Category: Speeches

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens have raised the issue of poor treatment by Israeli authorities at border crossings and entry points with the (a) UK Government, (b) embassy in Tel Aviv and (c) consulates in Jerusalem and Ramallah in the last 12 months.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since January 2016, 15 British nationals have alleged poor treatment by Israeli authorities at border crossings.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the implications for her policies on support for community-based renewable generation projects are of the proposed changes to the feed-in tariff scheme and HM Treasury’s decision to remove such projects from tax relief.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Part of the purpose of the feed-in tariff (FIT) review consultation was to gather views on the broader economic impact of the proposed changes. We also sought views on whether the scheme should be focussed towards specific groups or sectors which might, for example, include households or communities. We had a strong response from community energy groups via the consultation and workshops.

    The actual impact on the community sector will depend on the options taken forward after all responses to the consultation have been considered. We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.

    The purpose of the tax-advantaged venture capital schemes is to provide funding to smaller higher-risk companies that would otherwise struggle to access finance to develop and grow. To ensure that the schemes are well targeted and deliver value for money, the government announced at the Autumn Statement the exclusion of all remaining energy generation activities from the schemes. This follows the exclusion of certain types of energy generation in 2012, 2014 and 2015, including most recently the announcement that the provision of reserve energy generating capacity and the generation of renewable energy benefiting from other government support by community energy organisations would be excluded from the schemes with effect from 30th November 2015, as well as from Social Investment Tax Relief when that scheme is expanded. These changes help to ensure that higher risk investments are not crowded out by lower risk investments.

    We will continue to work with the community energy sector over the coming months to develop a joint approach that addresses the priorities of the sector and satisfies our overarching objective of cost-effective emissions reductions.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase the representation of Muslims on elected bodies.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government believes that democratic institutions make the best decisions when they have a mix of people with different skills, backgrounds and experiences, from right across the country. The Government implemented section 106 of the Equality Act, which makes it possible to require registered political parties to publish anonymised data relating to the diversity of their candidate selection. This is a voluntary approach, which provides greater transparency over candidate selection. It is for political parties to ensure that they have a wide range of candidates to stand for elections.

    We have supported and promoted mentoring schemes and internships at local and national Government level to open up political life to black, Asian and minority women and disabled people. Schemes such as the ‘Be a Councillor Campaign’ run by the Local Government Association encourage candidates from all walks of life to come forward and represent their local community.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of round 2 of the Build to Rent scheme in delivering new homes; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Build-to-Rent programme has helped to catalyse funding from other sources. Developers are now proceeding with schemes that will deliver over 3,000 homes using alternative finance after having originally made an application to the Fund.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, further to the oral contribution of the Minister for Skills of 2 February 2016, Official Report, column 776, whether his Department intends to bring forward amendments relating to check-off and facilities time before the Trade Union Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords.

    Nick Boles

    Government amendments to Clause 12 (Facility Time Reporting) and Clause 13 (Facility Time cap) of the Trade Union Bill were included in the Bill at Lords Committee.

    The remaining stages in the Lords are amending stages and the Government will table amendments as necessary.

  • Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates of Wakefield prison have been granted legal aid to pursue civil action in each of the last five years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The information requested is not held centrally. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not identify or record in its databases whether civil legal aid applicants are prisoners as this does not affect eligibility for legal aid funding.

    Information on how much in legal aid was granted to prison inmates within the prison law category of criminal legal aid in each of the last five years is published by the Ministry of Justice as part of the Legal aid statistics at the following link on the gov.uk website.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015

    “

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether a timetable has been agreed for the review of the General Dental Practitioners contract.

    Alistair Burt

    The current dental contract reform prototypes are testing a new way of providing preventative care, including the right balance of payment incentives. Subject to evaluation of the prototypes, a reformed dental contract could begin to be rolled out nationally from 2018/19 onwards.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of (1) prisoners, and (2) young offenders, suffer from mental health problems; and of those, how many suffer from (a) illegal drug addiction, and (b) prescribed drug dependence.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    72% of adult male prisoners and 71% of adult female prisoners may have two or more mental disorders including personality disorder, psychosis, anxiety, depression or substance misuse according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

    According to the cross-government report Healthy Children, Safer Communities (2009), more than one third of people held in the children and young people’s secure estate, including those held in young offender institutions, have diagnosed mental health disorders. A copy of this report is attached.

    The ONS also reports that about 55% of individuals entering prison have a drug problem. Data on prescribed drug dependence in prisons is not collected centrally.

  • Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Adams on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on artistic remuneration for online content.

    Matt Hancock

    Ministers and Officials from both Departments meet regularly to discuss a range of issues.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Proposed Joint Declaration of Principles for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) has had no direct discussions with his US counterpart on this US-led initiative. He was consulted by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, who agreed with their US counterparts the 5 October Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike –Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems.