Category: Speeches

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Fleet Air Arm pilots of F35B Sea Lightnings are currently fully trained; how many are undergoing training; and how many will be fully qualified when (1) HMS Queen Elizabeth, and (2) HMS Prince of Wales, commissions.

    Earl Howe

    There is currently one Fleet Air Arm pilot fully trained on the F-35B Lighting II aircraft, with two undergoing training, and this is exactly where we expected to be at this stage of the programme. Over the next 3-4 years, as jointly agreed by the Royal Navy and the RAF, the F-35B programme will train sufficient RAF and Fleet Air Arm Lightning II pilots to deliver a carrier strike initial operating capability in 2020.

    The noble Lord will wish to be aware that ‘F-35B Lightning II’ is the designation jointly agreed by the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Air Staff.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment on the closure of the Business Growth Service.

    Anna Soubry

    As a Spending Review decision, closure of the Business Growth Service (BGS) was not subject to a formal impact assessment. We do not expect closure of the BGS to have an impact on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in the light of the recent report by the Office of the UNHCR detailing atrocities committed against civilians, particularly women, in the civil war in South Sudan; whether the Responsibility to Protect policy applies in that case; and if so, how it will be applied.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is deeply concerned by the findings of the recent UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report. The Responsibility to Protect was agreed by all UN member states; it imposes an obligation on all states to protect their populations, and for the international community to assist. Due to the severity of the situation in South Sudan we are taking action on multiple levels. We are raising our serious concerns directly with the government, encouraging the African Union to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, and pressing the UN Security Council to agree an arms embargo. At the UN Human Rights Council we are pressing for a UN Special Rapporteur to be agreed.

  • Oliver Heald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Oliver Heald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to his Answer of 3 March 2016, Official Report, column 1102, when he expects the review of English votes for English laws procedures to take place.

    Chris Grayling

    The Government has committed to reviewing the procedures for English votes for English laws after they have been in place for twelve months and after the Procedure Committee completes the technical evaluation which it is currently undertaking. As part of the review we will also take account of the recent report published by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

  • 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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS has incurred in costs for legal advice and representations at inquests, by cause of death, in each year since 2010.

    Ben Gummer

    This information is not available centrally.

  • Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sheikh on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the visit by the US’s Special Envoy for Sudan, Donald Booth, to Sudan in June, and of any lessons that could be learnt from that visit for UK–Sudan relations.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK continues to work closely with its Troika partners the US and Norway. The visit by the US’s Special Envoy to Sudan underlines the benefits of the ongoing strategic dialogue between the UK and the Government of Sudan, which allows us to raise issues of concern directly with the Government of Sudan.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the number of complaints Transport Scotland has received on over-staging on its dedicated hotline in each of the last four years.

    David Mundell

    Transport Scotland is an Agency of the Scottish Government, accountable not to myself but to the Scottish Parliament and the public through Scottish Ministers.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many registered financial advisers are sole traders.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This is an operational matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply to you directly by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of implementation of the NICE quality standards for rheumatoid arthritis.

    Jane Ellison

    Quality standards (QS) are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers what a high quality service should look like in a particular area of care. Whilst providers and commissioners must have regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) QS in planning and delivering services, however they are not mandatory.

    The QS for rheumatoid arthritis states that services should be commissioned from and coordinated across all relevant agencies encompassing the rheumatoid arthritis care pathway. A person-centred approach to provision of services is fundamental to delivering high-quality care to adults with rheumatoid arthritis. NHS England continues to champion their use with providers and commissioners.

    NHS England is working with patients, the pharmaceutical industry, royal colleges and others to encourage a range of improvements aimed at ensuring that all patients, including those with inflammatory arthritis, get the support they need to get the most from their medicines. The development of the four principles to support medicines optimisation offers a step change to the way we think about medicine use in the NHS. The four guiding patient-centred principles: aim to understand the patient’s experience; evidence-based choice of medicines; make medicines optimisation part of routine practice; ensure medicines use is as safe as possible are applicable to all patients, conditions and disease states.

    The medicines optimisation best practice guidance, published in May 2014 is available at:

    www.rpharms.com/promoting-pharmacy-pdfs/helping-patients-make-the-most-of-their-medicines.pdf.

    “

  • Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to extend badger culls into new areas.

    George Eustice

    As outlined in a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December, the Government wants to see badger control over a wider number of areas this year. This is in line with the UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice and our comprehensive strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England.