Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Selous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Selous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance will be provided to police officers on the implementation of the new drug driving offence; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department is in regular contact with the Police Service about the implementation of the new drug driving offence and has every confidence that the police will implement it effectively including the application of the statutory medical defence.

    The Police Service is in the process of amending their procedures, which will include the statutory medical defence and its operation. These will be issued in advance of the introduction of the new offence. This will provide each force plenty of time to consider the new procedures. We are confident forces will properly consider and include the new offence alongside current drink and drug drive training.

  • Mr Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Frank Field on 2014-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women who are victims of human trafficking are nationals of non-EEA countries have received return and reintegration assistance through the Assisted Voluntary Returns for Irregular Migrants programme since April 2011; and how much was so made available to those trafficked from (i) inside and (ii) outside the EU.

    Karen Bradley

    16 victims of trafficking (1 male, 15 female) have received financial
    assistance under the programme since April 2011.

    While the Assisted Voluntary Return for Irregular Migrants (AVRIM) programme
    does not normally include financial assistance, a discretionary sum of up to
    £1000 is provided for specified vulnerable cases, and this includes victims of
    trafficking. Assisted Voluntary Return is only available to non-EEA nationals
    and the support is not dependent upon whether the individual has arrived from
    inside or outside the EU.

    The figures provided are sourced from a Home Office management information
    system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and is
    subject to change due to internal data quality checking. Figures provided from
    this source do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated
    as provisional.

  • Dr Julian Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Dr Julian Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Lewis on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if it remains Government policy that barn conversions to dwellings without the need for planning permission will not be permitted in national parks; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    As I outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 6 March 2014, Official Report, Column 51WS, the permitted development right for the change of use from an agricultural building to a dwellinghouse does not apply in national parks. There are no plans to change this. However, we have been clear that we expect national parks and other local planning authorities to take a positive and proactive approach to sustainable development, balancing the protection of the landscape with the social and economic well-being of the area.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of eligible (a) male and (b) female offenders were recalled on a fixed term recall instead of a standard recall (i) in 2008, (ii) in 2009, (iii) in 2010, (iv) in 2011, (v) in 2012 and (vi) since 3 December 2012.

    Jeremy Wright

    It has not been possible to obtain this information. I will write to the Honourable member in due course.

  • George Howarth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    George Howarth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the forthcoming single pot funding and new round of European Regional Development Funding encourages economic development potential through science discovery collaborations planned between research-intensive universities and zoos.

    Michael Fallon

    The Local Growth Fund will be awarded to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) on a competitive basis, on the strength of the Strategic Economic Plans they submitted to Government at the end of March. It is for LEPs and other local partners to put forward the proposals that, based on their local knowledge, they consider will have the greatest impact on economic growth. Discussions between Government and LEPs are continuing, with the aim of announcing Growth Deals in the summer.

    For the 2014-2020 EU funding period the Government has asked Local Enterprise Partnerships to work with local partners to determine the investment priorities in their areas. Support to strengthen research, technological development and innovation will be a key objective for the European Regional Development Fund. The next stage is for local partners to work together to help develop a pipeline of projects that will meet the local investment priorities. BIS will advise the national stakeholder group which oversees the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund on whether these investments are meeting local, national and EU innovation objectives.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-10.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will place in the Library a copy of the newly-designed Household Registration Form and the Invitation to Register forms.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that these forms have been formally approved by the Minister of State, and as such the Cabinet Office will be placing them in the Library shortly.

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of patients with asthma who have received an asthma care plan; and when he expects all patients with asthma to have received such a plan.

    Jane Ellison

    Information on the number of asthma patients with a care plan is not collected. However, the Government’s mandate to NHS England says that by 2015, everyone with a long term condition should be offered a personalised care plan.

    NHS England is supporting clinical commissioning groups to improve out of hospital treatment for those with asthma by giving doctors more control over the commissioning of asthma services and improving information links between general practitioners and hospitals. The implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma quality standard, that sets out what good quality care looks like, will also raise the standard of care people with asthma receive.

    NHS England, through its National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease, will continue to work with Asthma UK and professional groups in both primary and secondary care to improve outcomes for all those with asthma.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-07.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, which local authorities in Great Britain failed the Standard Three performance standard for the completeness and accuracy of electoral registration records in 2013.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that this information was published and tabled in a written statement to the House on 31 March. The Commission has written to the hon. Member with a copy of the report.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures adopted following the Kinsella Review of anti-knife crime projects, published in February 2011; and if she will make a statement.

    Norman Baker

    There has been no formal assessment of the measures introduced following the
    publication of the Kinsella Review. However, we keep the current Ending Gang
    and Youth Violence programme under close review, which supports the work of the
    33 areas in England and Wales identified as having the most significant gang
    problems. This programme is aimed at tackling gang and youth violence and
    includes knife crime. Our assessment of the first year (2012-13) of the
    programme was positive, with local areas considering it to have been a success.
    We are currently finalising the assessment of the second year (2013-14).

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from local authorities about the extension of fines to letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

    Kris Hopkins

    Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

    We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.