Category: Speeches

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the apprenticeship levy will apply to charities who employ more than 250 people.

    Nick Boles

    The apprenticeships levy will apply to all UK employers but will only be paid by those with a pay bill of more than £3 million. We will continue to engage with employers, including the charity sector, in the development and implementation of the apprenticeship levy.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the steps the Sri Lankan authorities have taken to implement the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During my visit to Sri Lanka on 14 to 17 January I was able to see for myself the progress that Sri Lanka has made in implementing its commitments to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution as well as the considerable challenges that remain. There have been some encouraging developments such as the return of some military occupied land, the deproscription of Tamil diaspora organisations and the release on bail of some long-term Tamil detainees held under anti-terrorism legislation. There is still much to be done and the UK is committed to supporting Sri Lanka to fulfil all of its UNHRC commitments. We welcome Sri Lanka’s engagement with the UN. The High Commissioner for Human Rights will visit shortly to inform his assessment of Sri Lanka’s progress, which he will present to the UNHRC in June.

  • Iain Wright – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the apprenticeship levy on training and skills funding for people aged over 21.

    Nick Boles

    The combination of the apprenticeship levy, the protection of the Adult Education Budget and the extension of loans mean that by 2019-20 the total spending power of the FE sector to support participation will be £3.41bn, an increase in cash terms of 40% compared with 2015-16.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment support allowance claimants in (a) Scotland (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow Central constituency stopped claiming that allowance after participation in the Work Programme.

    Priti Patel

    The available information on the number of people who have completed the Work Programme is published and can be found at:

    http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html

    The information requested for those who stopped claiming Employment and Support Allowance after participation in the Work Programme is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the (1) EU GDP, and (2) UK GDP, per household in 2030 in each of the three scenarios in the HM Treasury analysis The long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives (Cm 9250) published on 18 April.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    In ‘HM Treasury analysis: the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives’ the central estimates for the annual loss of UK GDP under the 3 alternatives (relative to remaining in the EU) in 2030 are: 3.8% in the case of the EEA, 6.2% in the case of a negotiated bilateral agreement, and 7.5% in the WTO case. Expressed in 2015 terms that means a loss of GDP per household of £2,600 for the EEA case; £4,300 for the negotiated bilateral agreement case; and £5,200 for the WTO case.

    No estimate has been made of the impact on the EU GDP per household. This reflects a cautious approach, as, for example, the main estimates for the effect of leaving the EU do not take into account the negative economic impacts on the rest of the EU as a result of UK exit or the possible foregone benefits to the UK of future EU reform.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the teacher to pupil ratio is in (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in Lancashire.

    Nick Gibb

    The following link provides the pupil to teacher ratio (PTR) in (a) state funded secondary and (b) state funded primary schools in Lancashire local authority and in England for November 2014, the latest information available: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014

    “

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been handed a life sentence in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    A life sentence is mandatory for murder. A life sentence must also be imposed for a second, very serious, specified violent or sexual offence – for example, manslaughter, GBH with intent, rape, and sexual assault on a child under 13 – unless the court finds that there are particular circumstances relating to the offence or the offender which would make it unjust to do so.

    Under a life sentence, the offender must serve the full minimum term imposed by the court before being considered for release on life licence by the Parole Board, which will only release an offender if and when it considers it safe to do so. Where a whole life order is imposed the offender is not eligible for parole.

    The number of life sentences imposed in each of the last ten years can be found on gov.uk.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 September (HL1844), how many Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship were available in each month from April 2011 to November 2014.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The data requested is routinely published on the Gov.uk website and can be found at the following address https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-sponsorship-restricted-certificate-allocations/allocations-of-restricted-certificates-of-sponsorship Please also find the information included in the link set out in the table below

    Allocation Month

    Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship Available

    Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship Granted

    Apr-11

    4200

    1019

    May-11

    4666

    781

    Jun-11

    5397

    845

    Jul-11

    6064

    859

    Aug-11

    6760

    819

    Sep-11

    7719

    673

    Oct-11

    8536

    818

    Nov-11

    9559

    766

    Dec-11

    10269

    729

    Jan-12

    11023

    706

    Feb-12

    11773

    832

    Mar-12

    12429

    1040

    Apr-12

    1725

    1037

    May-12

    2415

    913

    Jun-12

    3188

    924

    Jul-12

    3950

    1007

    Aug-12

    4648

    776

    Sep-12

    5486

    785

    Oct-12

    6418

    715

    Nov-12

    7418

    717

    Dec-12

    8408

    753

    Jan-13

    9355

    780

    Feb-13

    10269

    955

    Mar-13

    11031

    1044

    Apr-13

    1710

    1247

    May-13

    2172

    772

    Jun-13

    3120

    1373

    Jul-13

    3416

    1417

    Aug-13

    3680

    1110

    Sep-13

    4189

    1044

    Oct-13

    4863

    973

    Nov-13

    5595

    1024

    Dec-13

    6283

    1275

    Jan-14

    6714

    926

    Feb-14

    7427

    1289

    Mar-14

    7825

    1033

    Apr-14

    1724

    1699

    May-14

    1728

    1083

    Jun-14

    2350

    1738

    Jul-14

    2308

    1749

    Aug-14

    2213

    1763

    Sep-14

    2050

    1442

    Oct-14

    2277

    1473

    Nov-14

    2511

    1723

    Dec-14

    2481

    1819

    Jan-15

    2416

    1670

    Feb-15

    2392

    2409

    Mar-15

    1690

    1519

    Apr-15

    2528

    1888

    May-15

    2285

    2277

    Jun-15

    1609

    1215

    Jul-15

    2040

    1943

    Aug-15

    2347

    2418

    Sep-15

    1544

    1520

    Oct-15

    2111

    1953

    Nov-15

    2011

    2100

    Dec-15

    1898

    1774

    Jan-16

    1926

    1441

    Feb-16

    2439

    1760

    Mar-16

    2661

    1748

    Apr-16

    2175

    1692

    May-16

    2464

    1849

    Jun-16

    2575

    1853

    Jul-16

    2701

    2238

    Aug-16

    2695

    1952

    Sep-16

    2879

    1509

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many contracts between the National Health Service and the private sector have been subject to (1) contract query notes, (2) termination of contracts, and (3) financial sanctions, since the Health and Social Care Act 2012 came into force.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As part of the transformation of commercial and procurement functions, NHS England and the clinical commissioning groups will be developing a centralised view of the contract data as recommended in the Centre for Health and Public Interest independent body report. Information in accordance with that report will be available in the future.

  • Clive Betts – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Clive Betts – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding the Government plans to make available (a) to housing associations, (b) to local authorities and (c) in total in each of the next four years to build social rented housing.

    Brandon Lewis

    Through the Spending Review the Government has committed to investing £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable housing starts doubling our investment in affordable housing from 2018-19.

    This funding includes £1.7 billion for around 100,000 homes for affordable or intermediate rent, which will be delivered by 2021.

    Since April 2010 we have delivered over 260,000 affordable homes. Under Labour the stock of affordable homes fell by 420,000, with 1.8 million families on social housing waiting lists. More council housing has been built since 2010 than in the previous 13 years of a Labour Government.

    The Government does not publish annual delivery targets for the affordable housing programme.