Category: Speeches

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Army 2020, HC 263, published on 11 June 2014, page 10, which Minister in his Department signed off on the decision not to provide supporting ICT infrastructure for Capita’s new recruitment software as part of his Department’s contractual arrangements with Capita in relation to the Recruiting Partnering Project.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 January 2014 (Official Report, column 111W).

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts in (a) Malta, (b) Cyprus and (c) Greece about measures to reduce the killing of songbirds.

    George Eustice

    No discussions have taken place with counterparts in Malta, Cyprus or Greece about measures to reduce the killing of songbirds.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) male and (b) female recruits dropped out of training at Catterick Infantry Training Centre before completing Phase 1 in each year since 2006; how many such recruits in each category were aged under 18 when they enlisted; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Infantry training at Catterick is comprised of the Combat Infantryman’s Course, which is a combined phase one and phase two course. For this reason it is not possible to provide the information requested for those who dropped out of training before completing Phase 1. The table shows all those who failed to complete the Combat Infantryman’s Course.

    No female recruits undergo infantry training and therefore figures shown relate to males only:

    Year

    Discharged at ITC (Male)

    Under 18 on entry (Male)

    2006-07

    950

    320

    2007-08

    1,090

    290

    2008-09

    1,060

    210

    2009-10

    1,400

    250

    2010-11

    840

    90

    2011-12

    1,260

    120

    2012-13

    910

    100

    2013-14

    680

    80

    Figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in ‘5′ are rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he was informed that cage trapping and shooting of badgers had been implemented alongside the free shooting of badgers within two days of the beginning of the pilot badger cull in Somerset in 2013.

    George Eustice

    Both controlled shooting and cage trapping and shooting methods were always available to the cull companies. There was no compulsion on the contractors to use a defined proportion of cage trapping and controlled shooting. How they used these two methods was a decision for them to make. As the pilot culls progressed, cull companies decided to use more cage trapping, as this technique was found to work well under certain circumstances. Ministers were kept informed of progress during the pilot culls from an early stage.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Warsi on 17 June (WS 586–88), whether they plan to abandon their demand that President Assad step down and to urge co-operation between his government and the official opposition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham and other Islamic terrorist groups in Syria.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Assad regime is the primary cause of terrorism in Syria, not the solution to it. The most effective way to tackle terrorism in Syria is to support the moderate opposition in its efforts to protect the Syrian people from the twin threats of tyranny and terrorism. The only sustainable solution to the crisis in Syria is to reach a negotiated political transition by the mutual consent of both sides – this is the principle in the Geneva Communiqué as endorsed by the UN Security Council.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Pakistan expressing disapproval of the recent decision in that country to prosecute a nine month old child for planning a murder.

    Hugh Robertson

    This is a matter for the Pakistani authorities. However, I am pleased to hear that charges against the child have now been dismissed by a judge.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many premium rate type telephone lines were in use for members of the public to contact his Department in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2014.

    Jenny Willott

    The Department had no public facing premium rate lines in use in June 2010 or June 2014.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has offered to countries in West Africa to help tackle the recent outbreak of the deadly form of the Ebola virus.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID continues to closely monitor the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa. DFID has committed $30,000 (£17,908) for infection control training and supplies in Liberia through UNICEF. In Sierra Leone, DFID is supporting Ebola sensitisation efforts in communities and through UNICEF has prepositioned medical supplies to districts on the Liberia and Guinea borders. We are also working with the Government of Sierra Leone on their Ebola Emergency Response Plan to help bridge critical funding gaps.

    In addition to our direct support, the UK funds a substantial share of contributions from the European Community Humanitarian Office, which has provided €1.4 million to the region to combat the recent outbreak.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2014, Official Report, column 678W, on money lenders, how many actionable reports led to a conviction in each of the last four years.

    Jenny Willott

    Final Approved answer to 13371

    The Illegal Money Lending Teams conduct complex and sensitive investigations. The length of each investigation will be influenced by the circumstances of the specific case. In some instances convictions can only be delivered through months of proactive intelligence gathering and community engagement. Because of this, some cases span across multiple years and so there is not necessarily a direct link between the numbers of actionable reports and the numbers of convictions in any one year.

    Below is a breakdown of the number of operations, arrests and prosecutions completed by the Illegal Money Lending Teams in England, Scotland and Wales in each of the last four years and the number of custodial sentences handed down by the courts.

    Operations

    Arrests / Detainments

    Prosecutions

    Custodials

    England

    Wales

    Scotland

    England

    Wales

    Scotland

    England

    Wales

    Scotland

    England

    Wales

    Scotland

    2013/14

    74

    29

    9

    107

    4

    7

    55

    2

    7

    25

    2

    0

    2012/13

    73

    38

    15

    92

    4

    4

    34

    2

    6

    13

    2

    0

    2011/12

    57

    37

    14

    62

    13

    17

    17

    4

    6

    11

    4

    1

    2010/11*

    288

    46

    17

    104

    6

    5

    32

    7

    5

    26

    1

    0

    * The England Illegal Money Lending Team was restructured in April 2011- 9 England regional teams were merged into a single National team covering the whole of England.

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  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether sickness rates in probation trusts in England and Wales have risen since January 2013.

    Jeremy Wright

    Information on the average levels of absence due to staff sickness in the Probation trusts is published annually, at national level, in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts: Management Information Addendum.

    A link to the latest published report for FY 2012/13 is provided below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225225/mi-addendum.pdf

    The NOMS Annual Report and Accounts: Management Information Addendum for FY 2013/14 will be published on 31st July 2014.

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