Category: Speeches

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assurance her Department plans to give EU nationals living in the UK and working in the voluntary sector on their right to remain in the UK after the EU referendum.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government has been clear that there will be no immediate changes in the circumstances of European nationals and their family members entering or currently residing in the UK.

    The Government wants to be able to guarantee the legal status of EU nationals who are living in the UK, and we are confident that we will be able to do this. But we must also win the same rights for British nationals living in European countries, and it will be an early negotiating objective for the Government to achieve those things together.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the recommendations in the fourth report of the House of Lords Committee on the Constitution Session 2016-17, HL44.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Secretary of State welcomes the report HL44 by the Constitution Committee, issued on 12 September, and will respond in due course in the usual way.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2016 to Question 42169, what his Department’s timetable is for the closure of remaining arrears-only Child Support Agency cases after the current three year programme for closing cases with an ongoing liability is completed.

    Caroline Nokes

    We are currently reviewing the timetable for the closure of Child Support Agency arrears only cases.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office on proposals in the Higher Education White Paper on removing HEFCE-funded providers from the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    Joseph Johnson

    The content of the Higher Education Green Paper ‘Fulfilling Our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice’ was discussed across Government. Our overall aim is to see a level playing field between higher education providers and, where possible to reduce burdens and deregulate. The Green Paper also makes clear that there may be a case for an exception to this general approach if it is in the interests of students or the wider public. We recognise the importance of the Freedom of Information Act and welcome views on its application to the higher education sector as part of the consultation on the Green Paper.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the Israeli government about the restrictions on construction in government-planned Bedouin towns.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to demonstrate UK concern by regularly visiting Bedouin communities in the Negev. The Embassy has arranged for the Arab Centre for Alternative Planning to meet Israel’s Minister of Construction to discuss the issue of restrictions on construction in Negev Bedouin towns. The Ambassador plans to raise this issue with the Minister of Construction in January.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many employees in his Department have (a) taken the CESG Certified Cyber-Security Training Course and (b) received other relevant cyber-security training.

    Penny Mordaunt

    CESG certify a range of cyber security training courses, such as the Open University Introduction to Cyber Security and the MSc in Cyber through Cranfield University. As most employees complete these courses in their own time, it is not a requirement to record it on departmental systems. It would be impossible to present accurate statistics for their take-up as this information is either not held, or not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

    All users of MOD IT systems, some 255,000 people (both civilian and military), are mandated to undertake the Defence Information Management Passport, an e-learning course, which includes a cyber security element. In addition all Services have now implemented Cyber Awareness Training across their Single Service introductory training. Further, a range of cyber security material is promulgated, including briefings, online and hardcopy materials, in order to maintain awareness across Defence.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to sell unused property from the prison estate; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Selous

    On 9 November 2015, the Chancellor and Secretary of State announced their intention to build nine new prisons with physical conditions to improve rehabilitation, thereby enabling prisoners to turn away from a life of crime. We will close ageing and ineffective prisons which do not support the aims of a redesigned estate.

    No decisions have yet been made on which prisons will be closed, beyond those already announced for closure. The Ministry of Justice will seek to maximise best value for the taxpayer when disposing of any surplus property.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 11 February (HL5795), what aspects of treatment provided by drugs and alcohol services are not funded by the NHS.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    All public funding for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is provided by the National Health Service.

    Depending on local arrangements, drug and alcohol services commissioned by local authorities in England and funded from the Public Health Grant, may provide service users with aspects of HCV treatment. These would usually include initial testing and counselling, referring and supporting patients who test positive to engage with and complete HCV treatment provided by the NHS. They might also cover providing premises for NHS diagnosis and treatment to take place in the community.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to increase oversight of or the level of responsibility in home-schooling in the light of the 40 per cent rise in home-schooled students of secondary-school age over the last three years.

    Lord Nash

    I refer the Lord Storey to the answer to parliamentary question HL6799, submitted to Parliament on 14 March 2016, which states that:

    “Some local authorities maintain voluntary registers of children educated at home but as they have no statutory basis, they cannot be regarded as an authoritative source of data.”

    We continue to receive representations from local authorities and other stakeholders on this subject, but at present the responsibilities of parents and local authorities remain as in previous years.

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police staff have been deployed to (a) each region of the UK from other EU member states and (b) other EU member states from each region of the UK to police (i) football matches and (ii) other sporting events in each of the last 10 years.

    Mike Penning

    Whenever national football or club teams from England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland play a match outside of the UK, an assessment is made as to whether a UK police delegation can be useful to the host nation’s policing operation. However, the decision to request UK police officers rests with the relevant host nation. Similarly whenever national football teams or club teams from England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland host a match against a foreign club or national team, an assessment is made by the police and this will include whether they would welcome support from the relevant police force. Such consideration can also be given to other sporting events, but it is mainly applicable to football matches. We do not hold the specific detail asked for in the question.