Category: Speeches

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the trends in the incidence of dental caries among school children (a) in Bolton and (b) nationally since 2010.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There has been only one published survey of dental caries among schoolchildren which includes the Bolton area since 2010. This is the National Dental Epidemiology Programme for England: oral health survey of five-year-old children 2012, A report on the prevalence and severity of dental decay. This can be found at the following link:

    www.nwph.net/dentalhealth/survey-results5.aspx?id=1

    A comparison of selected findings from the survey, and from the previous survey of five year old children in England, published in 2009, the NHS Dental Epidemiology Programme for England, Oral Health Survey of 5 year old Children, 2007/2008 can be found at the following link:

    www.nwph.info/dentalhealth/survey-results.aspx?id=1

    The comparisons are supplied in the following table:

    Bolton Local Authority area

    2008

    2012

    Number of children examined

    298

    262

    Mean number decayed, missing or filled teeth (dmft)

    1.91

    1.85

    Proportion of children with lifetimes caries experience (% dmft>0)

    46.3%

    43.4%

    National (England)

    2008

    2012

    Number of children examined

    139,727

    133,516

    Mean number decayed, missing or filled teeth (dmft)

    1.11

    0.94

    Proportion of children with lifetimes caries experience (% dmft>0)

    30.9%

    27.9%
  • Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who took the decision not to announce the use of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in respect of members of the IRA in the London Gazette or the Belfast Gazette.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    There have been no instances in which the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM) has been issued in respect of paramilitaries in Northern Ireland since the current Government came to power in May 2010.

    I am not aware of any legal requirement to publish in the media information relating to the use of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM). In England and Wales, RPMs signed by HM the Queen, on the advice of the Secretary of State, are then passed to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery for sealing, who by convention subsequently places the notice in the London Gazette. By convention in Northern Ireland, RPMs signed by HM the Queen are not subsequently placed in the Belfast Gazette.

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are currently being held in prisons solely under immigration powers.

    James Brokenshire

    As at 3 June 2014 there were 790 detainees held in prison establishments solely under immigration powers, of whom 174 were held in HMP The Verne.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, during the shortlisting of the bid from Keolis and Eurostar to operate the East Coast Main Line franchise, they made representations to the government of France in respect of allowing United Kingdom companies to bid for passenger franchises on the French rail network.

    Baroness Kramer

    The UK Government continues to support the opening of rail markets across the European Union.

  • 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, when he expects the report of the Chilcot Inquiry into the war in Iraq to be published; what discussions Sir John Chilcot has had with those expected to be criticised in his report; if he will ensure that hon. Members are provided with a full paper copy of the report and all (a) oral and (b) written evidence that was presented to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war; 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.

  • Baroness Seccombe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Seccombe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Seccombe on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the breakdown of departmental spending in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on catering, hospitality and refreshments in (1) 2008–09, and (2) 2009–10.

    Lord De Mauley

    This table sets out the information requested, in respect of Core Defra.

    £

    2008-09

    2009-10

    Catering and Hospitality

    426,317

    545,253

    Refreshments

    18,574

    7,114

    The figures for Catering and Hospitality include a subsidy paid to the Department’s providers of in-house catering, hospitality and refreshments. The Department no longer pays such a subsidy.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent from the public purse on accommodating asylum seekers in (a) hotels and (b) bed and breakfasts, hostels and other establishments that provide lodging paid on a short-term basis in each year since May 2010; and how much was spent in each region.

    James Brokenshire

    Accommodation is provided to asylum applicants through contracts with third party suppliers. Providers are required to provide accommodation that is safe, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with the contractual Statement of Requirements agreed between themselves and the Home Office.

    There is no added expense to the Home Office when providers use B&B or hotel accommodation as short term contingency accommodation. Any and all additional costs are borne by the provider.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of child benefit fraud his Department is investigating.

    Nicky Morgan

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) approach to Child Benefit error and fraud is to verify all new claims and, on a risk basis, to check existing claims for incorrect information against data from other systems. Where HMRC consider that a claim may not be correct, they open an enquiry. Where the enquiry determines that the claim is incorrect, the claim or part of the claim is terminated.

    Child Benefit compliance enquires are carried out continually throughout the year and as at 31 March 2014, HMRC had 3565 ongoing cases.

  • 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 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 474, on unmanned air vehicles: guided weapons, if his Department will publish the method and results from the UK-US firing trials of Brimstone missiles from MQ-9 Reaper.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The firing trials successfully demonstrated rapid integration of Brimstone missiles onto the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted air system – safe carriage, safe release and system targeting – with a high success rate against static and high-speed manoeuvring targets.

    However, the final trials report has not yet been completed and it remains too early to say what information from the report, or the trial method, will be published.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government plans to take to deliver the commitments on nuclear security contained in paragraph 27 of the Hague Nuclear Security Summit Communiqué held in the Hague on 24 and 25 March 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    Safety and security are top priorities for the Government and there is a robust security framework in place for the civil nuclear industry. We seek continuous improvement in line with internationally established principles. The UK has a strong and effective independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), which ensures compliance with the requirements placed on duty holders by the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 (as amended) and the performance-based National Objectives, Requirements and Model Standards (NORMS). There is extensive engagement between the Government, ONR and duty holders. The full set of UK commitments made at the Nuclear Security Summit which go towards meeting paragraph 27 of the Summit’s Communiquécan be found at the following link:

    https://www.nss2014.com/sites/default/files/documents/140321_uk_national_statement_on_commitments.pdf

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