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Category: Speeches

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of security measures implemented at Israeli airports in order to inform his Department’s policies.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport works closely with a number of countries, including Israel, to share knowledge and best practice on a range of aviation security matters, including the development and deployment of new technologies and techniques to protect aviation.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make it her policy to hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    As part of the Northern Ireland Devolution settlement, prosecutions under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. I have no power to intervene in the Northern Ireland criminal justice system.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 35941 and with reference to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21220, on industrial injuries disablement benefit: Durpuytren’s contracture, for what reasons a decision has not yet been made on whether to add that condition to the list of industrial injuries disablement benefit diseases.

    Penny Mordaunt

    A decision on whether to add Dupuytren’s contracture to the list of prescribed diseases can only be made after the potential impacts and other considerations have been fully evaluated. We will announce our response to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council’s recommendation in due course.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps are being taken by the Church Commissioners to address the financial difficulties at Peterborough Cathedral; and if she will make a statement.

    Dame Caroline Spelman

    The Church Commissioners have made an emergency loan to help address the cashflow challenges at Peterbourough Cathedral. In addition to this financial assistance, they have also actively supported and continue to support the Cathedral and Chapter by giving practical assistance, for example helping the Chapter evaluate options for staff restructuring and its property sale programme.

    The Bishop of Peterborough has launched a visitation which will include a review of financial management and overall governance of the cathedral. The Commissioners are assisting in this process and I am happy to say that governance is improving and Chapter is beginning to address its budget deficit.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of fixing recoverable costs in medical negligence cases to a maximum of £250,000 on a claimant’s ability to pursue a case.

    Ben Gummer

    Over the past 10 years claimant legal costs as a percentage of damages paid by the National Health Service have increased from 32% to 52%. We believe that claimant legal costs are disproportionate to the value of the damages paid, sometimes representing up to 299% for lower value claims, and disproportionate to the defendant costs. Ultimately this all comes out money for front line services. The proposal for fixed recoverable cost in lower value clinical negligence claims was suggested by Lord Justice Jackson in his report Reform of Civil Litigation Funding and Costs in England and Wales.

    The Department is working closely with partners and interested parties to develop a proposal to introduce fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence claims. The Department’s proposal in the consultation is a maximum threshold level of £250,000, based on Lord Justice Jackson’s original proposal and with a view to covering at least 80% of all claims. We welcome views on the proposal from all sectors. The results of a pre-consultation exercise with a number of key stakeholders, including representatives of claimant lawyers, and the consultation documentation, including the Impact Assessment, will be published early 2016 subject to relevant Committee clearances.

    The level of potential savings will ultimately depend upon the final maximum threshold level proposed. By making legal costs proportionate to the damages paid we would hope to save circa £80 million per annum. The Department is also working with various clinical groups looking at how the current level of incidents can be reduced. In terms of maternity our target to reduce avoidable harm by 50% and save 6,000 lives.

    The Department sees the fixed recoverable cost work as part of an overall strategic approach aimed at improving patient safety, improving customer care and improving litigation. Improving patient safety and reducing the incidents of harm is a key element of this.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the target strength is for the Army Reserve.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the previous Secretary of State for Defence (Philip Hammond) on 19 December 2013, (Official Report, column 124WS) on Future Reserves 2020, and the accompanying document that was placed in the Library of the House which sets out the planned growth of the trained strength of the Reserve Forces, together with the enlistment targets for the next five years.

    I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2015 to the hon. Member for Strangford (Mr Shannon) to Question 11812 which explained the improvements we have made to ensure we reach our target strength of 35,000 trained volunteer Reservists by 31 March 2019.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will reconsider the decision that West Lancashire Borough Council be allowed the special levy contribution towards the operation of an Internal Drainage Board to take account of the recent flooding in West Lancashire.

    James Wharton

    The decision on whether to support the creation of an Internal Drainage Board is a local matter. We welcome the establishment of new Internal Drainage Boards where these are proposed and supported by the local community.

    These are funded through drainage rates paid directly by agricultural landowners and special levies issued on district and unitary authorities. Local authorities take account of the need to pay levies as part of their annual budget setting process.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-01-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place with the Welsh Government about the benefits of the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and in particular about a duty on all public bodies to carry out sustainable development being adopted across the UK.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    None.

    The Government is strengthening environmental protection by developing a 25 year framework for a healthy, diverse and resilient natural environment. We are also supporting the delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the UK and will continue to take a leading role in championing the SDGs internationally.

    We recognise the inter-dependent nature of our economy, environment and communities. Government Departments will continue to consider and seek to improve the impact on all three areas when developing their policies in line with HMT’s Green Book Guidance.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs on the restricted breed list were destroyed in each of the last three years.

    George Eustice

    Numbers of dogs destroyed as a result of being a dog of a specified type (section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991) are not held centrally. Such records would be held by each police force.

  • Alan Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alan Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Johnson on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has spent on sending out information on the Right to Buy scheme to people who are not housing association or council tenants.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department is committed to ensuring eligible council and housing association tenants have up-to-date information about their Right to Buy, so they can make an informed decision as to whether it is the right choice for them. A direct marketing campaign, to social housing tenants who could be eligible for the scheme, has proved a very effective way to reach them with this information.

    Total spend on direct marketing from 2012 is £280,773 in 2012/13, £334,163 in 2013/14, £329,165 in 23014/15 and £195,757 to date in 2015/16. The 2015/16 figure does not include final costs for the most recent wave of direct marketing that took place in February 2016.