Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Doughty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2014, Official Report, column 162W, on employment and support allowance, when his Department expects to publish data on mandatory reconsiderations of employment and support allowance.

    Mike Penning

    While data is being collected, it is not sufficiently robust and reliable to make available.

    The data will need to be validated in order to ensure that it satisfies the relevant standards. I will not publish this data until it is in a robust state to share.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department received 5,201 written questions in the 2013-14 parliamentary session. All questions received a substantive answer before the prorogation.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost of the legal advice gained by the Metropolitan Police Service and Crown Prosecution Service which led to the policy of investigating the chant of yids” by Tottenham Hotspur supporters by the Metropolitan Police Service prior to the Prime Minister’s comments on the matter on 16 September 2013; and what was the cost of the advice gained after that date.”

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The Crown Prosecution Service has no specific policy relating to the chanting of the word "yids" by Tottenham Hotspur supporters and incurred no legal advice costs on this specific issue. The case against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service prior to the adjourned date of the hearing, without parties having to attend court, and without the associated costs being incurred.

    The Crown Prosecution Service National Football lead has been consulted on a number of occasions regarding whether the use of the word "yid" could amount to a criminal act. The general advice given on each occasion was that each case depends on its specific facts. In relation to the case that was dropped against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters, the police contacted the Crown Prosecution Service prior to charge. Advice was given that there was a realistic prospect of conviction. It subsequently transpired that the further evidence was not available and the case was therefore discontinued. Prior to the discontinuance a meeting took place between senior police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service officials.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 2 May 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Amila Dar.

    James Brokenshire

    I wrote to the Rt. Hon. Member on 16 June 2014.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to A UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies, what progress he has made in establishing a Centre for Agricultural Informatics.

    Mr David Willetts

    Over the last few months we have held a number of discussions and consultation events to identify priorities for this Centre and others that will follow. Building on this input, a sub-group of the Agri-Tech Leadership Council has developed a specification that will be published later this month. The application process will open shortly thereafter.

  • Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, when Saxton Bampfylde was appointed for the search for a successor to the Clerk of the House and Chief Executive.

    John Thurso

    Following a competitive tendering process, Saxton Bampfylde was appointed on 29 May 2014 to support the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, in particular by providing executive search services. Three bids were received and evaluated by Mr Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change. The fee for these services is fixed at £18,000. The contract will be monitored by the Department of HR and Change. The recruitment brief to which Saxton Bampfylde are working will be placed in the Library.

    The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr Speaker, three other members of the House of Commons Commission, a senior backbencher and an external member.

  • 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 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) personnel and (b) assets are participating in NATO’s Baltic Regional Training Events in 2014; and what (i) personnel and (ii) assets participated in the events in each of the last three years.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The UK is currently reviewing our contribution to national and NATO exercises in the Baltic Region in 2014; final decisions have not yet been made.

    There are no central records for 2011 and 2012. However, in 2013 the UK provided 124 personnel to the following exercises involving NATO allies:

    Exercise Sabre Strike 13, Latvia 1-14 June 2013.

    Exercise Kevadtorm 13, Estonia 14-25 May 2013.

    In addition the UK provided one mine counter measure vessel (ship’s company of 40 personnel) to:

    Exercise Steadfast Jazz 13, Baltic Sea, November 2013.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will discuss climate change with his Chinese counterpart during his visit to the UK.

    Mr David Cameron

    I plan to hold wide-ranging discussions with Premier Li. We have a foreign policy that is based on our values, and we consistently raise them with the Chinese government, including during high level dialogues.

    I am very supportive of the business and human rights agenda, and action against climate change is a priority for the government.

  • 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 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what collision warning system is currently being tested on Typhoon aircraft; when he expects testing to be completed; when a decision will be taken to install such a system; and what the estimated total cost is.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Analysis is currently underway into potential collision warning system capability for Typhoon. A system has not yet been fitted on a Typhoon aircraft for testing.

    It is not possible at this stage to provide a timetable for the development of this capability, or for the decision on whether to install such a system on the aircraft. Similarly, it is too early to estimate the likely cost of such a system.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the effect of the maritime fuel sulphur regulations earlier than 2019.

    Stephen Hammond

    In October 2012, and again in March 2013, I chaired ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders (from the shipping, ports, exhaust gas cleaning system technology, oil refining and logistics sectors) to consider the best way forward for compliance with the new international and EU sulphur requirements. The potential for reverse modal shift, the maturity and efficacy of scrubber technology and the scope for financial assistance to industry were all key to those discussions. The report commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping was produced as a result of those meetings, and officials have taken it into account in producing the Government’s Impact Assessment on the draft UK Regulations to implement the sulphur limits in national law.

    The Government went out to an eight-week public consultation on 29 April 2014 on those draft UK Regulations. Meanwhile, Government officials continue to work closely with the industry and to explore the scope for securing EU finance, possibly under the Trans-European Network (commonly known as TEN-T) programme and affordable capital from the European Investment Bank, for shipowners and ports who wish to invest in scrubber technology or in technology associated with the use of an alternative fuel, such as liquefied natural gas, to comply with the new limits.

    The UK Regulations will be reviewed in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation.