Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase links between education and employment.

    Matthew Hancock

    The government’s aim is to ensure that young people are equipped with the skills, experience and qualifications that employers want. The introduction of 16-19 study programmes will expand the provision of genuine work experience and work-related learning for all post-16 students. We have invested in new apprenticeships that are more employer-led than ever before, and introduced traineeships to give young people the skills and experience they need to compete successfully for a job. From September 2014, the Tech Level qualifications will provide a high-quality vocational alternative to A levels, leading to a recognised occupation.

    These and other reforms arising from Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 review of vocational education have led to far-reaching improvements in vocational education. These include employer recognition of qualifications and simplified and better-funded arrangements for work experience.

    Our reforms to GCSEs and A levels will secure rigorous, challenging qualifications which are responsive to the needs of students and employers. New GCSEs in English and mathematics, which will provide greater assurance of literacy and numeracy, will be taught from September 2015, with the first examinations in summer 2017.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many organisations hold the Help and Support for Separated Families Mark; and what the total cost to his Department has been of developing, awarding and promoting the mark.

    Steve Webb

    35 organisations currently hold the Help and Support for Separated Families Mark. The total cost for developing, awarding and promoting the Help and Support for Separated Families mark is £136,500.

  • Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what facilities exist for the retention and care of non-native wildlife species confiscated in the UK; where those facilities are located; and how many times such non-native wildlife species confiscated have been returned to the people or location where they were first confiscated.

    George Eustice

    Non-native wildlife specimens (including plants) may be retained for various reasons by the Police, UK Border Force (UKBF), Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (RBG Kew), local authorities and other organisations such as the RSPCA.

    RBG Kew has a Plant Quarantine Unit and keeps records of all plant material entering its collections but not records of confiscated specimens that are returned to the people or location they were confiscated from.

    UKBF re-homes seized wildlife after having consulted with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the UK’s CITES scientific authority for fauna, on appropriate location. It has not been UK practice to return wildlife to countries of export as there is no guarantee of its return to the wild or that it will not re-enter illegal trade. UKBF does not disclose publically the locations where seized items are held. All seized animals remain the property of the crown.

    No police-run facilities exist for the retention and care of non-native wildlife species confiscated in the UK: each case is dealt with on an ad-hoc basis. Information about returned specimens is not held centrally.

    Defra does not hold information about holding facilities used by local authorities and other organisations.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish an updated cost benefit analysis for High Speed 2 in light of the decision not to link High Speed 2 with High Speed 1 and Eurostar services.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We will continue to revise and update the economic case for HS2 as new project milestones are reached, such as decisions on the preferred route for Phase 2, to ensure it is based on the best available evidence and latest understanding of the project, including taking account of the decision to remove the existing proposals for the HS1-HS2 link from the scheme.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to reform anti-social behaviour orders; and if she will make a statement.

    Norman Baker

    The Government’s reforms are contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and
    Policing Act 2014. The Act will introduce two new powers, a civil injunction
    and the Criminal Behaviour Order, to replace Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.
    Unlike Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, the new powers will not focus solely on
    enforcement but can include positive requirements to ensure individuals address
    the underlying causes of their behaviour.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address the current backlog of applications within the Passport Office.

    James Brokenshire

    On 12 June, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary set out to the House the
    measures HM Passport Office is putting in place to respond to the exceptional
    current levels of passport demand.
    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, columns
    693 and 694 for details.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to review the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Secretary of State has an approval role under the Ticketing & Settlement Agreement for changes to the National Rail Conditions of Carriage. The Association of Train Operating Companies is responsible for the management of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and it is for them to propose changes to the Secretary of State for approval.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in negotiations to provide air services to St Helena once the new airport is completed in February 2016; and what steps they are taking to develop the local tourism industry there, including the provision of suitable tourist accommodation.

    Baroness Northover

    St Helena Government (SHG) issued the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) for the air service procurement in June 2014. The PQQ is the first stage of the air service procurement and will allow interested airlines to register their intent to bid for the air service.

    Enterprise St Helena (ESH), St Helena’s Economic Development Agency, is leading St Helena’s plans to develop its tourism industry and its accommodation. In parallel, ESH is working with local businesses to ensure that the island’s tourist attractions are developed and accredited to international standards.

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the overall cost to his Department of data entry associated with universal credit.

    Mike Penning

    There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many estate agents were subject to (1) a warning notice, and (2) a prohibition order, for each year since 1984 under the Estate Agents Act 1979.

    Viscount Younger of Leckie

    Until 31 March 2014, the Office of Fair Trading was responsible for enforcing the Estate Agency Act 1979. Since then, its functions have been transferred to Powys County Council, under the National Trading Standards Board Umbrella.

    Data from the archived register for prohibition orders and warning notices in relation to the OFT and its predecessors was:

    Year

    Prohibition Orders

    Warning Notices

    Year

    Prohibition Orders

    Warning Notices

    2014

    7

    4

    2007

    13

    2

    2013

    3

    7

    2006

    2

    4

    2012

    10

    0

    2005

    6

    5

    2011

    0

    0

    2004

    1

    6

    2010

    1

    4

    2003

    3

    0

    2009

    9

    5

    2002

    2

    0

    2008

    8

    4

    2001

    0

    0

    Year

    Prohibition Order

    Warning Notice

    Year

    Prohibition Order

    Warning Notice

    2000

    2

    1

    1991

    8

    1

    1999

    2

    0

    1990

    2

    2

    1998

    0

    0

    1989

    1

    0

    1997

    0

    0

    1988

    6

    2

    1996

    2

    0

    1987

    3

    0

    1995

    3

    0

    1986

    12

    2

    1994

    5

    0

    1985

    5

    2

    1993

    7

    0

    1984

    0

    0

    1992

    5

    0