result of active service for the public. £10 million will be sustainably invested through Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise organisations across the UK.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the costs to local authorities of proposals to extend fines on letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

    Kris Hopkins

    Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

    We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that 40 per cent of two-year-olds will be able to receive free childcare by September 2014 as announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on 2 September 2013.

    Lord Nash

    The Government is investing £525 million this year, rising to £755 million in 2014-15, in the new entitlement to early learning for two-year-olds. In February 2014 local authorities reported that over 100,000 two-year-olds were already benefitting from funded early learning places. Local authorities have received £100 million capital funding, and we are reducing bureaucracy and red tape to help support the expansion of successful providers and the creation of new places. We are encouraging more schools to provide early education places and to open from 8-6pm and are also establishing childminder agencies. These measures are part of the Government’s wider childcare reform programme which will improve the affordability and accessibility of childcare by increasing the supply of places across the country.

  • John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new houses have been built in Bassetlaw district in each of the last five years.

    Kris Hopkins

    Statistics on house building completions in Bassetlaw District are published in the Department’s live table 253, which is available at the following link:

    http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

    “

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what Red, Amber, Green ratings the Major Projects Authority has given to the Emergency Services Communications Programme.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Major Projects Authority (MPA) has been applying MPA assurance processes to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) including a Project Assessment Review and Gateway Reviews. Further information on the ESMCP Programme is available at the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-emergency-services-mobile-communications-programme

    Delivery Confidence Assessment ratings are supplied according to the MPA’s Transparency Policy which is on the Cabinet Office website. The policy allows for non-disclosure of information which should properly remain confidential, for example where it is market sensitive or necessary to safeguard national security.

    This will be in line with the principles of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/major-projects-transparency-policy-and-exemptions-guidance

    The DCA for ESMCP was not revealed in MPA’s first annual report last year in line with the above policy. The next annual report of the MPA is due to be published in May.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of EUCAP Nestor in tackling insecurity in the Horn of Africa.

    Hugh Robertson

    EUCAP Nestor can play an important role in building stability in Somalia and the region but further work needs to be done to enhance delivery and realise its potential.

    The UK has focused on addressing issues to ensure that Nestor increases operations inside Somalia, and delivers against measurable and meaningful objectives.

    These measures should increase the prospects of Nestor performing more effectively in the future. Good progress has been made in recent months towards establishing a presence in Somalia, which will increase the efficacy of the mission by providing a base for capacity building activities and by enhancing access to local actors. Nestor now has an office in Hargeisa (Somaliland), and also operates in Bosaso on the northern coast of Somalia. We will continue to track progress closely.

  • Mr Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mr Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Laurence Robertson on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2014, Official Report, column 558W, on land drainage, what funding will be made available to SuDS Approving Bodies to enable them to maintain balancing tanks and sustainable urban drainage systems; who will be responsible for providing that funding; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Department will be consulting shortly on funding arrangements for the maintenance of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) that will be subject to the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on patient safety of prescription drug dispensing regulations.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There are robust arrangements in place to maintain patient safety in the dispensing of prescription medicines through medicines legislation, National Health Service pharmaceutical services regulations and professional regulation. These arrangements are kept under review and changes made as necessary.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department last visited a private, voluntary or independent sector childcare setting in an official capacity.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Records show that the most recent visits undertaken to PVI provision by Ministers in the Department for Education are as follows.

    I visited Little Rainbows Day Nursery on 20 March 2014. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, visited Norwood Kennedy Leigh Family Centre in November 2013.

    It should be noted that we do not keep records of the specific business model of every nursery or childcare setting Ministers visit. Therefore, it is possible that other visits have been undertaken, details of which are not held centrally.