Category: Speeches

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to implement the family test.

    David Mundell

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. It is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in the development of all new policy. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been undertaken to ensure that reductions in the public health budget do not negatively affect those who share protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government reached its decisions on implementing reductions in the 2015/16 local authority public health grant after giving full consideration to its duty under the Equality Act 2010 (the public sector equality duty, or PSED). The Government’s response to a public consultation exercise, published on 4 November 2015, contains an equality analysis of the options for making the saving. A copy is attached.

    Final decisions on the distribution of the grant in 2016/17 have not yet been taken, but again will be made in the light of the PSED. Government decisions on the quantum of the grant have taken account of the PSED. Local authorities are responsible for identifying local needs and priorities for public health interventions, and for making decisions on local spending. Local authorities are themselves subject to the PSED.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to educate local flood resilience groups on the dangers of toxins in flood water.

    Rory Stewart

    Public Health England publishes guidance on health issues that responders might encounter during flood recovery. We understand that many flood action groups already ensure that anyone dealing with floodwater is aware of potential contaminants. Advice is also available on many local authority websites.

  • Lord True – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord True – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord True on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which parts of the Treaty of Le Touquet between the United Kingdom and France are dependent on the existence of the Treaties of the European Union, or incorporated within them.

    Lord Bates

    Juxtaposed Controls were introduced for short sea crossings by the “Treaty Between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the French Republic Concerning the Implementation of Frontier Controls at the Sea ports of Both Countries on the Channel and North Sea”, signed at Le Touquet on 4 February 2003.

    This bilateral agreement between the UK and France provides for immigration controls to be conducted by the country of arrival in designated control zones in the country of departure at both French and UK sea ports on the Channel and North Sea, including Calais and Dunkirk in France, and Dover in the UK.

    The Le Touquet Treaty is an agreement concluded between the UK and France under international law. The UK and France have an excellent relationship and work closely together to secure the UK/France border, including at sea ports on the Channel and the North Sea.

    The Le Touquet Treaty has resulted in a reduced number of asylum claims and continues to be a valuable part of our border security.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2016 to Question 28770, on social security benefits: mental health, who has commissioned the evidence review of supported housing; who will be conducting that review; when that review will be concluded; and whether that review will be made public.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) commissioned an evidence review on the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector. The review is being conducted by Ipsos-MORI in partnership with Imogen Blood and Associates and the Housing and Support Partnership. The review report will be published this year.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to protect alignments of disused rail lines on publicly-owned land from inappropriate development since May 2010; and whether his Department has established any successor arrangements to BRB (Residuary) Ltd’s former Property Review Group.

    Claire Perry

    There are various different ways of protecting land for future railway use but local authorities are usually best placed to identify such land. Guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government, ‘Planning Policy Guidance 13: Transport’, states that when preparing development plans and considering planning applications, local authorities should “ … protect sites and routes which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choices for both passenger and freight movements.”

    As part of the abolition of BRB Residuary Ltd in 2013, land identified for potential operational use was transferred to Network Rail.

    Condition 7 of Network Rail’s operating licence requires the Office of Rail and Road (‘ORR’) to grant consent for any proposal to dispose of any land in Network Rail’s ownership. ORR has issued a general consent, allowing some forms of disposal to be implemented without prior notice. The process for seeking consent requires Network Rail to carry out a wide consultation covering the rail industry and other interested bodies, including the Department, local authorities, ports and airports etc. Further details of ORR’s land disposal policy may be found at http://orr.gov.uk/what-and-how-we-regulate/regulation-of-network-rail/network-licence/land-disposal-policy

    The Department for Transport also has a role in protecting land for future rail use, for example through Safeguarding Directions for major schemes such as HS2 and Crossrail.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 1 February 2016 to Questions 23158 and 23749, on vetting, what progress she has made in compiling the data.

    Karen Bradley

    The relevant data is being finalised and I will write to the Honourable Member shortly with the information requested.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Israeli water supplier, Mekorot, reduced water supply to the West Bank during Ramadan.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK regularly raises the issue of water in the OPTs with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 27 June. We continue to stress the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. We encourage both parties to find a swift resolution to this issue and to reconvene the Joint Water Committee to facilitate approval of projects that will improve Palestinian access to water. We see continuity of supply to the West Bank as essential for both the basic needs of Palestinians and for stability and security more widely.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to establish a body with the remit of ensuring that the rights of public transport users are protected.

    Paul Maynard

    The Government remains committed to safeguarding the interests of public transport users, doing so (in addition to the work of the DfT) primarily through the following three bodies:

    • The Office of Rail and Road, which protects rail passenger rights through licensing train operating companies and enforcing consumer protection law in the rail sector.
    • Transport Focus is responsible for representing the interests of Britain’s rail passengers as well as those of bus, coach and tram passengers in England (outside of London).
    • London TravelWatch, which is funded by the London Assembly, performs a similar role to that of Transport Focus for passengers in London.

    The Government remains open-minded to considering any alternatives as to how these arrangements could be further improved in the future.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of licensing powers available to local authorities.

    Brandon Lewis

    In June 2016 the Government published a memorandum to the House of Lords Select Committee on the post-legislative scrutiny of the Licensing Act 2003.

    The memorandum provides an assessment of how the Licensing Act 2003 has operated since its commencement in 2005 and was prepared by the Home Office with contribution from the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Department of Health and Public Health England.

    The memorandum is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-legislative-scrutiny-of-the-licensing-act-2003