Category: Speeches

  • The Countess of Mar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The Countess of Mar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether social services departments are required to maintain a record of children with disabilities who are subject to child protection investigation under the Equality Act 2010.

    Lord Nash

    Under the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011, local authorities are required to publish information demonstrating compliance with the public sector equalities duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. Whilst this information must include “information relating to persons who share a relevant protected characteristic who are affected by its policies and practices”, this does not specifically require the publication of information about children with disabilities who are subject to child protection investigations.

    Local authorities are, however, required to report annually on the numbers of children in need who have a disability (as defined by section 6 of the Equality Act 2010) as part of the Children in Need Census data collection. This data is collected under section 83 of the Children Act 1989. As part of this collection, local authorities report on the number of children with disabilities who are subject to child protection investigations under section 47 of the Children Act 1989.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is given to driving examiners who test students in laden lorries.

    Stephen Hammond

    Potential large goods vehicle (LGV) examiners are required to hold the relevant driving licence entitlement for the category of vehicle they will be testing. In the case of laden lorries that is either category C or category CE.

    Initial training courses last five weeks with a ratio of two trainees to each trainer. Courses emphasise health and safety issues connected with working practices, test centres and vehicles. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducts regular progress checks which culminate in a final test and end-of-course evaluation.

    Since early 2010 some of the vehicles used to train examiners to conduct category C and CE practical driving tests have been loaded with independent bulk containers to simulate a lorry carrying a commercial load. Consequently during training all potential LGV examinersare trained and examined using loaded vehicles. Before 2010, some category CE training made use of concrete blocks on the trailer to simulate a load.

    DVSA also delivers refresher courses for examiners who have not conducted LGV testing for six months or more which readdress the most important elements of the initial training course.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 6 March (HL Deb, col 1522), whether the proposed judge-led public inquiry into undercover policing will be a statutory one that falls within the Inquiries Act 2005.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The judge-led public inquiry into undercover policing will be established under the Inquiries Act 2005.

    As I said to the House when I repeated the Home Secretary’s statement on 6 March 2014, Official Report, columns 1518-1526, there is significant further work that needs to take place before the public inquiry can begin its work. That further work will inform the scope of the inquiry and its terms of reference.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent progress her Department has made in promoting development relating to water sanitation and hygiene; and if she will make a statement.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID aims to meet our commitments to support 60 million people to gain access to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), through a range of programmes delivered by our Country Offices and from central teams. Details of our current WASH programmes are available on the DFID website (http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk).

    Progress made through our on-going WASH programmes is detailed in the ‘DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13. Results from the implementation of more recent commitments will be detailed in the next Annual Report.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many deaths in fires in domestic properties in England there were in each year since 1999.

    Brandon Lewis

    The number of fatal casualties from fires in domestic properties in England has reduced by 42% from 1998/99 to 2012/13. The data for each year is provided in the table below.

    The Government remains committed to ensuring the fire safety of people in their own homes. The Department’s long-running fire safety campaign – established in 1988 and re-branded as Fire Kills in 1999 – is delivered in partnership with fire and rescue authorities across England. The award-winning campaign promotes a range of fire safety messages, primarily around the importance of working smoke alarms, to help drive down the number of fires and associated casualties.

    Year

    Fatalities in dwelling fires in England

    1998/99

    361

    1999/00

    343

    2000/01

    336

    2001/02

    355

    2002/03

    307

    2003/04

    333

    2004/05

    277

    2005/06

    280

    2006/07

    259

    2007/08

    275

    2008/09

    255

    2009/10

    252

    2010/11

    252

    2011/12

    233

    2012/13

    211
  • John Randall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Randall on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department has provided to (a) Serbia and (b) Bosnia-Herzegovina following recent flooding in those countries.

    Mr David Lidington

    I discussed the impact of the floods with Prime Minister Vucic of Serbia in Belgrade on 2 June and with Prime Minister Bevanda in Sarajevo on 3 June. During my visit to the region I also met the Serbian Red Cross and travelled to Maglaj in Bosnia-Herzegovina to meet the Mayor and representatives of World Vision.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), between 18 and 23 May a thirty-three person water rescue team from the British Fire Service was deployed to work alongside EUFOR Operation Althea and local rescue efforts. They rescued nearly 200 people, delivered large amounts of humanitarian aid, and helped restore power in villages North of Bijeljina.

