Category: Speeches

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to tackle cyber attacks originating in Russia and China.

    Matthew Hancock

    For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; from 2011 to 2016, we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme.We plan to almost double investment in cybersecurityto £1.9bn over the next five years.

  • Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which roles currently fulfilled by HMS Ocean will be carried out by HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales when they enter service; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (Cm9161), we will enhance a Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carrier to support our amphibious capability. Together with existing amphibious ships of the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, this will provide the capacity and capability to deploy our amphibious forces.

    HMS OCEAN can carry up to 690 Embarked Military Forces (EMF) – Royal Marines and Aviation Group personnel – in addition to her ship’s company. She can deploy a variety of helicopter types in multiple combinations as required by her mission and role.

    The QEC aircraft carriers can embark up to 900 EMF, in addition to their ship’s company, in support of their missions and tasks and a flexible mix of helicopters subject to the operational tasking.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) Burnley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West had an appointment with an NHS dentist in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013, (v) 2014 and (vi) 2015.

    Alistair Burt

    Information is not available in the format requested.

    The table below shows the unique number of patients who received National Health Service dental care in the previous 24 months. An equivalent measure covering the 12 month period is not available.

    1 April 2008 – 31 March 2010

    1 April 2009 – 31 March 2011

    1 April 2010 – 31 March 2012

    1 April 2011- 31 March 2013

    1 April 2012 – 31 March 2014

    1 April 2013 – 31 March 2015

    NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

    –

    –

    –

    –

    218,979

    222,038

    Lancashire Local Authority

    –

    –

    –

    –

    671,482

    670,931

    NHS England North (Lancashire and Greater Manchester)

    –

    –

    –

    –

    2,496,149

    2,508,845

    East Lancashire Primary Care Trust (PCT)

    186,295

    200,034

    210,839

    219,406

    –

    –

    North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA)

    4,180,855

    4,251,505

    4,302,218

    4,323,082

    –

    –

    Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)

    Notes:

    1. Includes patients seen by an NHS dentist, including work undertaken by dentists under vocational training and orthodontic patients. Does not cover dental treatment carried out in hospitals under Hospital Dental Services, nor under services provided privately.
    2. Number of patients seen shows the number of individual patients who received care or treatment from an NHS dentist at least once in a 24 month period (patients are counted on their first visit only, e.g. if a patient has visited the dentist twice, they will only appear in the patients seen data set once).
    3. HSCIC dental data are not available at the geographies requested. The latest information is available at CCG, LA and NHS Geography Region and earlier years are only available at PCT and SHA level.

  • 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 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there are any restrictions on the business activities that can be carried out by foreign diplomats based in the UK.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Article 42 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations (VCDR) states that ‘a diplomatic agent shall not in the receiving State practise for personal profit any professional or commercial activity’. The UK expects foreign diplomats to abide by the Articles of the VCDR.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to upgrade the (a) welfare services and (b) leisure facilities at the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus; and what the timetable is for each such upgrade.

    Mark Lancaster

    Within the military areas of the Sovereign Base Areas there are a variety of welfare and leisure facilities provided as part of the overall estate, ranging from swimming pools to bars and shopping facilities. The continued development of the Cyprus estate is being planned as part of Project Apollo, which will seek to ensure a sustainable future estate over the next 10-15 years. For those deployed on Operation SHADER in Cyprus, a deployed welfare package is available and includes Wi-Fi, social areas, gymnasium equipment and pre-paid telephone calls home. Leisure facilities are delivered as part of Soft Facilities Management contract with Sodexho, who in concert with the Ministry of Defence, provides many of the outlets for personnel to relax when off duty.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on supporting proposals for a new Libyan government involving restoration of a monarchy and a return to the 1951 Libyan Constitution.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK, along with our international partners, is focused on working closely with the Government of National Accord (GNA) as the only legitimate government in Libya. It is clear the GNA, agreed after more than a year of political talks between a range of Libyan parties, enjoys clear majority support as the institution to govern the country.

    It is for the Libyan people to decide whether they want to pursue proposals for the restoration of the monarchy and return to the 1951 Libyan Constitution. There is no strong evidence that these proposals have broad support at this time.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-05-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many British Ambassadors based in the Middle East and North Africa (1) speak Arabic, and (2) are able to conduct official business in Arabic.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to the noble Viscount Waverley on 28 April 2016 (HL7839), namely that, in the Middle East and North Africa region approximately 95 per cent of our Heads of Mission speak Arabic or other local languages (e.g. French or Hebrew).

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will wait until the Committee on Climate Change report on the compatibility of UK onshore petroleum with meeting UK carbon budgets and the Government’s response is published before taking any decision to reverse (a) the planning decision against fracking made by Lancashire County Council and (b) any other planning decisions that are made by local authorities concerning the extraction of shale gas.

    James Wharton

    Secretary of State planning casework decisions are taken on the basis of the material considerations before the Secretary of State.

  • Michelle Thomson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michelle Thomson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Thomson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to introduce a graduated driving licensing system for young drivers.

    Andrew Jones

    It is important that we strike the right balance between the safety and the freedom of young drivers. Many rely on their cars to get to work and education; so licensing restrictions could affect their ability to access these opportunities.

    Instead, we’re focussing our efforts on encouraging learner drivers to be better prepared for the wonderful freedoms a driving licence offers, but without compromising on safety, which is at the heart of what we do.

  • Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants in Salford have been in continuous receipt of tax credits for (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more years.

    Damian Hinds

    The answers are only available at disproportionate cost.