Category: Speeches

  • Jim Dowd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Jim Dowd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dowd on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has put in place to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battles of Harfleur and Agincourt.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The previous Secretary of State, the Rt. Hon Maria Miller MP announced in October last year a commitment of £10million of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for projects marking some of the UK’s most important anniversaries and commemorative events including Agincourt 600. This will ensure that those moments which form a central part of our national history are commemorated and understood by people today.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of congestion on roads in Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Estimates of road congestion levels for Parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.

    We do however hold data at the local authority level. Road congestion is measured in the Department by morning peak speeds, defined as 7am to 10am. In 2013, the average weekday morning peak speeds, on locally managed ‘A’ roads in Blackburn with Darwen (local authority) and Lancashire County, both of which partly contain Rossendale and Darwen constituency, were estimated to be 19.3 and 25.3 miles per hour respectively. The equivalent figure for the whole of England in 2013 was 24.7 miles per hour.

    Equivalent figures for earlier years back to 2007, and all other local highway authorities in England, can be found on the Department for Transport’s website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279125/cgn0206.xls

    “

  • Andy McDonald – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andy McDonald – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason Newcastle was chosen as the National Insurance centre for residents of Middlesbrough; and what effect this choice is having on service provision.

    Esther McVey

    Newcastle was chosen as the National Insurance centre for residents of Middlesbrough as it has centralised expertise in administering applications for National Insurance numbers. Given this expertise, proximity to Middlesbrough and availability of public transport, Newcastle provides a viable service that maintains the level of expertise and security required

  • John Healey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Healey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2014, Official Report, columns 348-9W, on social security benefits: young people, if he will publish any information relevant to the original question that is available at proportionate cost.

    Esther McVey

    Information on Jobseekers Allowance Severe Hardship decisions for 16 and 17 year olds is provided attached but please be aware that it does not relate solely to estrangement. Information on Income Support and Employment Support Allowance is not available. Similarly it is not possible to disaggregate Appeals information on an age basis.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield land in England is covered by a Local Development Order.

    Nick Boles

    At this point in time, this information is not centrally held.

    However, I refer the rt. hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 16 June 2014, Official Report, Column 71-72WS, on the steps we are taking to promote the use of Local Development Orders on brownfield land.

    In addition, the Written Ministerial Statement of 10 June 2014, Official Report, Column 33WS, provides a broader summary of steps we have taken to facilitate empty and redundant land and property being brought back into productive use.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning Palestinian deaths since the beginning of the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

    Baroness Warsi

    We have made frequent representations to the Israeli authorities about Israel Defence Forces’ use of live fire and appropriate force in both Gaza and the West Bank. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised this issue with the Israeli Defence Force on 11 March.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) prevalence of additional health problems experienced by people with Parkinson’s Disease due to delays in receiving Duodopa and (b) costs incurred by the NHS as a result of such delays; and if he will make a statement.

    Norman Lamb

    We have made no such assessment.

    From April 2013, NHS England assumed responsibility for commissioning adult specialist neurosciences services, including the majority of services for patients with Parkinson’s disease, with some being the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups.

    NHS England has advised that it does not routinely fund Duodopa (co-careldopa) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and is currently considering its clinical policy.

    Clinicians can submit individual funding requests for this treatment on behalf of their patients as per NHS England’s individual funding requests standard operating procedure, which is at:

    www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cp-04.pdf

    This process is monitored against the standard operating procedure to ensure that referring clinicians are informed of outcomes in a timely manner.

    Once the commissioning position relating to this service area is agreed and service access criteria published, NHS England has advised that the number of individual funding requests from clinicians may reduce.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the planned hull life of the Type 23 frigate.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Following a decision in 2005, to extend the service life of the current class of Type 23 frigates to 35 years the hull life of the class now ranges between 34 and 37 years.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons operated on half regime during (a) January, (b) February, (c) March, (d) April and (e) May 2014.

    Jeremy Wright

    The information regarding how many prisons operated on half regime during (a) January, (b) February, (c) March, (d) April and (e) May 2014, is not collated centrally. The term ‘half regime’ is not used in prison establishments, and is unlikely to be interpreted consistently. The processes required to collect this data would incur disproportionate costs.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many (a) barristers, (b) solicitors and (c) witness care staff were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service at the end of (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2009-10.

    Oliver Heald

    The information requested is contained in the following table.

    Barristers

    Solicitors

    Witness Care

    2009-10

    853

    2,353

    228

    2012-13

    677

    1,867

    131

    2013-14

    645

    1,771

    100

    Notes:Data extracted from the CPS HR Database iTrent as at the 31st March in each year
    Data may be subject to change due to retrospective changes in the HR database
    Data may differ from previously published data due to differing specifications

    .

    Notwithstanding the staff reductions, conviction rates have remained broadly unchanged since 2009/10.

    Witness attendance remains constant over the last two financial years (to February 2014).