    In Serbia, the UK provided 64 radios for the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, to assist with the coordination of their response teams; and donated £280,000 worth of heavy lift and transport vehicles to the Serbian Red Cross to aid their relief distribution effort.

    A team from the UK flew out to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the week commencing 20 May to assess likely humanitarian and recovery needs. During my visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina I was able to announce that the UK had approved £250,000 to support a World Vision flood response project in the region focussing on sanitation and health and providing support for 140,000 people made homeless by the floods.

    In addition to this bilateral support, the UK provided support to BiH, Serbia and Croatia through the EU, UN and other international organisations. In BiH, EUFOR Operation Althea, to which the UK contributes troops in-theatre and in reserve, assisted the BiH Armed Forces in their response to the flooding. The First Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, who provide part of EUFOR’s intermediate reserve, and are in BiH for a routine operational rehearsal, will assist the BiH Armed Forces in this regard.

    The UK has worked closely with the EU European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), and offered advice and assistance during all phases of the flood response effort. ECHO have released €3.2m in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable population in BiH and in Serbia (to which the UK will have contributed 15%).

    The government will work closely with the UNDP, the EU and other international organisations to assess what further help might be given to help both Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina recover from the impact of the floods.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, columns 509-10W, on the Electoral Register, with which national organisations his Department is working to encourage people to register to vote.

    Greg Clark

    Five national organisations have received funding as part of the Government’s measures to maximise voter registration.

    The Government is working with a number of other groups such as the British Youth Council and Operation Black Vote.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fabian Hamilton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of replacing live animals with simulators in armed forces trauma training; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he will announce (a) additional funding for and (b) a help and advice service to schools on universal free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    The Chancellor announced in his Autumn Statement on 5 December that we would be providing over £1 billion of additional revenue funding over the next two financial years, and £150 million of capital funding in 2014-15, to support the introduction of universal infant free school meals.

    On 6 March we published a departmental advice document which sets out further information about the funding available and about the support available to schools. This document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals

    On 6 March we also launched a support service, which consists of a telephone and online advice service for schools, local authorities and caterers and a direct-support service for schools facing significant challenges. The service is being provided by school food experts, the Children’s Food Trust and the Lead Association for Catering in Education, in conjunction with a number of delivery partners. More information is available at: http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/Root/schools/schoolfoodplan

    “

  • Lord Jenkin of Roding – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Jenkin of Roding – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jenkin of Roding on 2014-05-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish drafts of the several orders and regulations implementing the electricity market reforms under the Energy Act 2013; when they plan to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable the drafts to be debated; and when they expect that any orders and regulations that are approved will come into force.

    Baroness Verma

    The implementing secondary legislation for Electricity Market Reform (EMR) is currently being finalised. It is the Government’s intention that these regulations will be laid before the House at the beginning of June 2014 and published concurrently.

    The regulations will then be scrutinised by both the JCSI (Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation) and the SLSC (Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee). Should the regulations be approved by the committees, then Business Managers in both Houses will be asked to schedule scrutiny debates. Once debated, approval motions will be tabled in both Houses.

    Subject to the will of Parliament, it is intended that the Regulations will come into force around 1 August 2014.

    Additionally at the beginning of June, the Government will publish the response to four consultations:

    · Electricity Market Reform: Consultation on Proposals for Implementation (October 2013)

    · EMR: Consultation on industry code and licence modifications (January 2014)

    · EMR: Contracts for Difference Regulations – Consultation on Directions to Offer Contracts for Difference (March 2014)

    · EMR: Consultation on Balancing and Settlement Code subsidiary documents (April 2014)

    We will also publish an accompanying handbook setting out the final detailed policy of EMR, titled Implementing Electricity Market Reform.

    The publication of this information alongside the laying of legislation provides certainty to industry on final EMR policy design and keeps EMR on track for delivery this year.