Category: Speeches

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the independence of the judiciary in Egypt.

    Baroness Warsi

    The new Egyptian constitution, adopted in January 2014, states that the judicial system is independent, and allows the judiciary its own budget, and to appoint the Prosecutor General and members of the Supreme Constitutional Court. We do however have some concerns over recent judicial decisions, including the sentencing to death of 529 people in Minya on 24 March. Reports that many of the defendants were tried in their absence and may not have been represented properly are deeply troubling. We have been urging the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the rights of defendants are fully respected in all cases.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Debbie Abrahams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions his Department has had with the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust on its ability to meet emergency 999 calls in the Greater Manchester area.

    Jane Ellison

    There have been no recent discussions between the Department and the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust on these matters. Decisions about ambulance services are a local matter and it is for clinical commissioning groups to ensure appropriate services are provided to their populations.

    Patients have a right to high quality and reliable urgent and emergency care, whenever they call on it, and we expect all ambulance trusts to provide this.

    The North West Ambulance Service met the three ambulance performance standards for 2013-14 and in April 2014.

  • The Earl of Dundee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Earl of Dundee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Dundee on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what current plans they have to enhance stability and democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina.

    Baroness Warsi

    The United Kingdom continues to be deeply committed to enhancing stability and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK is a strong supporter of European Union Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea’s maintenance of the safe and secure environment in BiH, and is proud of its contributions in theatre, and through a reserve company, 1 Scots. Our support for BiH’s policing has led to our contributing to establishing a trilateral Police Cooperation Centre (PCC) in Trebinje, resulting in more efficient and effective actions being taken between law enforcement agencies in the region. UK Ministers and officials have made clear to BiH’s leaders their responsibility for ensuring that their public rhetoric is not inflammatory or ethnically divisive.

    Following the recent protests, we have made clear to BiH’s leaders that they need to respond to the population’s legitimate desire for change, most recently when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the BiH Presidency and Foreign Minister on 27 March. During his recent visit the Foreign Secretary met representatives of civil society and plenums and expressed our support to widen the political space in BiH so as to allow citizens to hold politicians to account.

    Part of our work to widen the political space is the recent British BiH Fellowship Programme. A one-month residential programme in the UK designed to equip BiH’s future leaders with the skills and experience to lead positive change in their country.

    The Foreign Secretary also announced continuing UK assistance for BiH’s path towards EU membership, in the form of new funding to foster democratic governance in Bosnia by strengthening the judiciary, civil society organisations, governance and supporting BiH’s EU accession process. Specific examples include political and financial support focused on strengthening the State Court and State Prosecutor’s Office, which will improve the operation of Rule of Law systems in BiH.

    In addition, the UK supports the activities of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), whose work in BiH has focused on equipping local non-governmental organisations with the skills they need to provide effective evidence for parliamentary committees. WFD has done valuable work with BiH’s Parliament to raise awareness of the value of such committees. This has influenced positively the formation of legislation, and opened up the process of law-making to public scrutiny, while promoting citizen participation in the democratic process.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian personnel are employed at HMNB Clyde by (a) his Department, (b) Babcock, (c) ABL Alliance, (d) Serco, (e) Rolls Royce, (f) Thales and (g) other main contractors.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As at 9 June 2014, 1,285 Ministry of Defence civilian personnel are employed at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde. Additionally there are approximately 1,900 people employed in the Naval Base by contractors. The precise number is a matter for the contractors and will fluctuate, depending on the tasks and the number of sub-contractors employed.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) Regulations 2014 on the amount of Community Infrastructure Levy collected.

    Nick Boles

    Over the next 10 years it is estimated that the average annual Community Infrastructure Levy revenues could be in excess of £450 million. This is based on forecasts of the latest household projections and that adoption rates of the levy will steadily increase over the next few years, leading to a rise in overall levy revenues. We now have 30 charging schedules in place and anticipate a further 10 to be adopted by early June 2014.

  • Andrew Stunell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stunell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stunell on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average length of time between diagnosis of a mental health condition and the commencement of talking therapies in the Greater Manchester area.

    Norman Lamb

    By March 2015, we expect measurable progress towards achieving true parity of esteem, where everyone who needs it has timely access to evidence based services. This includes extending access to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme to children and young people and those out of work.

  • 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 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2014, Official Report, column 386W, on the Electoral Register, what is the (a) earliest and (b) latest age a person is allocated their National Insurance number; and what the earliest date is that an attainer can be registered to vote.

    Greg Clark

    National Insurance numbers are sent automatically when individuals reach the age of 15 years and 9 months. There is no upper age limit to apply for a National Insurance number.

    The law provides that an attainer will be included on the register if they will reach the age of 18 before the end of a 12-month period starting from the next 1 December after the application is made.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library the terms of reference of the Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

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

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has a Flexible Working policy which allows its staff to apply to work through a range of flexible working options. These include part time working, job sharing, compressed hours, as well as working from home on an occasional or more regular basis or as part of a formal arrangements where staff are officially based at home. DECC does not hold central records of those staff who have made a statutory application for flexible working.

    Information relating to staff who work part time is recorded centrally and the proportion of those by (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender is set out in the tables below.

    Civil Service pay grade

    Full Time

    Part Time

    AO

    89%

    11%

    EO

    93%

    7%

    HEO

    96%

    4%

    FASTSTREAM

    100%

    0%

    SEO

    95%

    5%

    G7

    91%

    9%

    G6

    86%

    14%

    SCS

    91%

    9%

    Grand Total

    92%

    8%

    Gender

    Full Time

    Part Time

    Female

    86%

    14%

    Male

    98%

    2%

    Grand Total

    92%

    8%
  • Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2014-05-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will acknowledge receipt of the letter sent on 12 April by the Bar Human Rights Committee to the Home Secretary with regard to Helen Ukpabio’s visit to the United Kingdom.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    Home Office officials have responded to the Bar Human Rights Committee’s letter to the Home Secretary of 12 April 2014 regarding Helen Ukpabio.