Category: Speeches

  • Graham Stuart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Graham Stuart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stuart on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time between application to initial decision was for awards issued by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

    Mike Penning

    The average time taken for CICA to reach an initial decision in the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 were as follows. Note that this time includes cases where no compensation was payable within the terms of the Scheme. Comparable data going back to financial year 2010-11 is included.

    2010-11

    7.2 months

    2011-12

    7.8 months

    2012-13

    8.8 months

    2013-14

    10.4 months

    2014-15

    10.9 months

    The average time taken for CICA to reach an initial decision where compensation was offered, during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 were as follows. Comparable data for the average time taken to make a decision where a monetary award was offered is not held.

    2013-14

    14 months

    2014-15

    16 months

    In the last year, CICA have focused on clearing the older cases from its caseload, which has allowed CICA to reduce the proportion of cases which are more than two years old. However, this has contributed to longer average clearance times.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the NHS Trust Development Authority will publish the findings of the review of whistle blowing and governance at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    This is a matter for the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA).

    We understand that the NHS TDA commissioned Verita to conduct an independent review of the procedures carried out by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in investigating recent whistleblowing and human resource concerns. The NHS TDA has confirmed its commitment to publication of its report of the review.

    The NHS TDA is currently clarifying publication arrangements in the light of legal advice and in liaison with the Department. A publication date will be arranged as soon as possible.

    The NHS TDA has confirmed that the timetable for publication of the Verita report is independent of any issues relating to the Trust’s role in providing services to patients in Staffordshire.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the exemption from the anti-lobbying clause is limited to Research Councils, National Academies and the Higher Education Funding Council for England; and if he will delay the implementation of that clause until a full consultation has taken place.

    Matthew Hancock

    As I made clear in the House on 27 April, we are continuing to consider the comments of all interested parties, ahead of the introduction into grant agreements of the clause aimed at protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation, pending a review of the representations made, and to give further time to consider any necessary adjustments to the wording of the clause, or the policy on its implementation, to help to deliver this policy in the best possible way for all involved.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 33503, in what locations his Department plans to deliver the 400,000 affordable homes referred to in that Answer; and at what level a home will be defined as affordable in (a) London and (b) England.

    Brandon Lewis

    The 400,000 affordable homes will include:

    • 200,000 Starter Homes
    • 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes
    • 10,000 homes which allow tenants to save for a deposit while they rent
    • 8,000 specialist homes for older people and people with disabilities.

    We do not pre-determine how much affordable housing funding is allocated to different areas. Local Authorities will set out their affordable housing requirements as part of the planning process.

    The definition of affordable housing is set out in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdf.

    “

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will represent the Government at the UN General Assembly meeting on refugees and migrants on 19 and 20 September 2016; and if the Government will make a commitment at that meeting to creating safe, legal routes for refugees to enter the UK.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Her Majesty’s Government will be represented at the UN General Assembly high level meeting on refugees and migrant on 19 September and at the Leaders’ Summit on refugees hosted by President Obama on 20 September. Who will attend is to be confirmed.

    The Government has no plans to introduce additional pathways for refugees to come to the UK. The UK is already a leading resettlement state, offering a number of safe and legal pathways for refugees. In the year ending June 2016, a total of 3,439 people were resettled in the UK.

    In addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees and up to 3,000 vulnerable persons from the Middle East and North Africa region that the Government has committed to resettle by 2020, the UK has also committed to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from France, Greece and Italy. Under the family reunion policy we have reunited around 22,000 refugees with their immediate family over the past five years and will continue to do so. The Government supports the principle that those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. This allows vulnerable persons to receive help quickly rather than risking their lives on hazardous journeys into and across Europe or falling victim to criminal gangs who are exploiting the situation. Providing humanitarian aid in the region is the best way to provide much needed support to the majority of those fleeing persecution while working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle the most vulnerable who cannot reasonably remain.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, whether her Department plans to encourage the collection of biometric identification for those going through the NRM for victims of slavery and human trafficking.

    Sarah Newton

    We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

  • Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he plans to take to consult representatives of the higher education sector as part of his Department’s preparations for the negotiations on the UK exiting the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Department for Exiting the EU has engaged with a number of higher education institutions and groups including Universities UK. Over the next few months the department will continue to engage with key stakeholders in business and civil society, including universities, through a series of roundtables, bi-laterals and visits across the UK.

    We have been clear that we want to create an environment in which the UK as a whole can continue to be a world leader in research, science and the tertiary education sector more broadly.

  • Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Buck on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference of the Council Tax Partnership Forum.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    I have arranged for the Terms of Reference of the Council Tax Partnership Forum to be placed in the Library of the House.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) frail elderly people, (b) young people leaving care, (c) women fleeing domestic violence, (d) people recovering from alcohol and substance misuse, (e) people with mental health issues and (f) people with physical or learning disabilities live in supported housing and are eligible for housing benefit.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department of Work and Pensions have jointly commissioned the Supported Accommodation Review to better understand the scale, shape and cost of supported accommodation. The Review will provide more robust and up-to-date information relating to supported housing, including the principal user groups. The Review will report later this year.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 22794, how many beneficiaries of the Student Opportunity Fund there were in each of the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocates the Student Opportunity Fund to Higher Education providers as part of the teaching grant. Although the different elements of the fund are calculated on the basis of the number of students within an institution with particular characteristics, institutions have been able to use the funding in whichever way they feel is most appropriate for their students. Therefore, there is no centrally collected data on the numbers of students supported by the fund.