Category: Speeches

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Brandon Lewis

    My Department does not routinely record this information in the format requested. However, this Administration has cut spending significantly on office supplies, cutting expenditure from £480,180 (inc VAT) in 2009-10 to £73,738 in 2013-14.

    In 2010, we conducted an internal review of the Department’s spend on office supplies which highlighted several opportunities to achieve savings. A rationalised list of stationery items was created which:

    · reduced the available catalogue of items from around 3,500 to approximately 220;

    · replaced higher value branded items, with non-branded equivalents; and

    · adopted recycled printer toners and copier paper.

    Significant savings were also achieved by aggregating the spend of all Departments and awarding a single Cabinet Office contract for stationery items and one for electronic office supplies (printer toners and other consumables). These contracts were awarded in September 2011 and DCLG were among the first departments to adopt them in November 2011.

    As part of our planned move of office accommodation this summer (to share with the Home Office to save taxpayers’ money), stationery across the department will be surrendered and pooled, with the potential to save money by not ordering items locally and preventing a build-up of surplus stationery stock.

    I hope this illustrates how every bit of the public sector has the potential to deliver sensible savings on back office costs.

  • 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 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions have been brought for tax offences in each year since 2008-09.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is not a prosecuting authority. Where cases do proceed to the criminal courts the prosecution is carried out by the relevant independent prosecuting authority. This is the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in Scotland, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI).

    Please note that figures for tax evasion exclude those cases prosecuted for money laundering, other prohibitions and restrictions and other non-fiscal offences.

    We can provide the following information in respect of totals of tax evasion prosecutions

    Year

    Total number of persons prosecuted for tax evasion

    2010-11

    372

    2011-12

    501

    2012-13

    739

    2013-14

    880

    HMRC is not able to supply a time series of full year prosecution decisions and convictions resulting from their criminal investigations for years up to 2009–10. Complete, comparable data is only available from 2010–11 onwards.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ratify the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government, along with the British Red Cross, has pledged to facilitate the UK’s ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and believes ratification of the Convention and its two Protocols will strengthen our commitment to the protection of our own heritage, and highlight our respect for the cultural property of other nations. However, as yet it has not been possible to secure the parliamentary time needed to pass the relevant legislation.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many child victims and witnesses have given evidence from insside a court building in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Green

    We must do everything we can to support child witnesses and help them give their best possible evidence to bring offenders to justice.

    The department does not hold data on the number of child victim and witnesses that use video links to give evidence (either a court building, or from a remote site).

    The list below sets out the number of courthouses in each of the seven HMCTS Regions in England & Wales; criminal justice is a devolved matter for Scotland and Northern Ireland. These facilities enable any victim or witness to appear by video link from a different court location to that of the trial court; it is also possible for third party users to access the court system through a secure bridge.

    HMCTS Region

    Number of courthouses enabled for remote video link.

    Wales

    22

    London

    32

    South East

    52

    South West

    35

    Midlands

    40

    North West

    31

    North East

    37

    Total

    249
  • 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 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the merits of requiring all schools in the UK to fly the Union flag.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education has made no such assessment.

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims have been submitted for personal independence payment in each month since its introduction.

    Mike Penning

    Further to the figures published on 5th June 2014. The table below shows how many claims have been submitted for Personal Independence Payment:

    New claims not made under Special Rules for Terminally Ill People

    New claims made under Special Rules for Terminally Ill People

    All PIP New Claims

    Apr-13

    3000

    200

    3100

    May-13

    4800

    200

    5000

    Jun-13

    23000

    900

    23800

    Jul-13

    34200

    1500

    35700

    Aug-13

    30600

    1300

    31900

    Sep-13

    33800

    1300

    35100

    Oct-13

    35600

    1500

    37100

    Nov-13

    33300

    1400

    34700

    Dec-13

    22000

    1200

    23200

    Jan-14

    38000

    1600

    39500

    Feb-14

    39000

    1400

    40400

    Mar-14

    37900

    1500

    39500

    Apr-13 – Mar 14

    335100

    13900

    349000

    · Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100, therefore totals may not sum due to rounding.

    · Whether a claim is a ‘New claim made under Special Rules for Terminally Ill People’ has been determined at the point of registration.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-official-statistics-june-2014

    “

  • Julian Sturdy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Sturdy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2014, from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1005, what assessment he has made of how the farming and forestry improvement scheme might help those affected by flooding.

    George Eustice

    The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme was reviewed at the end of February and revised to offer support to rural businesses affected by flooding.

    The scheme now funds additional items, such as pumps, that will help businesses to become more resilient to future flooding. It also offers an increase in grant rates.

    Applications from those affected by flooding are being prioritised and the deadline for applications has been extended.

  • Biography information for David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Biography information for David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for David Hanson on Home Office.

    1

    Karen Bradley

    Combating cyber crime is a core part of the National Cyber Security Strategy,
    which is underpinned by the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) with £860
    million of new investment over five years. The NCSP funds a range of work to
    tackle cyber crime, including strengthening law enforcement capabilities with
    the establishment of the National Cyber Crime Unit in the National Crime
    Agency, and cyber teams within each of the Regional Organised Crime Units
    (ROCUs) across England and Wales, as well as developing the capability of local
    police forces. It also funds the Cyber Streetwise campaign, and the Action
    Fraud reporting system for cyber crime that is run by City of London Police.

  • John Spellar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Spellar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Norway, (b) Finland and (c) Sweden about the security situation in the Scandinavian region.

    Mr David Lidington

    We have a strong and regular dialogue with Norway, Finland and Sweden on security and defence issues at both ministerial and official level, bilaterally and in the context of regional groupings such as the EU and NATO. In the past year, I have met with my counterparts, and a number of government officials, from each of Norway, Finland and Sweden, as well as the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister and Finnish Prime Minister.

  • Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching on Transport.

    1

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Since consultation on options for a new Lower Thames crossing closed in July 2013, the Secretary of State for Transport has continued to discuss the potential construction of the Lower Thames Crossing with his officials and colleagues. My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State made a Written Statement to the House on 12 December 2013 and intends to make an announcement on the further consideration of Options A and C as soon as possible.

    As for the Thames Gateway Bridge, it is for the Mayor and Transport for London to decide which schemes in London to develop and promote. The Secretary of State for Transport has regular meetings with the Mayor of London at which various matters are discussed.