Category: Speeches

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of his Department’s UK National Contact Point in investigating complaints on private sector contract compliance with UK human rights commitments.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Multi-National Enterprise Guidelines considers complaints that UK based multinationals have not met the voluntary obligations of the Guidelines in regard to responsible business behaviour. Ministers have no role in the NCP’s investigation of complaints, but ensure that its final statements on complaints are available for scrutiny in the House Libraries. The UK NCP also reports annually to the OECD Investment Committee which is responsible for the Guidelines and their implementation.

    The UK Government is committed to fulfilling its obligations under the OECD Multi-National Enterprise Guidelines and maintaining a NCP which operates in line with international best practice. The UK NCP is regularly invited by the OECD to contribute to best practice sharing and the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria has praised its effectiveness and positive outcomes.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeal hearings at the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) were (a) withdrawn and (b) adjourned as a result of the Department for Work and Pensions not sending a representative in each of the last three years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the (1) EU GDP, and (2) UK GDP, per household in 2030 in each of the three scenarios in the HM Treasury analysis The long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives (Cm 9250) published on 18 April.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    In ‘HM Treasury analysis: the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives’ the central estimates for the annual loss of UK GDP under the 3 alternatives (relative to remaining in the EU) in 2030 are: 3.8% in the case of the EEA, 6.2% in the case of a negotiated bilateral agreement, and 7.5% in the WTO case. Expressed in 2015 terms that means a loss of GDP per household of £2,600 for the EEA case; £4,300 for the negotiated bilateral agreement case; and £5,200 for the WTO case.

    No estimate has been made of the impact on the EU GDP per household. This reflects a cautious approach, as, for example, the main estimates for the effect of leaving the EU do not take into account the negative economic impacts on the rest of the EU as a result of UK exit or the possible foregone benefits to the UK of future EU reform.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the oral evidence given by the Minister of State for Energy to the Energy and Climate Change Committee on 24 May 2016, at Question 200, what the basis is for the Minister’s statement that the case brought by the government of Austria in the European Court on the European Commission decision on state aid for the Hinkley Point reactor has no merit; and whether that statement refers to lack of legal or of political merit.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK Government has intervened in the legal challenge brought by Austria against the European Commission’s State aid decision for Hinkley Point C. We have always been confident that the Commission’s decision is legally robust and, as a party to the proceedings, we have now seen the legal arguments made by Austria in their pleadings to the European General Court. It is on this basis that we do not consider that Austria has submitted a challenge of any merit. We consider that the Austrian Government, although following the correct legal procedures in challenging certain aspects of the State aid decision through the Court, has been motivated by its political stance on the future of nuclear more generally.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what steps 10 Downing Street has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps 10 Downing Street plans to take in the remainder of 2016.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I refer the hon. Member to the Oral Statement I gave to the House on 7 September 2016, Official Report, column 336.

  • Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have made to ensure that effective healthcare is available in Northumberland following the closure of Rothbury Community Hospital’s in-patient ward.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    These are matters for the local National Health Service. We understand the decision was taken by NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group and the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in light of the continued extremely low use of the ward. As the suspension is a temporary measure, public consultation is not required.

  • Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent progress he has made on publishing a statutory code for pub companies; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government published the first part of a two-part consultation on the statutory Pubs Code on 29 October 2015 at the GOV.UK website.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2015 to Question 13471, if he will assess the proposed standardised packaging of tobacco against the revised one in, two out framework criteria published by the Better Regulation Executive in its publication entitled, Better Regulation Framework Manual, published in March 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    Government policies, including standardised packaging of tobacco products, are assessed against the Better Regulation Framework in place at the time.

  • Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Liam Byrne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library a copy of the process for approving intervention providers under the Channel programme and the timetable for that process.

    Mr John Hayes

    There are currently 55 Home Office approved Intervention Providers for the Channel programme. They play a central role in reducing the vulnerability of people being drawn into terrorism. They are recruited on the basis of proven experience in mentoring, their work with key communities affected by terrorism and extremism and their knowledge of extremist ideologies and recruitment narratives.

    Recruitment rounds take place approximately every quarter. Candidates can be recommended by local partners, including Local Authorities, community groups, or other local partners.

    Applications undergo stringent background checks and where candidates are suitable they will be invited to interview. Candidates who meet the requirements at interview are put forward for Ministerial approval. This robust process, given that they will be working with the most vulnerable individuals on sensitive issues, takes up to twelve weeks.

    The list of Intervention Providers is kept under regular review and the Home Office is working on their number of providers and to respond to the changing threat, for example to recruit more female providers. Intervention Providers are given ongoing professional training.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of torture in Sri Lanka.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Her Majesty’s Government takes very seriously any allegations of torture or other forms of ill-treatment, in Sri Lanka as in other countries. I raised concerns, highlighted by recent NGO reports on allegations of ongoing torture in Sri Lanka, with both the government and civil society when I visited Sri Lanka in January. British High Commission officials in Colombo are also in regular contact with local human rights organisations in Sri Lanka.