Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a security assessment has been made of the potential use of non-HM Passport Office (HMPO) sites for interviews when HMPO plans to replace face-to-face interviews with video-link interviews.

    James Brokenshire

    When commissioning new video interview sites, a security risk assessment is undertaken and the service has to be suitably accredited. Video interviewing, using this approach, has been used successfully for customers in other locations since 2007.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the effect of the fluctuation in the market price of crude oil on the continued operation of waste oil collection services.

    Rory Stewart

    The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.

    A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.

    The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

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  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the capital and revenue costs of free schools in London that (a) have been provided to date, (b) are to be provided in 2016-17 and (c) are projected to be provided between 2017 and 2020.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education’s accounts show that the total capital spend on free schools up to the end of 2013-14 was £1.029bn; the accounts for following years will be published in due course. The capital costs of individual projects are published once contracts are finalised and are no longer commercially sensitive. They are published, along with the costs of sixteen projects in London and one project in Kirklees, on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-funding-for-open-free-schools

    The total pre- and post-opening revenue expenditure for free school projects that opened in 2011 to 2013 is also published on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-expenditure-for-free-schools

    We plan to publish updated revenue expenditure for free schools that were opened in 2014 and 2015 within the next few weeks. This data will be updated annually each Autumn.

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  • Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with NHS England on reducing medical indemnity costs for GPs.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department is having ongoing discussions with NHS England to review the way in which indemnity costs in primary care are funded and will bring forward proposals for discussion in July 2016.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he or any of his Ministerial colleagues were consulted by the Competition and Markets Authority on the date upon which it plans to publish its investigation into the energy market.

    Nick Boles

    The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government. The timing of CMA publications is a matter for the CMA, taking into account its statutory deadlines.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the result of the EU referendum on the timetable for a decision on Heathrow expansion.

    Mr John Hayes

    As we move into the new world beyond our membership of the European Union, it is important that we are an outward-facing nation with strong business ties around the world. It is important that we get the decision on runway capacity right. We will take that decision and move ahead with our plans, ensuring that we have the right links for the future.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mental health support they are offering to recently arrived Syrian refugees.

    Lord Bates

    The Syrian VPR scheme prioritises those who cannot be supported effectively in their region of origin.

    Before accepting or rejecting a referral local authorities will be provided with information on medical needs and will think carefully about whether they have the infrastructure and support networks needed to ensure the appropriate care and integration of these refugees.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2015 to Question 18390, if she will include within the scope of character education referred to teaching on the dangers of problem gambling.

    Edward Timpson

    All young people need strong academic skills as well as a complementary set of character attributes to be successful in life. That is why we have invested £5 million in character and resilience and made it very clear that schools should teach personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE).

    The non-statutory PSHE programme of study, published by the PSHE Association, includes teaching about all forms of gambling and its psychological and financial impact. The programme of study is available online at:

    https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/

    “

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information her Department holds on (a) how much methane gas an average shale gas drilling site releases into the atmosphere and (b) what technology reduces the amount of methane gas so released.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Research has shown that the carbon footprint of shale gas extraction and use is likely to be comparable to conventional sources of gas and lower than the carbon footprint of imported Liquefied Natural Gas. [1]

    In order to make sure emissions are minimised, the Environment Agency has made ‘Green Completions’ to capture emissions from operations a requirement for Environmental Permits for shale gas production.

    Additionally, operators must develop a Waste Management Plan setting out how waste gases including fugitive methane emissions will be minimised, managed and monitored, which is submitted to the Environment Agency with permit applications. The Environment Agency will also consider an enclosed flare to provide the best environmental performance for treatment of waste gases from onshore oil and gas operations during exploration.

    We have one of the most robust regulatory regimes in the world for shale gas and we insist on high standards of health safety and environmental protection.

    [1] Mackay-Stone report (requested by DECC), Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Shale Gas Extraction and Use, Sept 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237330/MacKay_Stone_shale_study_report_09092013.pdf

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  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2016 to Question 25816, what the ceiling trajectory on agency spend is as a proportion of expenditure on nursing staff for all NHS trusts in England.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not currently available centrally. It could only be obtained from Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority at a disproportionate cost.