Category: Speeches

  • Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether officials from the British Embassy have visited Huber Ballesteros in La Picota prison in Bogota.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The UK cannot interfere in Colombia’s judicial process but will continue to raise any concerns regarding due process and conditions with the Colombian authorities.

    The Embassy is currently awaiting authorisation from the Municipal Criminal Court to visit Huber Ballesteros in prison.

    To date, the British Embassy has not yet been authorised to visit Huber Ballesteros in prison, this is despite requesting permission on six different occasions.

    No representatives of the British Embassy were able to attend the preliminary hearings in the case of Huber Ballesteros due to unrelated security concerns. His trial will take place on 26 and 27 of June and the British Embassy intends to send Officials to observe this.

  • Mr Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) converter academies and (b) maintained schools achieved a lower percentage of students achieving five GCSE A* to C grades than the previous year in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

    David Laws

    The requested information is publicly available in the 2010/11[1], 2011/12[2] and 2012/13[3] performance tables.

    [1] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_data.html

    [2] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2012/download_data.html

    [3] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2011/download_data.html

    “

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what criteria her Department uses for decisions on contracts to consultancy groups on development projects.

    Justine Greening

    Procurement tendering processes conducted by my department are completed in accordance with EU directives. Contracts are awarded following a competitive tendering process. Invitations to tender are specific to the nature of the intervention required.

  • Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Crockart on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation his Department has had with groups representing separated parents on steps to ensure universal credit makes shared parenting a financially viable option for parents who do not have family-based financial arrangements in place.

    Esther McVey

    Currently the child element will be awarded to the parent with whom the child or qualifying young person normally lives. Where separated parents both share the care of a child or qualifying young person they are expected to jointly nominate which of them has the main responsibility.

    Where parents are unable to come to an agreement themselves, a determination will be made. This will take account of where the child normally lives and who has the main day to day responsibility.

    The proposed approach to Universal Credit was set out in a White Paper "Universal Credit: Welfare that Works" and in draft Regulations upon which a wide range of organisations responded to in the consultation exercise carried out by the Social Security Advisory Committee.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of morale within the National Offender Management Service; and what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of morale of the Transforming Rehabilitation programme.

    Jeremy Wright

    Probation Trusts ceased operating at the end of 31 May 2014. The majority of offenders are now being supervised by staff working in 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies while high risk offenders and those who have committed the most serious offences are being supervised by the National Probation Service. The new structure was tested thoroughly prior to the transition, with staff and cases beginning transfer into the new structure prior to formal transition on 1 June. Formal dissolution of the Probation Trusts will take place following audit of their 2014/15 accounts in the autumn of 2014.

    The leadership of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) remain committed to maintaining morale through the effective leadership of change and continued positive engagement across the organisation. Throughout this significant change programme regular communication has been provided across NOMS to keep people informed about the reforms. We understand the challenges large scale reforms such as this can pose, and we are working closely with probation staff to make sure they can raise any issues quickly. Probation staff at all levels are working hard to implement these vital reforms on the ground and we will continue to support them throughout this process.

  • Mr Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Barry Sheerman on 2014-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contact his Department has had with the largest 10 academy chains to confirm whether they plan to make an application for a free school in the next (a) year, (b) two years and (c) three years.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has not asked academy chains to confirm whether they plan to make any applications for a free school in the next year, two years or three years.

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) cats, (b) dogs and (c) horses were retired and rehomed under European Union Directive 2010/63/EU in 2013.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

    Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, authority may be given to
    re-home animals where those animals were bred or held for supply for use in
    regulated procedures, or were intended for use in regulated procedures, or have
    been used in regulated procedures. This may also apply to animals which are
    being kept under the care of the Named Veterinary Surgeon after completing
    procedures and is always contingent on our acceptance of certain reassurances
    relating to Section 17A of the Act. Records of each animal re-homed would be
    kept locally at the licensed establishment so that they can be available to
    Home Office Inspectors on request.

    European Directive 2010/63/EU, which was implemented in the UK and other Member
    States on 1 January 2013, does not provide legal grounds on which the UK can
    impose a mandatory obligation of re-homing under the Animals (Scientific
    Procedures) Act 1986. Nevertheless, we have provided guidance on re-homing
    animals in our Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures)
    Act 1983, section 5.21.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the funding to improve electoral registration engagement; and when he plans to report to Parliament on the effectiveness of this initiative.

    Greg Clark

    Funding has been provided to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain and five national organisations to support the costs of activities to maximise registration.

    They have been provided with guidance to support them in evaluating the success of activity delivered through this funding. Cabinet Office officials will continue to work closely with funding recipients to monitor and measure the outcomes.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library a list of all projects supported by the International Climate Fund.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The International Climate Fund is £3.869bn of climate finance, over 2011/12 to 2015/16, for developing countries to help them tackle climate change.

    The portfolio of International Climate Fund investments is growing and therefore additional projects will be approved and start up during the course of 2014/15. I have deposited a list of International Climate Fund projects up until 2013/14 in the House Library.

  • Sir Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sir Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Gerald Kaufman on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 7 February 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton regarding Mr J Rossi-Stephenson.

    Dan Rogerson

    A response to right hon Member’s letter of 7 February 2014, with regard to Mr J Rossi-Stephenson, was sent on the 3 April 2014.

    Copies of the response will be made available in the House library.