Category: Speeches

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential need for a separate national policy on the collection, use and retention of data gathered by unmanned or other surveillance aircraft operating in the UK.

    Damian Green

    None. Existing regulation and guidance, which includes the surveillance camera
    code of practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, applies to
    the use of aircraft including remotely piloted aerial vehicles. The code
    provides a framework of good practice for surveillance camera operators in
    England and Wales and sets out obligations arising from other legislation,
    including those for the processing of personal data under the Data Protection
    Act 1998. Any covert surveillance undertaken by a public authority which is
    likely to obtain private information would be subject to authorisation under
    the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-03-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many former unaccompanied children who have exhausted their appeal rights have been served with removal directions in each of the last five years, and to date in 2014.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    For the purpose of answering this question, ‘unaccompanied children’ has been interpreted as unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

    The following table gives data on the number of removal directions (RD) set for formerunaccompanied asylum seeking children who have exhausted their appeal rights from 2009 to 2013.

    Year Removal Direction was set

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    Total

    Individuals with Removal Direction set

    29

    82

    188

    146

    158

    603

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will discuss with the administrators of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war a final date for publication; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Iraq Inquiry is independent of government, and should be allowed to complete its work without interference.

    Neither I nor Ministers have had any discussions with or made any representations to the Inquiry. Nor have I discussed the Inquiry with President Obama.

    The Inquiry has sought the declassification of material for inclusion in its report from many thousands of documents, some of which have been or will be published. Government does not, as a rule, comment on any discussions between officials and the Inquiry.

    The Maxwellisation process is a matter for the Inquiry.

    The Government remains committed to ensuring that the Inquiry’s final report will be able to disclose all but the most sensitive information which will be determined in accordance with the protocol governing the disclosure of documentary evidence which is available through the Inquiry website.

    Timing of the delivery of the report to me is a matter for the Inquiry, but it is my hope that the Inquiry can complete its work before the end of the year. Upon publication, copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  • Lord Fellowes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Fellowes – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Lord Chancellor considers that the rehabilitation and behaviour of prisoners will be encouraged by preventing them receiving books by post.

    Lord Faulks

    Up to 12 books may be held by prisoners in their cell at any one time. Prisoners may have additional books stored locally at the prison. Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access.

    Ministers have not made any policy changes specifically about the availability of books in prisons. The changes to the Incentives and Earned Privileges national policy framework we introduced last year in relation to parcels were introduced to ensure consistency across the estate and to make sure that security can be maintained. There have always been controls on the sending of parcels into prisons, and allowing parcels to be sent in unrestricted would be operationally unmanageable and would lead to a significant risk of drugs and other illicit items being smuggled into prisons.

    The National Offender Management Service works closely with the Shannon Trust to support schemes such as ‘Toe by Toe’, which includes peer mentoring to improve reading levels.

  • Marcus Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Marcus Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marcus Jones on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on improvements to the railways in England and Wales in Control Period 4; and what estimate he has made of how much will be spent in Control Period 5.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Over Control Period 4, the total amount spent on enhancements on the railways in England and Wales, as set out in Network Rail’s delivery plan update, was £7.557 billion (2012/13 prices).

    Over Control Period 5, it is estimated that £11.446 billion.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will make it his policy to introduce the option of anonymity for victims of female genital mutilation in court trials.

    Oliver Heald

    The Crown Prosecution Service recognises that more needs to be done to encourage victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) to come forward. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said that the introduction of anonymity for victims of FGM should be considered to encourage more victims to come forward as, given the very personal nature of the offence, very few do so. However, any change of law on anonymity is a matter for the Ministry of Justice.

  • 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, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, from which squadron armed forces have been deployed at Camp Lemonnier; and what role is undertaken by each UK officer embedded with US forces at that location.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The three UK Armed Forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJFT-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti are currently from the Royal Regiment of Artillery, the Corps of Royal Engineers, and the Intelligence Corps. Their roles involve planning and supporting US military operations in East Africa.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what records his Department keeps of use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.

    Mr David Laws

    This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the review of personal independence payment operational systems and problems recommended by the National Audit Office in February 2014 was undertaken; what the outcome of the review was; and when it will be published.

    Mike Penning

    We are committed to driving up PIP performance and we are taking action to improve this by working with providers and reviewing DWP internal processes.

    We continuously review the initiatives that link to the NAO actions.

  • Mrs Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mrs Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Cheryl Gillan on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, who has been appointed as a non-executive director of his Department since the publication of information on non-executive directors in his Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13; what the date of each such appointment was; what annual fee is payable to each such person; what expenses and allowances each such person has claimed to date; and what other interests or employment each such person has.

    Gregory Barker

    Since the last annual report Martin Stewart has joined the Department as lead non-executive director on 3rd June 2013; and Tom Kelly joined on 3rd February 2014.

    Martin Stewart is CEO of Eurotaxglass Ltd. He is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee on London 2017 Ltd, and Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of SIS Ltd.

    Tom Kelly is currently the corporate communications director at Network Rail. He moves to become Strategic Communications Adviser for HS2 on 1st April 2014.

    Their fees are £20,000 PA and £15,000 PA respectively. Neither has claimed expenses from the Department since taking up their role.