Category: Speeches

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Trade in Services Agreement supports the targets set at the COP21 climate change conference.

    Greg Hands

    Negotiations of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) are ongoing. A trade sustainability impact assessment is being conducted on the TiSA. The terms of reference of the report include analysis of the impact of the TiSA on climate change. The final inception report can be found on the European Commission’s DG Trade website.

    The Department for International Trade works closely with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and other departments to ensure the TiSA aligns with the UK’s wider policy objectives. Irrespective of what is agreed in TiSA, all signatories to the Paris agreement will have to meet their climate change commitments under that agreement.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s press release, Prison building revolution announced by Chancellor and Justice Secretary, published on 9 November 2015, whether the Government plans to consult on proposals to sell prison estates to property developers.

    Andrew Selous

    On 9 November the Chancellor and Secretary of State announced their intention to build a prison estate which allows prisoners to be rehabilitated, thereby enabling them to turn away from a life of crime. This will involve building nine new prisons and closing old and inefficient prisons which do not support the aims of a redesigned estate. No decisions have yet been made on where new prisons will be built.

    We are currently considering which of our old and inefficient prisons will close. We will engage with stakeholders during the process of sale including valuation experts and potential developers in order to maximise the value achieved.

    Any relocation of prisoners will be done with careful planning. Where staff are affected they will be managed through the process of change using processes deployed during previous closures.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on introducing a statutory duty on the fire and rescue service to respond to major flooding; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

    Both the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 detail the roles and powers of fire and rescue authorities, in respect of both emergency response and rescue in a wide range of situations, including from flooding. Fire and rescue authorities are expected to undertake integrated risk management planning, dovetailed with the community risk register overseen by the Local Resilience Forum (a multi-agency grouping of which fire and rescue authorities are key members). Integrated Risk Management Plans identify the full range of risks that an authority’s service is expected to respond to and are subject to consultation. The National Fire Framework published in July 2012 and given statutory effect in August 2012 makes this clear and I believe that fire and rescue authorities are fully competent to deliver on this.

    The Government has had no recent representations on this arrangement and in light of how well fire services have responded to recent flooding suggests there is no need for review.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the implications for her policies are of the decision by other countries to confiscate the belongings of Syrian refugees over a certain value to meet the costs of their stay.

    James Brokenshire

    Any decision by other countries to confiscate the belongings of Syrian refugees over a certain value to meet the cost of their stay in those countries will not impact the way the UK deals with Syrian refugees. The Government will continue to target the most vulnerable Syrians, who cannot be supported effectively in the region, for resettlement under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. The first 12 month’s resettlement costs are funded through Official Development Assistance and at the Spending Review the Government committed £129 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 of the scheme.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in 10 Downing Street receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Prime Minister’s office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

    No staff receive a home to work travel allowance or a car allowance. Health insurance is not a benefit offered to staff however, due to a TUPE transfer where Cabinet Office brought staff in from the private sector there a smaller number of staff able to claim subsidised health insurance.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 24 February (HL6131) concerning a proposal by the EU to requisition member states’ gas supplies under certain circumstances, whether such a policy would require (1) parliamentary consent, and (2) a referendum.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    There is no suggestion in the proposals that the EU will requisition Member States’ gas supplies. The proposals are at a very early stage and we are engaging with the Commission to ensure that the final version is practical and proportionate. The proposals do not involve any agreement by the UK to transfer power or competence to the EU. These proposals are subject to the usual scrutiny process of both Houses.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the UN and AU rapporteurs on human rights defenders about doing more to ensure that women activists in Sudan are protected, and addressing repression and abuse of such activists.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have consistently raised the need to protect human rights defenders at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in March 2016. In addition, we are also providing project support in Sudan. This includes efforts to help journalists draw attention to social justice issues, including gender-based violence, and events to help inspire young women to become women’s rights activists.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department’s officials are working on processing Dublin III asylum transfer requests; and what plans her Department has to increase the number of such staff.

    James Brokenshire

    We continue to work with a number of EU Member States and the European Asylum Sup-port Office (EASO) to ensure Dublin works effectively. We are in ongoing discussions with France, Italy and Greece, as well as the UNHCR, to ensure that we continue to have the right processes in place and the resources to make them work effectively.

    We have recently deployed two UK experts to the Greek Dublin Unit. We are currently providing bilateral support to the Italian Dublin Unit through a long term secondment. We are also due to deploy an additional UK expert to the Italian Dublin Unit shortly.

    Our work with France including the permanent official contact group and a recently sec-onded senior UK official to the French Dublin Unit to assist with the identification and transfer of cases has shown results of our collaborative efforts.

    The Home Office has a unit processing Dublin III asylum transfer requests from and to the United Kingdom. This unit comprises 78.34 full time equivalent managers, caseworkers and support staff. Staffing levels will remain in line with anticipated volumes.

    As announced on 4 May we are now looking to transfer children who were already present in Europe before the EU-Turkey deal came into force on 20 March, where it is in their best interests. It is important that we ensure we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in UK, as well ensuring we have the right support for those who may be brought to the UK from Europe. We are working with the relevant Member States, the UNHCR and other Non-Governmental Organisations and local authorities to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of public bodies across government.

    Matthew Hancock

    This government will streamline the public bodies landscape through a robust programme of “tailored reviews” overseen by the Cabinet Office and department-led transformation programmes. Non-ministerial departments, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies will be reviewed once per parliament. These reviews will examine whether their functions should still be delivered at arm’s length, and if so, aim to increase their efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. This builds on the public bodies reform programme delivered from 2010-15, which successfully produced fewer, more accountable, and more efficient public bodies.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to guarantee to match any EU funding lost to universities and colleges.

    Joseph Johnson

    University researchers can continue to bid for competitive EU research funding while we remain a member of the EU. We will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. HM Treasury will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. Further details about Government safeguarding funding can be found in the statement Jo Johnson made on 13 August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/safeguarding-funding-for-research-and-innovation


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