Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK is deeply concerned about the recent upsurge in fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact. I issued a statement on 2 April calling for the sides to halt the fighting and to exercise restraint. While the UK has no direct role in negotiations, we strongly support the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs. On 18 April, I raised Nagorno-Karabakh at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg and expressed my desire to see the Co-Chairs inject new energy into the process. We will continue to urge the sides to work with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to reach a negotiated peace settlement.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library copies of all letters, leaflets and other material from his Department circulated to (a) stakeholders and (b) members of the public on the EU referendum; what the costs of the production and distribution of that material has been since 1 January 2016; and what he estimates the cost of any further production and distribution of such material will be between 6 May 2016 and 23 June 2016.

    Alun Cairns

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my hon Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (John Penrose) UIN 38825.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to improve performance in his Department of handling correspondence from hon. Members and Peers.

    Ben Gummer

    The prompt response to correspondence from both Members of Parliament/Peers and the public is of high importance to the Department, and is a personal priority for me. We aim to respond to all correspondence within 15 working days.

    Our last published statistics for the calendar year 2015 were at 70%, far below our preferred level of 90%. We are trialling new reforms to improve our response rate, such as more comprehensive statistics per unit within the Department, and board-level scrutiny of monthly statistics.

    The Guidance on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament, Peers, MEPs and Members of devolved Administrations was updated in March 2016

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/handling-government-correspondence-guidance

    “

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what long-term plans he has to secure the future of the oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

    Jane Ellison

    The long-term success of the sector is dependent on a tripartite approach between industry, government and a dedicated regulator, as set out in Sir Ian Wood’s review.

    The Government has provided substantial support to the oil and gas sector over the past two years, through measures worth £2.3 billion. This includes significant cuts to tax rates, the introduction of the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances and funding for seismic surveys to support exploration. The UK now has one of the most competitive fiscal regimes in the world for oil and gas.

    On 1 October 2016, the Oil and Gas Authority was formally established as a strong, independent regulator for the sector. Its new powers will allow it to act with greater speed and flexibility to attract investment, support jobs and further the UK’s competitive edge.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last reviewed the evidence base relating to dietary sodium intake as part of a balanced diet.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The evidence base relating to dietary sodium intake was extensively reviewed in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) report ‘Salt and Health’, published in 2003. In reviewing the evidence, SACN noted that the greatest benefits were likely to be achieved by taking a population approach to reducing salt intakes rather than through individual targeted advice.

    The SACN continues to monitor average salt intakes through a programme of dietary survey work.

    New voluntary salt reduction targets have been developed for 76 specific food groups that contribute most to people’s salt intakes and major retailers, manufacturers and caterers are working to meet these targets by December 2017.

    The SACN has also reviewed the evidence around the impact of low sodium intakes. It found no basis for changing the existing recommendation for a target reduction in average salt intake to 6 grammes per day for the adult population, equivalent to 2.4 grammes per day of sodium.

    The SACN ‘Salt and Health’ report is attached and can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-salt-and-health-report

    “

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2015 to Question 2798, what recent steps he has taken to support Christians who are being persecuted in Middle Eastern countries.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government remains deeply concerned about the plight of Christians and other minorities across the Middle East and North Africa. We continue to urge all governments in the region to ensure the protection of all minorities and encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that represent all of their citizens. In Iraq, Syria and Lebanon we are working with religious leaders to support inter-communal cohesion and ensure vulnerable communities have a voice. We have recently launched a project promoting legal and social protection for Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iraq. On 19 November, The Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns and I convened a workshop at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with Non-Governmental Organisations and experts in the field to examine what more Her Majesty’s Government might do to practically support Christians and other minorities in the Middle East and protect Freedom of Religion or Belief. Officials are now examining how we might put emerging ideas into practice.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what risk assessment his Department made of making the Defence Infrastructure Organisation government-owned contractor-operated.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has been led by a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) since September 2014. The SBP contract allowed for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to instruct the incorporation of DIO as a Government-owned company (GovCo), subject to a value for money review.

    I announced the conclusions of the review in my written statement of 10 December 2015 (Official Report, columns 55-56WS). The GovCo model would have been led by the SBP but 100% owned by the Secretary of State for Defence. A GovCo is distinct from a Government-owned contractor-operated organisation (GOCO) which has a different legal construct. The MOD has never proposed for the DIO to become a GOCO.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2015 to Question 20074, on mental health services: children, whether it is planned that the thematic review will consider children who have been abused as a specific theme separate to children and young people more generally.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England aims to finalise and publish its thematic review of how the mental health needs of children and young people in vulnerable groups have been addressed as part of the overall Local Transformation Plan analysis by 30 April 2016. A number of thematic reviews have been commissioned as part of the overall analysis of the Local Transformation Plans. One of these thematic reviews focuses on vulnerable groups of children and young people, which will include children who have been abused.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were admitted to hospital as a result of NHS 111 calls made in 2015 in (a) Lancashire and (b) Burnley.

    Jane Ellison

    The data is not held centrally.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding will be provided to HM Passport Office for the development of new technology for remote interview sites after the proposed closure of 15 HM Passport Office interview offices.

    James Brokenshire

    Her Majesty’s Passport office currently offers passport application interviews via secure link from 25 locations. From May 2016 there will be an additional five locations offering video interviews.

    The cost of establishing video interview services at these additional five locations is estimated to be £15,000 per site. This cost will be met by our existing budget with no additional funding required.