Category: Speeches

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with VisitEngland on fiscal support for the Great Places Fund; and what the outcome of those discussions was.

    David Evennett

    The British Tourist Authority received a very positive Spending Review settlement, with a stable budget over the next four years for both Britain and England activity, an increase in overall GREAT funding and the new £40million Discover England Fund. The Fund will be administered by VisitEngland and will benefit both domestic and international tourism, making it easier for all visitors to book, access and enjoy our tourism offer.

    Following the floods caused by storms Desmond and Eva,, £1million has also been provided for a promotional campaign to encourage British families to take holidays in the North of England.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what programmes there are for companies who will not be covered by the Apprenticeship Levy to assist with the creation of apprenticeship positions; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    All employers in England will be able to access funding for apprenticeships after the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017. We will set out further details about how this will operate in due course, including any programmes available for employers who will not pay the levy.

    We will also continue to offer employers an apprenticeship recruitment service through Find an Apprenticeship on gov.uk. We are continuing the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) to support more small firms to take on 16-24 year old apprentices.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to equalise fees for spousal visas for spouses of UK citizens and such fees for spouses of EU citizens resident in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    We have no plans to equalise these fees.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which academies and academy chains employ trustees and directors who are paid salaries in excess of £142,500.

    Edward Timpson

    The information is available about each academy trust in the notes to their financial statements which are published online by the Department for Education and at Companies House.

    “

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 23092, how the figure of 10,000 for the number of additional training places universities will be able to provide by the end of the current Parliament was calculated.

    Ben Gummer

    As announced by the Chancellor in the Spending Review in November 2015, the Government has committed to remove the cap on the number of students studying nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions from 1 August 2017. This will enable universities to offer up to 10,000 new training places for students to start these courses in this Parliament.

    This reflects estimates on the level of unmet demand for places in the current system where, as an example, for nursing, around two out of three nursing applicants who currently apply for a place are turned down.

    The Government is working with health and higher education delivery organisations to determine an appropriate baseline as part of implementing the reforms.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the air strike on Gaza on the night of 12 March on a house killing two children.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, although we remain deeply concerned by the terrible human cost, to both sides, of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We have consistently urged both sides to take all measures to prevent the loss of civilian life, and comply with international humanitarian law.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Egyptian government on the disconnection of power lines providing electricity to Southern Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware that there are power shortages in Gaza, leading to severe power restrictions and blackouts. We have discussed this issue with Egyptian officials.

    We regularly raise the humanitarian situation in Gaza with the Egyptian government. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza, and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total expenditure on the High Speed 2 project has been in each year since 2010.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The table below sets out the spend on HS2 project in each year since 2009/10. Data for 2015/16 is provisional and is currently not included, pending publication of the HS2 Ltd Accounts shortly at GOV.UK, which will set out the precise level of expenditure for 2015/16.

    2009/10
    £m

    2010/11
    £m

    2011/12
    £m

    2012/13
    £m

    2013/14
    £m

    2014/15
    £m

    Total HS2

    9.43

    24.3

    54

    207.6

    318.2

    362.7

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to support track upgrades on the West Anglia Main Line to enable that region fully to benefit from the recently announced plans for new rolling stock.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport is working closely with Network Rail and the recently confirmed operator of the next East Anglia franchise, to fully understand any infrastructure enhancements required to release the full benefits of the new rolling stock. Once an agreed position has been established, we will work with all parties to consider how best to implement such enhancements.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a computer games studies qualification within the education curriculum.

    Nick Gibb

    We are reforming qualifications to make them more rigorous so that they better equip students for further academic study and the world of work.

    The new computing curriculum was introduced into schools in September 2014. The 2011 “Next Gen” report from leading figures in the creative industries informed the development of the new computing programmes of study. The report made a compelling case to replace the old ICT curriculum with a new curriculum that would give young people the skills to become makers rather than consumers, opening up careers in video games or other digital arts.

    Students who wish to go on to further study can develop specialisms in information science before progressing to higher education or employment, including technical certificates and tech levels to develop the knowledge and skills that enable entry to employment.

    We have no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a computer games studies qualification at GCSE or A level.