Category: Speeches

  • Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dominic Raab on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding for the extraction of North Sea oil has come from (a) the Government, (b) the Scottish Executive and (c) the private sector in each of the last 20 years.

    Michael Fallon

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

    Government departments and agencies, including notably the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its predecessor departments, have for many years supported research aimed at identifying UK hydrocarbon potential and finding ways of finding and extracting it more cost-effectively. Comprehensive records of the amount spent on such activities by year across Government are not available.

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have detailed information on the annual expenditure of the Scottish Executive.

    Estimates of total annual pre-tax expenditure in £ billions by the private sector on finding and developing UK hydrocarbons (oil and gas, in the North Sea as well as elsewhere in the UK and on the UK Continental Shelf) for the period 1994–2013 are given in the table below. More detailed information through to 2012 is available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-uk-field-data#ukcs-income-and-expenditure.

    1994

    1995

    1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    2000

    2001

    2002

    2003

    8.5

    9.4

    9.4

    9.6

    9.9

    7.8

    7.5

    8.3

    8.6

    8.2

    2004

    2005

    2006

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    8.4

    9.9

    12.0

    12.4

    13.1

    13.3

    14.9

    18.3

    21.8

    25.8

    “

  • Mr Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mr Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Gordon Marsden on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to enforce the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 in the shipping industry; and which regulatory body is responsible for such enforcement on (a) UK and (b) overseas-flagged vessels in UK ports.

    Stephen Hammond

    A contravention of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations can be notified either to the port State authorities or directly to the appropriate enforcement team. For example, a breach of National Minimum Wage regulations could be reported directly to the HMRC Enforcement Team or gender discrimination could be reported to the Equal Opportunities Commission

    Enforcement action for a contravention occurring where the Regulations are applicable on UK flagged vessels would be undertaken by the relevant enforcement team (as per above) for that infringement.

    Enforcement action for a contravention on board a foreign flagged vessel, which whilst more complex in its application, would similarly be undertaken where the Regulations are applicable to either that vessel or an individual concerned.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many homes in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Birmingham have been bought under the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme to date.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government publishes quarterly official statistics relating to the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. The first of these were published on 29 May 2014.

    This report, along with accompanying tables, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-to-buy-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-quarterly-statistics-october-2013-to-march-2014

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress he has made in negotiations with the European Commission on a derogation from the ban on the import or manufacture of incandescent bulbs; and if he will make a statement.

    Gregory Barker

    Responsibility for energy-using products policy, including negotiations for product-specific regulations under the Ecodesign for Energy-related Products Directive, was transferred from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the Department of Energy and Climate Change on 3rd March 2014.

    There are no provisions allowing the European Commission or individual Member States to create exemptions from Regulation 244/2009, which phases out of incandescent bulbs.

    The UK has been proactive in pressing to ensure EU policy and legislation takes full account of the potential health implications of artificial lighting, and has raised the issue in two recent meetings in Brussels. EC regulation 244/2009 will be reviewed later this year and we will continue to press for potential health implications to be considered.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many crimes were reported to the police in York in each year since 2004-05.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress his Department has made in mobilising the mid-scale solar photovoltaic sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Gregory Barker

    On Friday 4th April I launched the UK’s first Solar PV Strategy, which set out our ambition for Solar PV in the UK. Central to this is an emphasis on deployment on Commercial and Industrial buildings as well as domestic roof tops, rather than large scale ground-mounted systems.

    The solar strategy sets out a number of wide ranging actions which will encourage deployment in this part of the sector.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many young people (a) started and (b) completed apprenticeships in (i) York Central constituency, (ii) York local education authority, (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iv) England in each year since 1995-96.

    Matthew Hancock

    Data are not available prior to 2000. Estimates for the proportion of young people in training, employment and education separately are not available.

    Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts and achievements by geography and age is published in supplementary tables to a Statistical First Release:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships–2

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308808/apprenticeship-starts-by-geography-level-and-age.xls

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296382/apprenticeship-achievements-by-geography-level-and-age.xlsm

    “

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of moves to gender-neutral services on support for women victims of domestic violence; and if she will make a statement.

    Norman Baker

    Decisions on how best to fund services for victims of domestic violence are
    most effectively addressed at a local level based on the needs of local
    communities. This includes an assessment of the need for gender-specific
    services.

    The Home Office has received representations from voluntary sector
    organisations raising concerns about local commissioning of generic and
    gender-neutral services for victims of domestic violence. The updated Violence
    Against Women and Girls Action Plan, published on 8 March 2014, accordingly
    makes supporting effective local approaches a priority area. The Plan sets out
    clear commitments to:
    • deliver a programme of regional engagement to support all local commissioners;
    • establish a cross-Government task and finish group to drive good practice in
    the commissioning of local services; and,
    • part-fund a series of dedicated commissioning masterclasses to support the
    women’s sector to engage with the new commissioning landscape.

    Progress on supporting effective local approaches to commissioning of services
    will be monitored by the Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women and
    Girls, chaired by the Home Secretary.

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many workplace capability assessments have been processed by Atos within 35 working days to date.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many insurance fraud cases were struck out due to exaggerated or fabricated personal injury claims in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is committed to turning the tide on fraudulent personal injury claims. To this end, it is considering what specific reforms might be appropriate, including whether the Law Commission should be asked to consider this issue. We will make our conclusions known in due course.

    No figures are available on the number of exaggerated or fabricated personal injury claims struck out by the courts. Figures for 2011 published by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) indicate that whiplash claims cost customers more than £2 billion a year and add £90 to the average motor insurance premium.

    The ABI describe 7% of all motor claims in 2011 – worth £441m – as fraudulent. In addition, they estimate that a further £1 billion of motor insurance fraud went undetected in 2011.

    As announced last year, we are working with stakeholders in the industry to tighten the medical evidence process so that only evidence from accredited experts can be considered, and the costs for those reports can be fixed. This will mean people can no longer profit from exaggerated or fraudulent compensation claims but victims with genuine cases can still get the help they deserve. We are introducing these reforms later in the year. We are also working to secure better data on motor accident cases, including the number of fraudulent cases.