Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the working group conducting the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 will make recommendations on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage for seafarers employed on (a) UK and (b) non-UK registered vessels.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Although the working group had considered looking at National Minimum Wage (NMW) enforcement it was quickly recognised by all members of the group that due to international law this is a very complex area and that it would be more beneficial to discuss in a separate forum. It has been agreed in principle to convene a cross government and social partners working group to look at the application of national minimum wage in regard to seafarers. As the Department responsible for NMW legislation, this would be led by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

    The working group has reviewed the existing guidance produced by BIS for seafarers and it is expected that revised guidance, taking into account recommendations of the group, will be published in Spring 2016. The Nautilus Telegraph will also publicise the revised guidance. This is a respected publication produced by the officer’s union Nautilus International but widely read by all seafarer ranks.

    I also understand from officials at RMT that they have recently had positive discussions with my Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State for Skills and Equalities on the application of NMW to seafarers.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her comments at the Oxford Farming conference on 6 January 2016 on decentralising decision-making, what steps she plans to take to ensure funding to tackle flooding and the maintenance of flood defences is allocated fairly and transparently to local groups.

    Rory Stewart

    The Environment Agency allocates funding according to where it will have the most benefit to people and property using System Asset Management Plans for each of its flood defence asset systems. The Environment Agency discusses local maintenance programmes with local communities and groups like internal drainage boards. The Environment Agency publishes its maintenance programme online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-and-coastal-maintenance-programme.

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  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people learn to swim.

    David Evennett

    Swimming is an important life skill and one which we are keen is available to as many people as possible. This is why the Government’s new sport and physical activity strategy ‘’Sporting Future: a New Strategy for an Active Nation’, (www.gov.uk/government/publications/sporting-future-a-new-strategy-for-an-active-nation) includes a commitment to ensure that every child leaves primary school able to swim.

    Swimming is part of the national curriculum and Government are committed to ensuring that all children are able to meet the minimum standard of capability and confidence in swimming. Sport England is developing a number of pilot projects which aim to encourage adults to take up swimming. It is also investing £20 million between 2013-17 in the Amateur Swimming Association and in other projects, such as the innovative ‘This Girl Can Swim’, to get more people right across the country swimming. In addition, it has invested over £330 million to create modern, safe and attractive swimming pool facilities in England.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations have been received from students and student groups by the taskforce on reducing violence against women and girls on university campuses.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government asked Universities UK to establish a taskforce to explore what more can be done by the higher education sector to prevent, and respond effectively, to incidents of violence and sexual harassment against women, hate crimes and other forms of harassment. The taskforce is expected to report its findings in the autumn.

    To date Universities UK have received 59 written representations from universities, plus additional evidence from a wide range of agencies and organisations.

    Universities UK has published an update of the recent taskforce meeting, which addressed the Zellick guidelines. The Government looks forward to receiving the taskforce’s final report in due course.

  • 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 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential link between the foreign funding of Islamic cultural centres in Belgium and a rise in extremism and terrorism (a) in that country and (b) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We do not have evidence to prove that the funding of Islamic cultural centres is linked to the rise of extremism and terrorism. We work closely with all levels of government in Belgium and with faith communities to discuss issues of mutual concern, including terrorism and extremism. We have a constructive partnership with Belgium to tackle these shared challenges. We will continue to work with a range of partners to protect UK and British interests.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they made on 19 May to the government of Saudi Arabia about the case of Mr Waleed Abu Al-Khair; what response they received; and whether there has been any progress on that case since then.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are not aware of progress in the case of Walid Abu Al-Khair since last raised with the Saudi Arabian authorities on the 19 May. We believe that we will be more successful in discussing cases privately with Saudi Arabia and we will continue to follow this case closely and will raise when appropriate.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital-borne cases of sepsis in England were recorded in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2010 and (d) 2015.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Public Health England and NHS Digital do not collect this data to the level of detail and format as requested.

    NHS Digital is unable to identify the source of a sepsis infection. They are only able to provide data on a count of the number of Finished Discharge Episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of sepsis.

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon MP) to Question 45207 regarding available information on sepsis.

  • Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason callers to the International Enquiry Service of UK Visas and Immigration are charged £1.37 per minute.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office sets fees at a level that ensures it has sufficient resources to control migration for the benefit of the UK.

    Income from fees helps provide the resources necessary to operate the immigration system. The remainder is provided through general taxation. The Home Office aims to reduce the overall contribution of funding that comes from general taxation and increase the proportion of income generated from fees. We estimate that about 60 per cent of immigration system costs will be recovered through fees, a slight increase from last year. The remainder of the costs will be met by the UK taxpayer.

    To ensure that the system is fair and equitable, the government believes it is right that those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting the costs, thereby reducing the cost to the UK taxpayer. Customers can access a range of information on our application processes for free through our pages on gov.uk.

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to mandate that nutrition is written into all national care pathways for long-term conditions.

    Jane Ellison

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has developed a range of care pathways covering the management of long term conditions, such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are based on its best practice guidance for management of these diseases. Where appropriate to the management of a condition, nutritional assessment and advice are included. In addition to this, there are specific care pathways covering nutrition support in adults and maternal and child nutrition which can be found at the following links:

    http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/nutrition-support-in-adults

    http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/maternal-and-child-nutrition

    NICE is the independent body responsible for developing best practice guidance for the NHS and its guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and is developed through wide consultation with stakeholders. NICE has issued guidance on a broad range of medical conditions, treatments and interventions and periodically reviews and updates its guidance to ensure that it reflects new evidence and other developments.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what strategy they have in place to increase retention of teachers in the profession.

    Lord Nash

    Teacher retention rates have remained stable for over a decade and the turnover rate in teaching is lower than for the economy as a whole. Approximately 90% of all teachers are still in service in the year after they qualify and 72% of those who qualified in 2009 were still in teaching five years later. Over 60 percent of teachers remain in service 10 years after qualifying.

    The Government recognises that it is vital for schools to be able to retain good teachers. That is why we have made policy interventions in areas such as improving pupil behaviour and reducing unnecessary workload.

    The Department has appointed behaviour expert Tom Bennett to lead a review to ensure new teachers are fully trained in managing behaviour in 21st century schools.

    Three groups have been established to address the biggest concerns that teachers raised in the workload challenge: marking, planning and data management. All three groups are due to report in Spring 2016 and the Department is commissioning a biennial survey to track teacher workload, starting in Spring 2016.