Category: Speeches

Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that all notspot data will be properly checked before masts are proposed and plans are made public.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The notspot data is collated and held by Ofcom and has been updated for 2014 with information from the Mobile Network Operators. In areas where coverage is thought to be marginal, or there is uncertainty over coverage, DCMS officials have commissioned on the ground drive testing to assess the level of coverage.

01/11/2022
Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-04-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number of individuals held at HM Prison The Verne solely for immigration purposes as part of the quarterly immigration statistics.

James Brokenshire

Published figures on people detained in the United Kingdom solely under
Immigration Act powers include those held in short term holding facilities, pre
departure accommodation and immigration removal centres. However, figures
exclude those held in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term
holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those
recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their
dependants.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of
people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within
Immigration Statistics: October – December 2013, from the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-stati
stics-quarterly-release.

The provisional date for HMP The Verne to become an
Immigration Removal Centre is September 2014 and following that change specific
figures for the Verne would be regularly published alongside those for other
Immigration Removal Centres.

01/11/2022
Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2014, Official Report, column 635W, on schools: land, in what circumstances he (a) would and (b) would not exercise his powers to protect public land when an academy closes entirely.

Mr Edward Timpson

My Rt hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may need to make a determination in order to protect the public investment in the land where the land ceases, or will cease, to be used for an academy. The Secretary of State will consider a range of factors, including:

1. the degree of public investment in the land and the degree of any enhancement to the value attributable to that investment;

2. the degree of private investment in the land and the degree of any enhancement to the value attributable to that investment;

3. the length of time that the land has been in public use;

4. the value of the land at the date of determination.

Additional protections for school playing fields would continue to apply, as set out in published guidance, which is available at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

01/11/2022
Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I am not aware of any recent cases of female genital mutilation being reported in Northern Ireland.

Female genital mutilation is a horrific form of child abuse and violence against women and girls, and the Northern Ireland Executive has put in place a number of safeguarding structures, policies and procedures designed to protect females.

The Civil Law Reform division of the Northern Ireland Executive Department of Finance & Personnel consulted on draft multi-agency practice guidelines on female genital mutilation earlier this year which were based on the Home Office’s Guidelines.

01/11/2022

Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the recent EU ban on Indian mangoes.

Dan Rogerson

The ban was imposed following persistent interceptions of plant pestson imports of Indian produce into the European Union (EU) and critical reports from the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office audits in 2010 and 2013. Despite assurances from India in response to these reports the level of interceptions remained high. The EU’s decision to introduce a ban was therefore fully justified and supported by all Member States including the UK, in line with our policy of strengthening plant health controls. Therefore, no alternatives to a ban were considered by Defra.

Protecting plant health is a key Defra objective. Plant pests and diseases such as those intercepted from India in recent years can cause serious damage to the UK glasshouse industry which is worth over £300 million per annum. However, I am aware of the importance of the mango trade and Defra officials are liaising with the Indian High Commission on what support the UK can offer to India to help it ensure compliance with EU import requirements.

The following table shows the number of consignments of mangoes imported into the UK in the last five years which were infested with Tephriditae (and therefore rejected) by country of origin. The European Commission is considering similar measures to those taken against India for other countries with high levels of interceptions of plant pests. Such consideration takes account of findings from all Member States, and covers all plant commodities and all pests identified.

Year	Country of origin	No. of consignments imported into the UK	No. of consignments infected with Tephritidae
2010	Dominican Republic	351	1
	India	1977	1
	Jamaica	228	3
	Pakistan	3302	6

2011	Dominican Republic	417	2
	India	1836	11
	Jamaica	262	3
	Pakistan	3690	19
	Puerto Rico	1	1
	Sri Lanka	144	1
	Uganda	138	1

2012	Bangladesh	146	1
	Brazil	445	1
	Costa Rica	70	2
	Dominican Republic	606	18
	Ghana	628	15
	India	3448	23
	Jamaica	332	24
	Kenya	2044	4
	Pakistan	5128	81
	Philippines	12	2
	Sri Lanka	189	10
	St Lucia	50	1
	Thailand	1050	3
	Uganda	104	2

2013	Brazil	316	3
	Dominican Republic	756	16
	Ghana	357	4
	Guinea	7	1
	India	3563	13
	Jamaica	516	17
	Kenya	1654	17
	Pakistan	5910	47
	Puerto Rico	104	1
	Sri Lanka	111	3
	U A E	1	1
	Vietnam	77	1

2014 (to 18/06/14)
	Brazil	106	1
	Dominican Republic	420	3
	Ghana	271	1
	India	401	1
	Jamaica	464	9
	Kenya	698	7
	Mexico	61	1
	Senegal	4	1
	Sri Lanka	69	3

Source: Fera and Europhyt

01/11/2022

Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in which circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Green Book and associated supplementary guidance is publicly available on the Treasury web site. It sets out a range of approaches and methods that may be appropriate in a number of different appraisal circumstances.

01/11/2022
David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent complaints he has received on the handling of correspondence on passport delays by HM Ambassador to Italy.

Mr David Lidington

I am not aware of complaints on the handling of correspondence by our Ambassador in Rome. Passport renewal is the responsibility of Her Majesty’s Passport Office under the responsibility of Home Office Ministers. Any related correspondence received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is therefore transferred to that Office for response.

01/11/2022
Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has issued to jobcentres on how claimant commitments should take into account the caring responsibilities of single parents.

Esther McVey

All Advisers have access to comprehensive and clear procedures, guidance and extensive learning which equips them to agree a Claimant Commitment, taking account of each claimant’s individual circumstances, including the caring responsibilities of single parents.

As with other claimants, lone parents are still expected to be Available and Actively Seeking Employment. However, there are restrictions that can be applied to the requirements of this group, in order to take into account their caring responsibilities.

01/11/2022
Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Minister is taking to prevent bacillus cereus infections in the UK.

Jane Ellison

Bacillus cereus is a spore forming bacterium found widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation. There is limited prevention as it is a naturally occurring bacterium. However, the Food Standards Agency has published advice on their website which details information on potential food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) undertake inspections of manufacturing facilities with reference to the standards of Good Manufacturing Practice to verify that companies are producing medicines that are of the correct quality and safety. The manufacture of sterile products, such as Total Parental Nutrition, is subject to special requirements in order to minimise risks of bacterial contamination.

In the case of medicines, the MHRA and Public Health England (PHE) are currently investigating what has caused the recent incident where Total Parenteral Nutrition became contaminated with Bacillus cereus . Based on the information we currently have, we believe this is an isolated incident and the appropriate immediate action has been taken to avoid a recurrence.

The devolved administrations have been informed of the current incident involving Bacillus cereus. The investigations into the cause of this incident are still ongoing. The Department will continue to discuss matters with the devolved administrations for minimising Bacillus cereus infection.

The investigations being undertaken by MHRA and PHE are in their advanced stages and preliminary findings will be published as soon as possible. While the MHRA and PHE are undertaking their own investigations, it would be normal practice for the Coroner to report on the individual case he is currently considering.

01/11/2022
Jim McGovern – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McGovern on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanctions were applied to jobseeker’s allowance claimants in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Dundee in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey

Statistics on the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance benefit claimants, who have been sanctioned in Great Britain, Scotland and Dundee, are published and can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm

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01/11/2022