Category: Speeches

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the safety of the family court estate for victims of domestic abuse during cases involving child contact.

    Caroline Dinenage

    HMCTS takes the issue of security within its courts extremely seriously and has in place a robust security and safety system to protect all court users, and the judiciary, in every family court. Risk assessments are carried out regularly by court managers and assured by security and safety professionals to ensure adequate protection measures are in place. These measures include inter-agency agreements to ensure the safety and security of victims and witnesses when attending court, such as support and escorts into the building and – where possible – alternative entry and exit routes and separate waiting rooms.

    There are also court security officers in place who have legislative powers to protect all those in the court building. Security measures include mandatory bag searches, the use of modern security searching equipment and surveillance cameras, and panic alarms in hearing rooms. Our security standards are continually reviewed to ensure they are effective, proportionate and effectively mitigate against the risks posed to court users, including victims of domestic abuse.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-03-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Prior of Brampton on 2 February (HL5773) and 7 March (HL6225), whether the previously licensed research to perform genome editing in human embryos by means of CRISPR-Cas9 has commenced; if so, when that research actually commenced and when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) received evidence of ethics approval; if not, how the HFEA has confirmed that the newly approved activities have not already commenced prior to receipt of evidence of ethics approval; and whether the delay due to the absence of evidence of ethics approval has applied only to genome editing or also to all activities previously covered by the same licence.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the research referred to by the Noble Lord has not commenced. When ethics approval has been received, the person responsible is required to provide evidence of this to the HFEA. The ethics approval applies to new activities in the research project, including the use of CRISPR-Cas9.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, who the Government’s representative was at the MaMa-COHAFA (Council Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid) meeting in Brussels on 11 April 2016.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK was represented by officials from the Department for International Development and the UK Representation to the EU.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much EU funding the UK has received to tackle climate change in each of the last 10 years.

    Amber Rudd

    DECC does not hold this information centrally and to collate it would incur disproportionate costs.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many compensation claims have been made against NHS hospitals related to treatment received by patients.

    David Mowat

    The Department does not hold the information to answer this question. This data has been provided by the National Health Service Litigation Authority.

    In 2014/15 (the most recent year for which information has been published) 11,497 new clinical negligence claims were received by the NHS Litigation Authority which indemnifies all English National Health Service trusts, clinical commissioning groups and some independent sector providers. This number therefore includes claims related to organisations other than NHS hospitals. Claims can arise some years after an incident so this number represents the number of claims notified to Members in 2014/15 regardless of when the incident occurred. Not all these claims will result in financial compensation being awarded to the claimant.

    This information is available on the NHS Litigation Authority’s website in Fact sheets:

    www.nhsla.com/CurrentActivity/Pages/Home.aspx

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he is providing to Fintech after the vote to leave the EU.

    Simon Kirby

    The UK is recognised as the world’s leading FinTech capital, with recent reports such as EY’s ‘UK FinTech: on the cutting edge’ and Deloitte’s ‘Connecting Global FinTech: Hub Review 2016’ placing the UK and London as the number one location for FinTech in the world.

    The government is determined to continue to help support UK FinTech firms as they innovate and grow, and wants to ensure that the UK remains the location of choice for FinTech firms. As such, we are continuing to implement a range of our previously announced policies which are designed to reduce barriers to entry for FinTechs, help industry accelerate the development of key FinTech initiatives and ease access to foreign markets. We are also assessing other initiatives which can further help support the growth of UK FinTech, in consultation with the industry.

    In July, we launched our second FinTech Bridge with the Republic of Korea – increasing the opportunities for trade and investment between our two nations on FinTech, and deepening regulatory and government collaboration.

    Following the vote to leave the European Union, the government is engaging extensively with the sector. I will be meeting with the sector this month to discuss what they are looking for out of the European negotiations, and what more the government can do in the short and medium term to support the sector.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Valerie Vaz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of redundancies in the UK steel industry on the proportion of defence procurement that arises from UK businesses.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Steel is sourced by our contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers, reflecting the need to ensure competitive cost, time and quality. The Ministry of Defence has not directly made an assessment of the likely effect of redundancies in the UK steel industry but, is represented on the cross-Government steel procurement working group led by the Cabinet Office, and new Government guidelines, which include the need for effective pre-procurement engagement, will help UK suppliers compete for contracts and continue to support future defence requirements for steel.

  • Dr Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Dr Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Eilidh Whiteford on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to ensure there is timely reduction in the backlog of safety-critical maintenance in the offshore oil and gas industry.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The responsibility for any backlog in safety-critical maintenance in the offshore oil and gas industry lies with the operators of the offshore installations. The Health and Safety Executive is in dialogue with OGUK, the principal industry representative body, regarding how best industry can track, report and improve upon its performance in this area.

    The Health and Safety Executive has a programme of inspections of offshore installations. Examination of the standards of maintenance is a key part of the inspection programme and inspectors are empowered to require improvements where standards fall below legal requirements.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference his oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights of 16 December 2015, Question 20, HC 574, whether his Department’s position was that the UK was in an armed conflict (a) before, (b) on the date of or (c) as a result of the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan of 21 August 2015.

    Michael Fallon

    An armed conflict was occuring in Syria at the time of the air strike on 21 August 2015.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations his Department has received on laser pens being pointed at aircraft in flight.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    This Department has received 7 representations following the laser incident involving a Virgin Atlantic aircraft travelling from London Heathrow to New York JFK on 14th February 2016.

    These representations have been concerned with a range of questions around the frequency of laser strikes and whether legislation should be introduced to place a ban on the sale of laser pens. A cross-Whitehall discussion has been arranged to explore these options and consider what further measures could be taken to address the threat from the misuse of laser pens.

    There is specific legislation prohibiting the use of laser pens against aircraft. Under the Air Navigation Order (2009), it is an offence to direct or shine any light at any aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot of the aircraft