Category: Speeches

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to improve biosecurity on farms.

    George Eustice

    A joint government and industry bovine TB biosecurity campaign was launched in November 2015 and will run for 12 months. It aims to increase the number of farmers implementing TB biosecurity measures on their farms and whilst trading cattle. The biosecurity campaign already includes a TB Hub bringing together information, advice, guidance and research material on how to prevent TB through biosecurity and risk based trading, an information bTB website allowing farmers to view information on TB breakdowns in their area on an interactive map and a Five Point Plan setting out good practice for TB biosecurity. Several further steps in the biosecurity campaign are being launched throughout 2016.

    More generally, on-farm biosecurity is part of a wider landscape of measures to provide effective protection from animal and plant disease. Defra’s wider activities on biosecurity contribute to improving the resilience of the system as a whole.

    The Rural Development Programme animal health projects have a focus on tackling exemplar diseases in cattle, sheep and pigs sectors through improved farm disease risk management practices. It is intended that this will have a wider benefit in improving farm biosecurity practices.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce medical experimentation on live animals in England.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office is responsible for regulating the use of live animals in scientific research under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs) are at the core of project authorisation under this legislation. Furthermore, these principles also extend to breeding, accommodation and care of protected animals.

    Animals can only be used where no scientifically satisfactory, non-animal alternative exists which has been suitably validated. The number of animals used must be reduced to the minimum needed to achieve the results sought. For those animals which are used, procedures must be refined as much as possible to cause the minimum pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm.

    In addition the Home Office also works with the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) who work towards replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in research. This has included projects such as CRACK IT which to date has invested over £15million with the aims to accelerate the availability of technologies which will deliver i) measurable 3Rs impacts, ii) new marketable products and iii) more efficient business processes.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reform the valuation of business rates.

    Greg Hands

    The Budget confirmed that the government will aim to deliver more frequent revaluations. A discussion paper setting out options to deliver this was published last month and can be found on gov.uk. I would encourage those who may be effected to make their views known.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish guidance on the handling of family reunion cases under the Dublin III Regulations including clarifying responsibilities, procedures for unaccompanied children in Calais prior to any transfer, and ensuring that local authorities have sufficient funding and capacity to conduct assessments.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Dublin III Regulation sets out the criteria for determining responsibility for asylum cases and using discretionary powers. The procedures for dealing with an asylum seeker in Calais, including an unaccompanied child, are for the French authorities to determine, in line with their obligations under the Regulation. We are committed to making the Dublin Regulation work effectively and are in ongoing discussions with France, Italy and Greece to ensure that the right processes and resources are in place to enable this. We are also working with other EU Member States, the UNHCR and other non-governmental organisations and local authorities in the UK to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from elsewhere in the EU to the UK.

  • Lord Chidgey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Chidgey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the monitoring and oversight mechanisms in place in respect of the use of EU funds to ensure that the Khartoum Process complies with human rights norms.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is continuing its Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process, and remains committed in its support for human rights. Our focus remains on the implementation of the actions agreed at last year’s EU-Africa Valletta Summit on migration.

    We are working with EU and international partners to ensure that EU funding underlying the Khartoum Process is properly monitored and overseen, including compliance with the EU Treaties which includes respect for human rights.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to ensure the Mandarin Excellence Programme is delivered to all local authorities in the UK; and how many (a) schools and (b) pupils in Birmingham are planned to start the programme this year.

    Nick Gibb

    The Mandarin Excellence Programme offers intensive study in the language. The programme is expected to result in at least 5,000 young people heading towards a high level of fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020.

    Secondary school pupils in an initial 14 secondary schools will study Mandarin for eight hours a week – a significant increase on the time pupils currently spend on the subject.

    Currently two schools in the Midlands, one in Coventry and one in Walsall, have joined the programme. Around 300 pupils are expected to join the programme this year. There will be further opportunity for schools to apply to join the programme in subsequent years.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the governments of British Overseas Territories with financial centres on central registers of beneficial ownership.

    James Duddridge

    I discussed central registers of beneficial ownership with the Premiers of the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda on 23 November and will have a further opportunity to do so when they are in London next week for the Joint Ministerial Council.

  • Lord Mawson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Mawson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to connect the building developments in East London Tech City with the developments in the Lower Lea Valley.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    The Mayor of London is responsible for economic development in London, as well as housing policy and delivery and strategic planning. These responsibilities come together through the statutory London Plan. Thus it is for the Mayor and the Greater London Authority, working with the relevant London boroughs, to make the most of the important opportunities provided by the developments in East London Tech City and the Lower Lea Valley.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offences were committed by (a) escaped or (b) absconded prisoners in each year since 2010; and what those offences were.

    Andrew Selous

    The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the intensity of conflict in urban areas in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    A political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the conflict. We welcomed and fully supported the UN facilitated talks held in Switzerland in December 2015 and the commitment to engage in a new round of talks in the near future. We are working closely with the UN to encourage parties to engage in good faith, without preconditions in future talks. We are encouraging all parties to reinstate a ceasefire at the next round of talks and are working closely with the UN to achieve this.