Category: Speeches

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has issued guidance to the Aviation Authority on fire risks related to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Civil Aviation Authority issued guidance on 9 September advising air travel passengers to ensure their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones remain switched off for the duration of their flight.

    The guidance has also been drawn to the attention of aircraft operators.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what level of spending will be required from (a) the Government, (b) other public sector bodies and (c) private employers to create three million quality apprenticeships by 2020.

    Nick Boles

    The budget for apprenticeships in England is demand-led and the level of spending responds to local employer and learner demand. Apprenticeships are jobs with training – availability is determined by employers offering opportunities.

    The Government is introducing a UK-wide levy for all larger employers in the public and private sector to help fund the increase in quantity and quality of apprenticeship training. This levy will put employers in charge of how apprenticeship budgets are spent by creating a fund which they can use to pay for the cost of external training for their apprentices.

    Further details on the rate and scope of the levy will be set out by my Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the autumn Spending Review.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any Government spending on the BBC World Service is recorded as Overseas Development Assistance.

    Greg Hands

    We have committed to increase funding for the BBC World Service to £34 million in 2016/17 and £85 million a year up to 2019-20. As a provider of accurate, impartial and independent news the BBC World Service helps to strengthen democratic accountability and governance, meaning that a significant portion of the funding provided can be classified as Official Development Assistance (ODA). ODA is subject to approval via the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which oversees international ODA classification. We will work with the BBC and DAC to make the case for classifying up to £28m of the £34m in 2016/17 as ODA, and up to £70m per year in three remaining years of programme as ODA spend.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implementation of the recent economic slowdown in China on his Department’s policy on bilateral trade and investment with that country.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including those in China, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development.

    The Chancellor has warned that “last year was the worst for global growth since the crash and this year opens with a dangerous cocktail of new threats from around the world.” As one of the most open trading economies in the world with a large financial sector, we have to recognise that the UK is not immune to the continued problems being experienced in the world economy.

    We should not let this put us off engaging with China. As the Chancellor said while leading the UK’s Economic and Financial Dialogue with China in September 2015, both countries: “have a shared commitment to laying the foundations for stronger, more productive economies that can weather periods of uncertainty. At the same time, we need to continue to pursue the longer-term reform challenges that both our governments are pursuing.”

    The UK’s exports to China have grown rapidly; since 2010, exports of UK goods to China have grown by over 90%. Even if China’s GDP growth slows to 5%, it will still add an economy the size of France to global GDP by 2020. This is well below the central scenario: the IMF forecasts China’s GDP growth to average 6.2% over the next 5 years.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 or 13 are currently embedded with US forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    No personnel directly from 39 Squadron or 13 Squadron are currently embedded with the US armed forces. However, from the Reaper force as a whole, there are currently six Royal Air Force personnel embedded with the United States Air Force.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to include group B Strep (GBS) in future work relating to the National Maternity Review.

    Ben Gummer

    The aims of the National Maternity Review were to develop proposals for the future shape of modern, high quality and sustainable maternity services across England. The key proposals aim to improve safety and experience of care for women and their families.

    The Government has made clear that maternity care is a priority and on 13 November 2015 announced an ambition to reduce by 50% stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and neonatal brain injuries by 2030. This includes harm and death caused by Group B Streptococcus.

    Following the publication of the National Maternity Review we are working with NHS England to establish a governance structure for the maternity work programme which will include engagement with a broad range of charity partners.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the value of the (a) production and (b) subsequent support elements in the (i) UK and (ii) US of the Poseidon P-8A contract is; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 April 2016 to Question 33059 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of Civil Service Fast Stream employees based in London complete a placement outside London.

    Matthew Hancock

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Karen Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Karen Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Buck on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many referrals of child maintenance debtors to credit reference agencies have been made since the power to do so was introduced in March 2015.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department is committed to the policy of referring those defaulting on their child maintenance payments to credit reference agencies.

    We are currently working with the credit reference agencies to develop a secure process to ensure safe and accurate data sharing.

    As at 17 June 2016 there are a total of 686 cases prepared and ready to share with credit reference agencies; we will disclose this information with credit reference agencies once an appropriate process is in place.

    In interim we continue to issue warning letters to prompt action by non-resident parents to settle their arrears, and will where appropriate consider other enforcement actions on these cases.

  • Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making care home expenses tax deductible.

    Jane Ellison

    Tax relief for the cost of care in residential homes would disproportionately benefit those on higher incomes, whilst being of little or no benefit to those on more modest incomes. Furthermore, about half of pensioners do not pay tax and would be excluded from the scope of such a relief.