Category: Speeches

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, how much it costs to post a franked envelope from the House of Commons.

    Tom Brake

    The cost of postage for a bespoke DL sized pre-paid envelope, supplied to Members through the House provided stationery budget, is as follows:

    1st class – £0.64
    2nd class – £0.55

    The cost of postage on a pre-paid envelope is the same as a stamp. Franked mail, used by departments of the House, is cheaper than pre-paid envelopes as franking is paid for in bulk and in advance which generates a slight discount to the price; costs are:

    1st Class small envelope under 100g – £0.52
    2nd Class small envelope under 100g – £0.39

    1st Class large envelope under 100g – £0.81
    2nd Class large envelope under 100g – £0.65

    However, there are restrictions on where this can be sent from. 30 items or less can be sent from a standard post box but must be bundled and separated from standard mail; in excess of 30 items must be sent via a Post Office, Royal Mail Centre or Delivery Office or Business Post Box.

    The list below details the different postage costs for envelopes which are available to Members through the bespoke stationery catalogue.

    HC23-244S

    £0.55

    HC23-245

    £0.55

    HC23-146S

    £0.64

    HC23-246S

    £0.55

    HC23-147S

    £0.64

    HC23-247S

    £0.55

    HC23-149WS

    £0.64

    HC23-249WS

    £0.55

    HC23-150

    £5.50

    HC23-151

    £2.85

    HC228

    £0.55

    HC129

    £1.27

    HC229

    £1.20

    HC130

    £1.27

    HC230

    £1.20

    HC3-16

    £0.64

    HC85

    £0.55

    HC86A

    £0.55

    HC23-146EU

    £1.05

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that non-judicial bodies such as the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the US House of Representatives are competent to make a declaration that a genocide is underway; and whether they consider that the UK Parliament can do so, and if not, why not.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government believes that recognition of genocide should be a matter for judicial decision. It should be a legal, rather than political determination, decided by judges after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. Political pronouncements on whether genocide has occurred, such as the European Parliament resolution, are not legally binding and do not create legal obligations on member states.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants in his Department are paid through limited companies.

    Mark Lancaster

    No civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence are paid through limited companies.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the concluding observations and recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the UK’s sixth periodic report in relation to welfare support for asylum-seekers; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The report recommends that the cash allowance provided to destitute asylum seekers, currently set at £36.95 per week, is raised. The level of the allowance is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is sufficient to cover essential living needs of individual asylum seekers and we will announce the result of this year’s review later this year.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on its role in negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

    Alun Cairns

    The Prime Minister has committed to full engagement with the Devolved Administrations to get the best possible deal for all parts of our United Kingdom as we leave the EU.

    We will give the Welsh Government every opportunity to have their say as we form our negotiating strategy and we will look at any suggestions they put forward.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Philip Hollobone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on increasing the rate of employment in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect on the household income of a family with one earner and two children which becomes a new claimant of universal credit and is not migrating from a legacy benefit of the Government’s proposed changes to universal credit announced in the Summer Budget 2015 in each of the next four financial years.

    Damian Hinds

    This issue is a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions. I understand that the Minister for Work and Pensions has responded to an identical question tabled by the hon Member.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what bids were received for the Debt Market Integrator contract.

    Matthew Hancock

    The companies that bid to provide Debt Market Integrator services were as follows;

    Single Bidders:

    • Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP
    • CGI IT UK Ltd
    • Capita Business Services Ltd
    • HP Enterprise Services UK Ltd
    • SYNNEX Concentrix UK Ltd
    • TDX Group Ltd
    • arvato AG

      Consortia:

    • Equiniti Ltd/First Direct

      As of 12/01/ 2016 The debt collections agencies providing service for Indesser through the Debt Market Integrator contract are:

      Walker Love

      Rossendales

      Akinika

      Advantis

      CCS Collect

      Drydens

      Apex

      Bluestones

      Freds

      Rossendales

      Walker Love

      Moorcroft

      Past Due

      CCI Legal

      The private sector partner owns 75% equity in Indesser.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what actions he has taken as a result of receiving the Final Report of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We are looking at the conclusions of the UN Panel of Experts’ report carefully. We recognise the importance of the work of the UN Panel of Experts. Looking at the information available to us, we have assessed that there has not been a breach of IHL by the coalition.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the cost to the economy of unreliable internet connectivity and speeds in 2014-15.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    We are not aware of any existing research about the annual cost to the UK economy of unreliable broadband internet connectivity or speeds in 2014-15. However, the economic benefits of broadband access are clear, for example, SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimated that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

    In November, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) and our ambition is to set this at 10 Mbps. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection from a designated provider, up to a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live. A consultation, which has now closed, was published on 23 March setting out the Government’s proposed approach to taking this work forward.