Category: Speeches

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to hold a public consultation on the proposed closures of HM Revenue and Customs offices in Scotland.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to create two new Regional Centres in Scotland, in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2019-20, accommodating between 5,700 and 6,300 employees. HMRC’s new Regional Centres will give its staff all they need including a modern office environment, close to good travel and transport links. They will provide stable, high quality jobs and offer a wide range of opportunities for training and promotion and allow its staff to follow more varied career paths than have previously been possible.

    HMRC will help all its staff work through their options. It will give everyone the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances with their manager ahead of any office closures or moves, so they know about any issues that need to be taken into account when making decisions.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking in Romford to encourage the use of local shopping centres.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government is committed to helping our high streets and town centres, including shopping centres, thrive and is supporting them through a £1 billion package of investment, which includes:

    • targeted tax breaks;
    • the doubling of small business rate relief;
    • sensible planning changes to allow businesses to respond flexibly to changing market conditions;
    • and taking action to tackle over-zealous parking practices.

    As a result, we have seen some very positive signs this that our local centres are fighting back. Vacancy rates, including those in shopping centres, are in decline, retail sales are up for the 35th consecutive month, the longest period of sustained growth since 2008.

    The Future High Street Forum is a joint partnership between government and the retail, leisure and property industries. It is leading an ambitious programme of work, including looking at town centre restructuring and the digital high street, to support town centres to meet the changing needs of today’s consumer. The broader retail sector can thrive if it adapts to these changing needs.

    We have also run the Great British High Street Awards since 2014, which has championed the hard work of local businesses and communities around the country. With nearly 200,000 votes cast in the public voting element in the 2015 Awards, the competition proves how much local people cherish our high streets and town centres. I hope Romford will consider entering in the 2016 Awards when it opens later this year.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the conservation of nestling swifts in the demolition or renovation of old housing estates.

    Rory Stewart

    Natural England has part funded the production of book called Designing for Biodiversity: A Technical Guide for New and Existing Buildings. The publication includes detailed advice on provision for swifts (as well as a range of other species) in new developments, which local authorities may find useful.

    No specific guidance has been issued to local authorities on the conservation of nestling swifts in the demolition or renovation of old housing estates.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has in place to include the devolved administrations in UK trade negotiations in the future.

    Greg Hands

    In due course, Britain will be leaving the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate, in time, our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade. The Prime Minister has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments and with a broad range of stakeholders over the coming weeks and months as we prepare for negotiations with our international partners.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2016 to Question 42842 and with reference to freedom of information requests ref: 2016-0032573 and ref: 2016-0042333, on pupil data sharing with the police and Home Office, on how many people has data been (a) requested and (b) provided in response to requests for information to the National Pupil Database made by the (i) Home Office and (ii) police; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The National Pupil Database (NPD) is information the Department for Education (DfE) holds on pupils attending schools in England, which includes information collected in the School Census and attainment data from awarding organisations.

    The Home Office and police can request data from the NPD where they have clear evidence that a child may be at risk or if there is evidence of criminal activity. The data that can be requested does not include information on nationality, country of birth or English language proficiency.

    Between April 2012 and October 2016, the Police have made 31 access requests of the NPD data and the School Census. 21 of these have resulted in information being passed to the police. All were requests for individual level data about individual pupils. Therefore, information about 21 pupils has been shared.

    “Between July 2015 and September 2016, the Home Office has made requests of DfE data on 25 occasions. Two of these requests were subsequently withdrawn. During this 15 month period, requests relating to a total of 2,462 individuals have been made by the Home Office to DfE and 520 records have been identified within DfE data and returned to the Home Office.”

    To address any uncertainties, I have placed an information note in the House Libraries.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last reviewed the security situation in Tunisia in respect of Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We keep the security situation in Tunisia under constant review, and have been working closely with the Tunisian authorities to improve their capacity to deter and respond to the threats they face.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on introducing (a) flexible rail season tickets and (b) rail season tickets targeted at part-time workers.

    Claire Perry

    We have challenged the rail industry to develop proposals for pricing and delivering more flexible season tickets for people who work or commute part-time, which could also attract new customers onto the railway. Some operators, like Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Arriva Trains Wales, already offer carnet products on selected routes. In addition, GTR and c2c have franchise obligations to offer carnet-based season tickets, and the prospectus for the South-Western franchise includes the expectation that bidders will introduce new, more flexible products that benefit passengers who work or commute part-time.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England is taking to ensure that patients who cannot consume food in the normal way are receiving the correct treatment through tube and sip feeds.

    Ben Gummer

    Information on annual National Health Service spend on medically assisted nutrition in end of life care is not held centrally.

    It is for clinicians with responsibility for the care of people at the end of life to ensure their patients receive care and treatment appropriate to their needs. Similarly, local commissioners are responsible for ensuring the services they commission meet the needs of their local populations.

    In 2014 we set out five priorities for care of the dying person which should underpin the care being delivered to all dying people. Alongside the priorities, we set out the duties and responsibilities for all staff with responsibility for looking after dying people and implementation guidance for all providers and commissioners of care. The priorities for care state that an individual plan of care, which includes food and drink, symptom control and psychological, social and spiritual support, is agreed, co-ordinated and delivered with compassion.

    In December 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance on the care of dying adults in the last days of life, including guidance on medical nutrition and hydration. Clinicians and commissioners should have regard to this guidance when making decisions about care for people at the end of life.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the recruitment target for the Future Teaching Scholars programme is for 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    The Future Teaching Scholars programme is currently recruiting high achieving A level students, with the aim of securing up to 110 scholars to start the programme in the academic year 2016-17.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.

    Alistair Burt

    This Information is not held centrally by the Department.