Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 March (WA 74), whether they will consider monitoring the nutrition and health of children in families when benefit sanctions are imposed on a primary care-giver; and if not, why not.

    Lord Freud

    The Government does not collect nutrition and health data in the way described and has no plans to do so.

    Claimants are expected to take reasonable steps to prepare for or find work. Safeguards are in place to ensure claimants are capable of achieving these steps, that they are appropriate to helping them towards or into work. These safeguards include claimants and their advisers agreeing what the actions will be, claimants being asked to give their reason for complying with the agreed actions before a sanction is imposed, the right to request a reconsideration of a decision and to lodge an appeal with Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service.

    Claimants whose benefit is sanctioned can apply for hardship payments

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of lethal targeting by remotely-piloted air systems on security in Afghanistan.

    Mr Mark Francois

    UK forces, and the wider ISAF mission, have materially improved the security of Afghanistan since 2001. This allowed the developed Afghan National Security Forces to assume lead security responsibility for their own country from June 2013. As an integral capability of UK forces, Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are assessed to have made a valuable contribution, both in their surveillance and strike roles, to the improved security situation.

    All UK forces operate in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK’s clearly defined Rules of Engagement, which cover the use of RPAS, are formulated on this basis.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. It is never acceptable for a child to be bullied, victimised or harmed in any way and the Government does not want any young person to be absent from school due to the effects of bullying.

    All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Ofsted now holds schools clearly to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, school inspectors consider pupil behaviour and safety, which includes how well schools prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.

    In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers’ powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying.

    We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the DianaAward, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau, to develop effective measures in school to prevent and tackle bullying.

    Good schools create a positive ethos with clear expectations about pupil behaviour that prevent bullying from happening in the first place and deal with it quickly if it does occur.

    We recognise the effect that bullying can have, that is why on 17 March 2014 we published a factsheet to help schools identify and support pupils which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students received disabled students’ allowance in Brighton and Hove local authority area in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

    Mr David Willetts

    Information on students awarded and paid Disabled Students’ Allowance is published annually by Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education England‘. The latest statistics are available at the following link:

    http://www.slc.co.uk/media/694170/slcsfr052013.pdf

    A further breakdown for Brighton and Hove local authority has been provided in the table. Equivalent figures for the academic year 2013/14 will be available from November 2014.

    Students in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance from Brighton and Hove Local Authority

    Academic Year 2012/13

    Effective date: 13/11/2013

    Academic Year

    2012/13

    Application Type

    Number Paid DSA

    Full-Time Application

    450

    Part-Time Application

    10

    Post Graduate DSA

    80

    Total

    530

    Notes:

    [1] Disabled Student Allowance may be paid to the Student or to a Supplier on the student’s behalf.

    [2] Figures are derived from the Post Code of the applicant’s home address.

    [3] The effective date is that of the November 2013 Awards Statistical First Release. The figures are therefore provisional and do not include students who were awarded DSA after November 2013.

    [4] DSA Payments may be made at any point during the Academic Year or after the end of the Academic Year.

    [5] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not add to the sum of the components due to rounding.

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  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    Gregory Barker

    I refer the hon. Member to answer given by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March 2014, Official Report, Column 300W.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a breakdown by firm of expenditure by his Department on (a) consultants and (b) consultancy firms in each of the last four years.

    Stephen Hammond

    Information requested will be deposited in the library and provides the spend details per financial year for the period 2010 to 2014.

  • 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 steps her Department has taken in the last 12 months to reduce the burden of administration for the police.

    Damian Green

    This Government has acted so that the police focus on fighting crime and not processing paperwork. Our work which has already taken place to reduce bureaucracy could see up to 4.5 million hours of police time saved across all forces every year – the equivalent of over 2,100 officers back on the beat.

    In the last 12 months we have established the Police Innovation Fund to support innovative delivery approaches to policing and free up officer time to fight crime. We have extended the use of police-led prosecutions, reducing bureaucracy for officers dealing with high-volume offences. We have also introduced an improved approach to dealing with Missing People so resources are deployed more intelligently.

    We are producing digital case files to improve file build and reduce paperwork and we are supporting all forces to develop digital solutions so officers can submit information via mobile devices and not have to return to the station to fill in forms.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of 2014DIN05-011 Claims and insurance provisions for the use of Ministry of Defence vehicles in the UK and overseas and the process for ordering new motor insurance certificates or green cards.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    A copy of Defence Instruction Notice 2014DIN05-011 regarding claims and insurance provisions for the use of Ministry of Defence vehicles in the UK and overseas and the process for ordering new motor insurance certificates or green cards will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.

    David Mundell

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March, Official Report, Column 300W.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 14 May (WA512), where all past public duty cost allowance audit reports compiled by the National Audit Office, including all (1) submitted receipts, and (2) supporting documentation provided in support of former Prime Ministers’ claims, may be accessed; and whether they will place copies of all such audit reports, regarding each former Prime Minister’s spending in the last 20 years, in the Library of the House.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The Public Duty Cost Allowance (PDCA) is subject to audit, both by Internal Audit and the National Audit Office. Relevant supporting documentation is provided in support of claims. The Certificate and Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General to the House of Commons is published as part of the Cabinet Office Annual Report. Copies of the Annual Report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts.

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