Category: Speeches

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 2 February 2016 to Questions 23949 and 24848, for what reasons the action plans and operational assurance audit referred to are commercially sensitive.

    Andrew Selous

    The MoJ determines that information is commercially sensitive including when documents contain information that if released, would be likely to prejudice someone’s commercial interests. The Ministry of Justice has robust contract management processes aligned with National Audit Office Guidelines and will manage the plan strictly in accordance with the contract.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to page six of NHS England’s document, Delivering the Forward View: NHS planning guidance 2016-17 to 2020-21, if he will place in the Library a list of the planned footprints for the sustainability and transformation plans.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England will publish the planned footprints for the sustainability and transformation plans later this month.

  • 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 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what average time the Housing Ombudsman has taken to complete a case in each year since 2009-10.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Housing Ombudsman is an independent body whose objective it is to resolve disputes involving tenants and leaseholders of social landlords and their voluntary members. The average times taken to complete a case, which are within the Housing Ombudsman’s formal remit are provided below.

    2009-10: 23 weeks

    2010-11: 15 weeks

    2011-12: 17 weeks

    2012-13: 23 weeks

    2013-14: Not available

    2014-15: Not available

    2015-16: 41 weeks

    The levels of complaints and enquiries have increased year on year since 2006 and there was a 64% increase between 2012-13 and 2014-15, which is partly due to an extension of The Housing Ombudsman’s remit to cover local housing authorities.

    At a DCLG Select Committee hearing, in January 2016, the new Housing Ombudsman made a commitment to reduce the backlog of older cases within their formal remit dating back from previous years. Very substantial progress has been made and by 31 March there were only 9 cases outstanding over 12 months old.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson’s disease have been transferred from long-term disability living allowance to personal independence payment.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The available information is in the table below and shows the number of people with Parkinson’s disease who were in receipt of disability living allowance and have successfully claimed personal independence payment (PIP). Full PIP roll out began from July 2015 and is due to take several years to complete. This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

    Claims in payment

    Parkinson’s disease

    550

    Parkinson’s syndrome / Parkinsonism

    50

    Notes:

    1. The source of the data is the PIP computer system.
    2. Figures are correct as at 31st January 2016 and have been rounded to the nearest 10.
    3. Figures are for DLA reassessment claims only and include normal rules claims and claims under the special rules for terminally ill people.
    4. Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
    5. Figures are for Great Britain.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of bilateral investment treaties between the UK and developing countries on the Government’s ability to meet its commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) commit both Governments to provide a reciprocal standard of treatment towards each other’s investors, including: protection and security against discriminatory action, fair and equitable treatment and a commitment not to expropriate without compensation. BITs should not restrict a developing country’s ability to regulate on domestic policies, including those that contribute towards meeting development aims. Since 2012, through the Investment and Sustainable Development Programme, DFID has provided technical and legal assistance to 24 developing countries to develop and negotiate BiTs that best reflect their own interests.

    The Sustainable Development Goals sets out several investment-related measures, including the adoption and implementation investment promotion regimes and creation of sound policy frameworks, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies that accelerate investment. The UK is fully committed to supporting the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been spent on court reporting and transcribing services in (a) civil and (b) Crown courts in England and Wales in each financial year since 2010.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The table below shows the amount spent on court reporting and transcription services in civil and Crown courts in England & Wales for each financial year from 2011 to 2015.

    Financial Year

    Civil & Family

    Crown Courts

    2010-2011

    Not Available

    Not Available

    2011-2012

    £4,101,318.83

    £4,101,339.00

    2012-2013

    £4,371,822.48

    £1,953,877.00

    2013-2014

    £4,458,233.95

    £2,042,664.00

    2014-2015

    £4,673,564.18

    £2,447,053.75

    2015-2016

    Not Yet Available

    Not Yet Available

    The Civil and Family figures refer to the value of court reporting & transcription services received by all users of the services where the case was heard:

    • in County Courts;
    • in High Court (including district registries); and
    • in the Court of Appeal (Criminal and Divisions)

    The Crown Courts figures refer to the value of court reporting & transcription services received by all users of the services where the case was heard in a Crown Court in England and Wales.

  • Lord Vinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Vinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Vinson on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for the last 12-month period for which figures are available, how many applications have been made under the European Arrest Warrant for prosecution of British nationals overseas, and of those, how many have been (1) agreed to, and (2) rejected.

    Lord Bates

    In the 2014/15 business year the National Crime Agency (NCA) received 127 European Arrest Warrants for British citizens. During the same period 40 British citizens were extradited under an EAW.

    The number of EAWs for British citizens which resulted in a discharge by the courts during this same period is not held centrally.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what financial support the Government has provided for academic research in Dundee in each year since 2010.

    Joseph Johnson

    Government provides financial support for academic research in Dundee through various routes, including funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) Science & Research budget for Research Council grants, research capital grants (allocated through Scottish Funding Council – SFC) and the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (RPIF). In addition the Scottish Government allocates funding via the SFC for recurrent research grant.

    Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data includes information about research grant income earned by individual higher education institutions from higher education (HE) funding bodies, Research Councils and Government Departments. The SFC publish details of the BIS HE research capital funding. Details of the RPIF are published by HEFCE.

    The research grant income earned by the University of Dundee and Abertay University from these sources in each academic year are listed in the table (figures in £000s). HESA data for 2014-15 are not yet available.

    Academic year

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    SFC recurrent research funding

    23,841

    23,606

    24,133

    24,409

    –

    Research Councils

    20,734

    22,203

    15,260

    22,387

    –

    Other Government Funding

    5,738

    4,651

    5,535

    9,371

    –

    BIS HE Research Capital

    2,270

    602

    728

    860

    974

    Grand Total

    52,583

    51,062

    45,656

    57,027

    –

    In addition, the University of Dundee secured £11.7m from UK RPIF for expenditure over 2012-15.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of maintenance support for undergraduate students; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The support available under the student finance system is reviewed annually.

    An Equality Analysis of changes to the support package for full-time students in 2016/17 was published on the GOV.UK website on 3 December 2015.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24232 from the hon. Member for Dewsbury and Mirfield, what budget has been set for the British Transport Police for 2016-17.

    Claire Perry

    The British Transport Police Authority has set an expected budget of £295.1 million for the British Transport Police in 2016/17.