Category: Speeches

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will take steps to ensure that at the point of sentencing all available information on previous offences committed by the person to be sentenced is made available to the court.

    Robert Buckland

    It is vital that all relevant available information on previous convictions and sentences (antecedents) is made available to the court that passes sentence. This allows the court to pass a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence taking account the offender’s previous convictions. There are already procedures in place to ensure this

    The Crown Prosecution Service, or other prosecuting authority in the case, obtains relevant antecedents and previous convictions from the police so that it is available for service on the court, with further copies being served on the defence and Probation Services. It is the responsibility of the prosecution advocate to ensure that the information required is made available to the court at any sentencing hearing.

    The Criminal Practice Directions [2013] EWCA Crim 1631 prescribe minimum standards for the provision of antecedent information in the magistrates’ and Crown Court. There is an additional requirement in the Crown Court for brief details of convictions likely to be of interest to the court to be made available prior to sentence being imposed.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the administrative costs as a proportion of spending were of (a) the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and (b) every other acute hospital in England in 2014-15.

    Alistair Burt

    As a provider of front line services, costs incurred by acute hospitals do not contribute to the Administration budget allocated to the Department. Therefore, for the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, and all other acute hospitals in England, none of the total expenditure incurred in 2014-15 was considered to be administrative cost.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a list of people who attended the Anti-Corruption Summit on 12 May 2016.

    Matthew Hancock

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) number, and (2) proportion, of healthcare professionals who have received training in each year since 2005 to fit intra-uterine methods of contraception.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    No such assessment has been made.

    The continuing professional development of doctors and nurses is the responsibility of individual employers. Health Education England has a role in ensuring employers remain committed to continuing professional development and in developing the overall strategy for workforce skills and development in their areas.

  • Baroness Hamwee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Hamwee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House will be equipped for families with children and will provide facilities for children to a similar level as those at Cedars family accommodation centre; and when Tinsley House will be ready for use.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Tinsley House is currently under going refurbishment. This includes the facilities identified for the new pre-departure accommodation. The apartment based facilities will be similar to those provided at Cedars family accommodation centre.

    These facilities will include a children’s play area in the family reception area; a domestic kitchen to allow families to cook for themselves; and improvements to the outside courtyard and the separate entrance to the proposed pre departure accommodation.

    The important assistance to families preparing to return to their home country, provided at Cedars, will remain in place at the new pre-departure accommodation. Cedars will remain open to enable a managed transition to the new location to take place, and Barnardo’s will continue to provide welfare support at Cedars. The timetable for the opening of pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House is still being finalised.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with supermarkets on reducing the amount of food that is wasted because it is not considered aesthetically appealing to customers.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government, through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), is working with food manufacturers and retailers, including all the major UK supermarkets, to meet targets to reduce food waste from the grocery supply chain under the Courtauld Commitment. Signatories have reported a 7.4% reduction in supply chain waste between 2009-2012, with interim results for Courtauld 3 showing a further 3.2% reduction by 2014.

    WRAP has worked with supermarkets and consumers to support acceptance and use of ‘imperfect’ fruit and vegetables. Work is also in progress with signatories, trade bodies and redistribution organisations to build a better understanding of the amounts and causes of waste in the supply of food & drink. WRAP is currently brokering a new agreement, Courtauld 2025, which will build on this progress.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he plans to publish the Government’s response to the report, The role and contribution of women in the Scottish economy, published in March 2015.

    David Mundell

    The Government will be responding to the recommendations in the report in due course, and discussions between Professor Sawers and the UK Government are continuing on this matter.

  • 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 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials in each government department have responsibility for progress towards the sustainable development goals.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK is committed to achieving the Global Goals; this is why we continue to maintain ourcommitmentto spending 0.7% of GNI onoverseas development aid, and why we focus this aid on helping the poorest and most vulnerable people globally. Policy officials across departments – and in particular in DFID – have responsibility for this.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many days’ work were lost to industrial action taken by employees of the Government and its agencies in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of (a) the number of people resident in refugee camps in Northern France, (b) the proportion of such people who are unaccompanied children and (c) how many extra reception places for asylum applicants have been created by the French authorities.

    James Brokenshire

    The management of the migrant camps in Calais, including healthcare provision is the responsibility of the French Government.

    The French Government has recently stated that there are approximately 3,700 migrants living in the Calais camp and 1,050 in Dunkirk. The UK Government does not routinely assess the numbers of migrants in northern France or hold a breakdown of the ages of migrants.

    The UK has funded a project aimed at identifying and protecting vulnerable people in the Calais migrant camp. The project is being delivered by the French NGO Terre D’Asile.

    In addition, France has opened 102 reflection centres away from Calais and Dunkirk to help migrants with their asylum options and the UK is contributing towards the funding of this programme.