Category: Speeches

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of persecution of Christians in North Korea; what steps he is taking within the international community to address that issue; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I made clear in my response to Oral questions on 8 April that the UN Commission of Inquiry’s report documents a persecution of christians which is truly shocking. The UK played a leading role in ensuring a strong Human Rights Council resolution in response to this report. My Written Ministerial Statement on 31 March 2014 sets out a summary of the concrete measures in the DPRK resolution to ensure the work of the COI continues in order that those responsible for human right violations and crimes against humanity will one day be brought to account.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to promote the video games tax relief to video games producers.

    Mr David Gauke

    The video games tax relief came into effect from 1 April 2014. This generous new relief will provide support for the growing video games sector in the UK.

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are currently presenting a series of events across the country to promote and explain the new relief to the industry. A specialist unit has been provided to assist businesses with making claims. Guidance is available on HMRC’s website to explain the relief and help businesses decide whether they are eligible for relief. HMRC are working closely with the video games industry to develop more detailed guidance, which will be published shortly.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many jobs have been transferred from the public to the private sector as a result of privatisations or outsourcing by her Department since May 2010.

    Karen Bradley

    Since May 2010, 77 posts have transferred from the Home Department to the private sector as a result of outsourcing.

  • David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what average length of time is taken by his Department to make a decision on a planning application referred to it.

    Nick Boles

    During 2013/14, 272 planning applications were referred to the Secretary of State under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009. Records indicate that the average number of days it took to make a decision was 21 days.

  • Jeffrey M. Donaldson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Jeffrey M. Donaldson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to her Department remained unanswered (a) after 20 days and (b) after 90 days at 1 April 2014; and (i) how many and (ii) what the subject matter is of any such requests that remained unanswered after 180 days at that date.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    At 1 April 2014, there was one request remaining unanswered after 20 days and one request remaining unanswered after 90 days. There were no requests remaining unanswered after 180 days at 1 April 2014.

  • Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on whether staff from Arqiva visited Fownhope to assess the adequacy of mobile telephone reception in that area.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    It is not in Arqiva’s remit to assess adequacy of mobile telephone reception, and no Arqiva staff visited Fownhope for that purpose. It is Ofcom’s role to assess the adequacy of mobile coverage and reception. Ofcom has updated the notspot data for 2014 with information from the Mobile Network Operators, and Arqiva base their planning on that information.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter addressed to the Minister of State for Crime Prevention from the British Air Transport Association dated 7 February 2014.

    Norman Baker

    I can confirm that I responded to the British Air Transport Association on the 28 April 2014.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress has been made in rolling out Individual Electoral Registration across the country.

    Greg Clark

    Individual Electoral Registration was launched in England and Wales, as planned, on 10 June 2014. This included the introduction of on-line registration. IER is due to be launched in Scotland on 19 September. The roll out of IER is proceeding as planned, to date.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on state retirement pensions, if he will assess whether a woman born on 6 April 1981 who was in continuous employment from her 21st birthday until her state pension age as derived in line with the practice outlined in the Pensions Bill, had worked consistently in contracted-in employment for 30 hours a week in a role which paid the National Minimum Wage, had average female life expectancy, in line with the most recent ONS population projections, and was subject to any other assumptions used in the Impact Assessment which accompanied the Pensions Bill, would receive a different level of pension at the point of retirement under the Single Tier mechanism than they would have expected under the current pension system; and what the difference in the level of pension would be.

    Steve Webb

    The state pension reforms radically simplify state pension provision, by replacing the current, two-tiered pension system with a simpler single-tier state pension for people reaching state pension age after 6 April 2016.

    The majority of people reaching state pension age in the 40 years after the new state pension is implemented will have a higher pension income overall over the course of their retirement as a result of the reforms. The new state pension will also underpin automatic enrolment, which will see around 9 million people saving more, or saving for the first time, into a workplace pension.

    The Pensions Bill provides for the Government to carry out a review of State Pension age every parliament. It is our intention that State Pension ages will only be finalised once someone is within ten years of their proposed state pension age. Because this date will be affected by future changes in longevity, at this point we cannot say with certainty what will be the state pension age for people born in the 1980s. In addition, any calculation on pension entitlement would also depend on decisions that have not yet been taken, including the starting rate for the single tier. Furthermore, future State Pension levels are determined by up-rating decisions taken by Governments on a year-by-year basis. Therefore, whilst we have forecast the possible impacts of the new system at a population level, it is not possible to give definitive statements of the future state pension entitlements for individuals who do not yet have a set State Pension age, whether under the current system or under the single tier pension

    For the first few cohorts of people reaching State Pension Age from April 2016, the government will provide a statement service to help them plan for retirement.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) economic and (b) infection risks to UK and EU fruit and vegetable production arise from the importation of mangoes or other fruit infested with tephritidae.

    Dan Rogerson

    Tephritidae is listed as a ‘quarantine’ pest under European Union (EU) legislation. All quarantine pests have been assessed as presenting a significant economic or environmental risk to the EU and therefore their introduction into its territory is prohibited.