Category: Speeches

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons GP practice lists have been closed in East Grinstead; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England has advised that the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is using the predicted population data from the developing estates strategy to model health services to meet the increased demand. NHS England further advises that it is working closely with the CCG to develop an action plan for local primary care services in East Grinstead.

    NHS England is responsible for commissioning of primary care in Mid Sussex. NHS England advises that only one general practitioner practice in Grinstead has closed its list to new patients and two others have applied to close their lists but are still currently being allocated patients by NHS England.

  • Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in which month he plans to make an announcement on airport expansion.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government remains fully committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects it has set out, including delivering runway capacity on the timetable set out by Sir Howard Davies.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence before reaching a view on its preferred scheme.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications for medicine courses were (a) received and (b) accepted at higher education institutions in England in each of the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publishes data on applications and acceptances to full-time undergraduate courses. The table below shows the number of main scheme applications (applications submitted by 30 June each year) and the number of acceptances for ‘pre-clinical medicine’ for applicants domiciled in England.

    Table: applications and acceptances to pre-clinical medicine1

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Number of acceptances

    5,525

    5,705

    5,510

    5,630

    5,515

    Number of main scheme applications

    55,280

    53,740

    54,710

    55,065

    48,525

    Notes:

    1. Pre-clinical medicine is based on Joint Academic Coding System (JACS) code A1

    The figures were extracted from the UCAS 2015 end of cycle data resources (tables DR3_017_01 and DR3_017_03) available via the following weblink:

    https://www.ucas.com/corporate/data-and-analysis/ucas-undergraduate-releases/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resource-5

    “

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the productivity of UK farmland; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Defra produces a number of statistics on UK agricultural productivity and these are published on the GOV.UK website.

    The land productivity index (calculated as total agricultural output divided by the amount of land in agricultural production) shows:

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    Productivity by land

    98.1

    100.0

    103.8

    99.2

    100.7

    107.7

    Index base year = 2010

    Care needs to be taken in interpreting this measure, as agricultural output is determined by a number of inputs, both within farmers’ control (eg. labour) and outside their control (eg. weather).

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to provide further financial support to police forces that have been rated as outstanding for efficiency by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.

    Mike Penning

    Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) have found that there is no simple link between funding and efficiency. As the Home Secretary has previously set out, it is often the need to make savings that drives innovation and change for the better.

    In future, we believe that the allocation of core Government funding to the police should be on the basis of relative need, and that is why the Government has committed to replacing the current, outdated arrangements.

    HMIC set out in their latest PEEL inspection report (October 2015), that there remain significant efficiencies to be delivered from ICT, collaboration and improving workforce capability.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the announcement of 4 January 2016, on which 500 new sites the Government plans to directly build affordable homes, at least 30,000 new starter homes and up to 30,000 market homes by 2020.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government expects to secure at least 500 sites for starter homes through the use of the new £1.2 billion starter home land fund. These sites will be identified over the next three years, working closely with local planning authorities and developers. Further details about the operation of the fund will be announced in due course.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what involvement Rail North will have in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

    Andrew Jones

    Rail North will not have a role in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect on national security of members of al-Qaeda (a) in Saudi Arabia, (b) in refugee camps near the Syrian border and (c) among migrants traveling to Europe.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Al Qaeda, and groups affiliated to it, continue to pose a threat to our national security, including British interests abroad, and remain a priority for the cross-government counter terrorism effort. We are aware of media reporting that terrorist groups have an ambition to infiltrate migration and refugee routes. We work closely with our partners abroad to counter terrorism, including to strengthen border security against identified terrorists and terrorist suspects. Access to the European border watchlist (Schengen Information System II) contributes to the UK’s ability to safeguard its national security, and we use this to make checks on individuals wishing to enter the UK from the Schengen zone.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 1.160 of Budget 2016, what his policy is on providing compensation to local authorities for potential loss of income related to the planned reductions in business rates.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.

    Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the UK is taking to assist its allies in adapting to the recent use of hit-and-run tactics by Daesh.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We are aware that Daesh has deployed tactics, especially in Libya, to attack high profile targets like oil fields.

    These, and other attacks on Libyan infrastructure and towns, demonstrate the threat that Daesh poses to the stability of Libya and the wider region, and potentially to the UK and our interests. We need to tackle this threat wherever it arises, and that is why we are engaging the new Libyan government on this issue as a high priority. The UK is working closely with international partners to develop a comprehensive approach to defeat Daesh.