Category: Speeches

  • Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Pincher on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of air pollution control residues were recovered into end-of-waste products in 2015; into what types of products those residues were returned back into the environment; how those products can be traced in case of recall; and what estimate she has made of the number of tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be recovered into end-of-waste products in 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    We do not collect statistics relating to materials that meet end of waste criteria. We do not hold information on the number of tonnes of air pollution residues recovered into end of waste products, nor have we made predictions for 2016. We provide opinions on whether materials have met end of waste or not when requested by companies. If a material ceases to be waste the Environment Agency has no further role regarding the regulation or monitoring of that non waste product.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to publish equality impact assessments relating to area reviews of post-16 education and training.

    Nick Boles

    The Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010.

    The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit, which supports the individual reviews, will work with the local steering groups overseeing the reviews to make sure that equality issues are considered in each review.

    The reviews do not, however, mandate action. Colleges are independent corporations and it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision. This does not therefore require a modification of the outcomes of a review.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when new eligibility criteria for free school meals under universal credit will be (a) published and (b) implemented.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the remaining total cost to the public purse will be of construction at Hinkley Point C should that project receive approval.

    Jesse Norman

    Under the terms of the contract, which has yet to be entered into, the remaining total cost to the public purse for the construction at Hinkley Point C would be borne entirely by the developer, who would bear all the construction risk. If construction comes in under budget then any savings above a threshold would be shared with consumers, but if there are overspends then the developer would bear any additional costs.

  • Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-10-24.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the rise in online misogyny.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Abusive or threatening behaviour – whoever the target – is totally unacceptable. As set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls prevention strategy, my department, with the Home Office, has established a cross-government working group to develop proactive responses to online misogyny. We have also provided new funding for the Revenge Porn Helpline.

  • Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Smith of Basildon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords will seek advice from the clerks of both Houses on any changes to procedures for considering secondary legislation.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

    Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

    Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

    The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

    Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

    Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effects of turning off street lights in the early hours of the morning by some local authorities.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Decisions about street lighting are primarily for elected local councillors, reflecting local circumstances and views. The Government has not made an assessment of the effects of turning off street lights in the early hours of the morning by some local authorities.

    However, a research study – The effect of reduced street lighting on road casualties and crime in England and Wales : controlled interrupted time series analysis – by R Steinbach et al, in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health published in July 2015 on the effects of street lighting on road safety and crime in England and Wales (attached) found little evidence of harmful effects of switch off, part-night lighting, dimming, or changes to white light/LEDs on road collisions or crime.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether in considering policy, they regard equality and parity of esteem to be the same, and if not, why not.

    Lord Dunlop

    The UK Government is committed to affording due respect and parity of esteem to all the people in Northern Ireland as underpinned by the 1998 Belfast Agreement and in accordance with the obligations on the Government to promote equality and prevent discrimination across the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland Office and its agencies are subject to anti-discrimination law in Northern Ireland and to the provisions of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. This requires public authorities carrying out functions in Northern Ireland to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between a wide range of groups, specified in section 75(1), including persons of different religious belief or political opinion. They are also obliged to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the number of schools which have received funds from EU sources for improvements or maintenance in the last 10 years.

    Edward Timpson

    The department does not hold information on the number of schools which have been built using EU funds, nor does it hold information on the number of schools which have received funds from EU sources for improvements or maintenance.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 29 June 2015 to Question 4049, when he expects the review of the Autism Awareness project to be published.

    Alistair Burt

    Following an interim evaluation, the Department’s commissioned Autism Awareness project, has now entered its second and final phase. Once this Autism Alliance UK project has been completed, it will be reviewed and a report will be published. This is expected in approximately six months’ time.