Category: Speeches

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the prevalence and effect of the sale of so-called legal highs (a) online and (b) in shops.

    Norman Baker

    The Government monitors the prevalence of use of particular new psychoactive substances through the Crime Survey for England and Wales. The latest results of the crime
    survey can be found here:
    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-decembe
    r-2013/stb-crime-stats-dec-2013.html

    New questions have been included in the 2014/15 Crime Survey, to capture the use of a wider range of new psychoactive substances than was previously the case.

    The Home Office is currently undertaking a six month review led by an expert panel to look at how the UK’s legislative, educational and health response to new psychoactive substances can be enhanced. It is anticipated that the panel will report their recommendations to Home Office Ministers before summer recess.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 30 January (WA 253), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the terms of reference of the review being carried out by Social Finance into innovative models of providing temporary accommodation for homeless families.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    I have placed a copy of the terms of reference contained within the Social Finance contract in the Library of the House. The final report will be published in due course, and I will write to the noble Baroness with a copy when it is available.

  • Meg Hillier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Meg Hillier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Hillier on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of (a) new passport applications and (b) passport renewal applications were received by HM Passport Office in each week since 6 January 2014; and what proportion of those applications (i) were completed in three weeks, (ii) were completed in four weeks and (iii) remain outstanding for each of these weeks.

    James Brokenshire

    Table 1 sets out the volume of new and renewal passports on a weekly basis since 5 January 2014.

    Table 2 provides the proportion of straightforward cases dealt with within three weeks , four weeks and over four weeks. The information is not available by breakdown of application type.

  • 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, how much of the £90 million to establish centres for agricultural innovation has been allocated; and how many such centres have been established.

    Mr David Willetts

    Following the launch of the Strategy we prioritised the Agri-Tech Catalyst, to encourage collaboration between industry and academia. We have been engaging further with industry to ensure the Centres are developed as true partnerships. The process to establish the Centre for Agricultural Informatics and Metrics of Sustainability will be launched this Spring. Therefore, to date, no centres have been fully established or money allocated.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she plans to increase the UK’s humanitarian contribution to Iraq.

    Justine Greening

    As I announced on Saturday, the UK is providing an initial £3 million of emergency humanitarian assistance to help civilians fleeing the ISIL advance in Northern Iraq. Following an assessment of needs on the ground by DFID humanitarian experts who deployed to Erbil last Thursday, this includes:

    (i) – Activation of the UK’s Rapid Response Facility (RRF), which provides emergency support via pre-approved organisations in the event of a humanitarian crisis overseas. This initial package of UK support comprises clean water and sanitation, essential medicine, women-friendly hygiene kits and basic household items, which will be provided from £2 million of RRF funding to NGOs in the region.

    (ii) – Protection for vulnerable girls and women through the deployment of dedicated UN safety and welfare teams in key internally displaced person and refugee camp sites and areas, secured through £1 million of funding to the UNHCR.

    The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely and we are considering urgently what other assistance we could provide.

  • 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, whether the fitting of the Rangeless Autonomous Information Debriefing System equipment to Tornado aircraft was regarded as mitigation for the collision warning risk over the last decade.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System (RAIDS) as fitted to RAF aircraft has no collision warning capability.

    It logs and stores GPS positional data during flight. Data can only be downloaded post-flight to allow replay during sortie debriefing of the positional data for all aircraft fitted with RAIDS. Therefore, it provides no situational awareness to the crew in flight.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Edwards – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the terms and conditions of the agreement reached between the Welsh and UK Governments in 2012 on the funding of the electrification of (a) the Great Western mainline from Cardiff to Swansea and (b) the Valleys lines.

    Stephen Hammond

    The agreement is set out in the letters exchanged between the Secretary of State and the Welsh Minister for Local Government and Communities on 13th and 24th July 2012. These letters have already been made public.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which establishments are being investigated in relation to historical abuse by Jimmy Savile.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Secretary of State for Education’s statement to the House of 27 March provided a list of children’s homes and schools that are mentioned in the information passed to the Department for Education, and which are now being investigated. The statement is available at:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140327/wmstext/140327m0001.htm#14032769000024

    “

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Mr David Jones

    The information requested is enclosed in the following table.

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to the police on managing public protests; and what discussions she has had with chief constables and the IPCC on the management of such protests.

    Damian Green

    Managing public protests is an operational matter for the police. Guidance on the management of public protests is contained in the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice.

    The Home Secretary and Home Office Ministers regularly meet with Chief Constables and the Independent Police Complaints Commission on a range of policing matters as part of the process of policy development, delivery and assurance.