Category: Speeches

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These reports can be accessed at the following webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much of 10 Downing Street’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

    Following settlement of the Cabinet Office Spending Review last week, the allocation of funds to individual workstreams, including for research and development, is underway as part of the department’s business planning process to be completed in the coming months.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what organisations he has met to discuss the introduction of the capping of housing benefit for tenants in supported housing at the local rate of local housing allowance.

    Damian Hinds

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-giftsand-overseas-travel The lead department for this measure, the Department for Work and Pensions, has regular meetings with relevant organisations and will meet with them to discuss how the application of local housing allowance rates to social sector tenants, including those living in supported housing, will work as the policy is developed.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will establish an independent panel or an independent public inquiry into events at Orgreave in June 1984.

    Mike Penning

    On 21 July 2015 the Home Secretary met a group of MPs, a Welsh Assembly Member, Michael Mansfield QC and members of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC), led by Louise Haigh MP, to discuss their calls for a public inquiry to be established following the publication of the IPCC scoping review into the policing of events at Orgreave in 1984.

    Following this meeting, on 15 December 2015 the Home Secretary received a submission from the OTJC containing their arguments for establishing a public inquiry into the events at Orgreave. That 85 page submission raises a range of extensive issues which the Home Secretary is currently considering fully and in detail before responding. She will set out the Government’s position in due course.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in her Department.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Libraries of the House and on-line at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

  • Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rupa Huq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions conducted by local authorities resulted in convictions for benefit fraud between 2010 and 2014.

    Dominic Raab

    The information requested is not available.

  • Kirsten  Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the funding of research into the use of proton therapy for cancers from the science budget in the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    Research into cancer involving proton therapy and laser treatment falls within the remit of the Research Councils.

    I have asked the Chair of the Research Councils UK Strategic Executive to write to the hon. Member and I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to support third-sector training providers and local authorities in reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.

    Nick Boles

    Third sector providers and local authority adult education services access the Adult Education Budget as prime and sub-contractors, using the funding for training which helps young people who are not in education, employment or training prepare for work, amongst other objectives. They also compete to run local European Social Fund programmes; many of these programmes focus on helping young people improve their skills levels and employment opportunities.

    Where combined authorities agree devolution deals which include devolution of the Adult Education Budget, they will assume full responsibility for decisions about what provision to commission from that budget. Nine areas have agreed such deals to date, with devolution of that budget due to take effect from 2018/19, subject to readiness conditions being met. BIS is working with those areas in advance of full devolution to help increase local influence over nationally-funded adult education provision in their locality in the interim.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to ring-fence and secure EU infrastructure funding for projects in Northern Ireland when the UK withdraws from the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    On 12 August, the Chancellor set out the steps the Treasury was taking to offer reassurance to recipients of EU funding as part of the UK Government’s wider work on the UK’s exit from the EU.

    I wrote to the Northern Ireland Finance Minister on the same day, clarifying that the Treasury was offering guarantees in relation to the funding required to cover European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) projects administered by the Executive within its devolved responsibilities, which will have signed contracts or funding arrangements in place in advance of Autumn Statement.

    My letter further indicated that the Treasury will consider what procedures to put in place for funding in relation to ESIF projects which are expected to be signed after Autumn Statement.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans to continue sending aid to Turkey after the UK leaves the EU.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The UK will remain engaged internationally beyond our EU exit, building on our regional relationships to deliver stability and security. We will determine what our departure from the EU means for wider budgets at the appropriate time.