Category: Speeches

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on (a) the incidence of killings by paramilitaries, (b) the shooting of Alcides de Jesús Cotes Jurado in April 2016 and (c) steps by the Colombian government to tackle the existence and operations of paramilitaries in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The increased violence which has been perpetrated over the last few months by organised groups in Colombia has indeed been worrying. I am concerned about the security situation and raised this in my meeting with President Santos on 12 May. The investigation into the shooting of Alcides de Jesús Cotes Jurado is ongoing and our embassy is following it closely. Embassy officials regularly discuss the challenges posed by armed criminal groups in their meetings with the Colombian government. Following an escalation of the security situation in recent months, the Defence Minister announced a new approach to tackling the prevalence of organised armed groups in Colombia. The UK supports a peaceful Colombia, where authorities effectively tackle organised crime and promote democratic practices nationwide, to benefit all Colombians.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessments of claimants transferring between disability living allowance and personal independence payments have been made in the last five years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) clearances by type (e.g. awarded/disallowed after or before referral to the assessment provider or withdrawn), for both new claims and reassessed claims (for those previously in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)), is published on Gov.UK: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

    Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

    “

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on behalf of local independent pharmacies in Warrington on their future funding.

    David Mowat

    We have received representations from individuals, including the hon. Member and from a number of organisations representing pharmacies, pharmacists and patients in Cheshire, on our proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond.

    We have also received representations from the National Pharmacy Association and Pharmacy Voice, of which the Association is a member. These include written communications and official meetings.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department of Education on the provision of specialist mental health services for children and young people who have been victims of (a) child sexual exploitation, (b) bereavement and (c) abuse.

    Alistair Burt

    I regularly meet with Department for Education Ministers regarding the progress on delivering the vision set out in Future in Mind to improve the mental health of all children and young people. This includes the provision of therapeutic support for victims of child sexual exploitation, bereavement and abuse.

  • Sarah Champion – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Champion – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have been age assessed while in detention in each of the last 12 months; and how such assessments were carried out by immigration officers.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of individuals who have been age assessed while in detention is not held centrally. Age assessments are carried out by the relevant local authority.

    Individuals whose age is disputed will only be considered for detention where:

    • there is credible and clear documentary evidence that they are 18 years of age or over

    • a full "Merton-compliant" age assessment by a local authority has been carried out and is available stating that they are 18 years of age or over

    • their physical appearance/demeanour very strongly suggests that they are significantly over 18 years of age and no other credible evidence exists to the contrary.

    Otherwise individuals are treated as children until a full age assessment has been conducted by a local authority and all available evidence has been duly considered. This includes victims or potential victims of human trafficking and the Modern Slavery Act 2015 places a presumption about age on a statutory footing when arrangements to assist a potential victim are being carried out.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths were recorded of (a) patients awaiting the arrival of an ambulance and (b) patients in an ambulance from the London Ambulance Service area in each year since 2010.

    Jane Ellison

    The information is not available in the format requested.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 25804, what the two sites are that are being considered for disposal within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area.

    Edward Timpson

    Until a decision has been made, the Department does not wish to name both schools in order to protect the Secretary of State’s decision making powers when considering whether to give consent.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the European Commission to publish the VAT Action Plan; and what plans he has to respond to that plan.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Action Plan is due to be published by the Commission shortly. It will be subject to the normal parliamentary scrutiny process.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to modify the universal credit online application system to allow an application to be saved and returned to by applicants.

    Priti Patel

    The universal credit full service online application system does have this functionality but the full service is currently only available in a limited number of areas. National expansion of the Universal Credit full service will begin from May 2016, completing in June 2018.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to tackle (a) all the root causes of the conflict and (b) religious persecution of minority faiths in Syria.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Syria’s conflict has developed from peaceful protests against the government in 2011 to a violent insurgency that has complex international angles. Asad’s brutal actions have fuelled sectarian violence and the growth of Daesh. His regime is ultimately responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. We support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan De Mistura, to seek agreement on a process of political transition in Syria. We are clear that there can be no military solution to the conflict. The UN led negotiations remain the best opportunity to end the conflict and achieve political transition away from Asad, leading to an inclusive government which can represent all Syrians.

    The UK, as a core member of the International Syria Support Group has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination is fundamental. This means seeking to ensure that Syrian minorities are included and safeguarded as the political process progresses. We are supporting non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups in Syria, as we seek further progress on a political settlement.