Category: Speeches

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many time tasers were deployed in psychiatric wards in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    Data is not recorded centrally on the number of times the police have deployed Taser devices on psychiatric wards. A Taser record is completed by police officers each time a Taser is used. However, this record does not currently show the detailed geographical or type of location.

    Police Use of Taser statistics are published by the Home Office and most recently on 28 April 2016. These provide a snapshot of Taser use.

    We have been very clear that the public need greater transparency and that is why the Home Secretary asked Chief Constable David Shaw to lead an in-depth review of the publication of Taser data and other use of force by police officers.

    The review recommended that the police record and publish the ethnicity, age, location and outcome of all serious use of force by police officers, including physical restraint and Taser. Pathfinder forces started to collect this data from April this year, and it is anticipated that the collection will form part of the 2017-18 Home Office Annual Data Return.

    A copy of Chief Constable David Shaw’s review will be placed in the House library. The review contained no data on the number of times the police have used Taser in mental health settings.

  • Lord Ramsbotham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ramsbotham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ramsbotham on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to publish the Short Term Holding Facility Rules and the statutory guidance governing such facilities following the most recent consultation on those rules, which ended on 14 April.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Having considered the very detailed responses received to the consultation exercise, we intend to make the statutory rules governing the regulation and management of immigration short term holding facilities in due course.

  • Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugo Swire on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the Maldives leaving the Commonwealth.

    Alok Sharma

    As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) said on 13 October, the UK is disappointed that the Maldives Government has decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth. We believe in the Commonwealth and its commitment to improving the lives of people across all its member states. It is an organisation dedicated to developing free and democratic societies, and to promoting peace and prosperity.

    There are no current plans for Ministers to discuss the Maldives with the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Officials are in regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ronnie Cowan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that oil produced in UK waters is sent to oil refineries in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK encourages a well-functioning global market for oil and oil products. The UK’s 6 refineries are well supplied by both domestically produced and imported crude oil, which they purchase in line with their commercial strategy. This diversity and flexibility of supply ensures that UK refineries and consumers are able to benefit from the most affordable prices.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects that the trial will begin of Michael Misick, former Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

    James Duddridge

    We expect the trial to start this week.

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 10658, if he will ensure that the national improvement framework for hepatitis C services contain guidance on the alignment of screening programmes for hepatitis C, HIV, tuberculosis and other blood-borne viruses or associated conditions.

    Jane Ellison

    Recommendations on testing for hepatitis C are evidence-based, including whether it is appropriate to align with guidance on testing for other conditions. It should be noted that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has already published guidance on testing for hepatitis B and C. Screening programmes are considered and recommended by the United Kingdom National Screening Committee.

  • Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Corri Wilson on 2016-02-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cheques sent to HM Revenue and Customs from members of the public remained uncashed for (a) four, (b) eight and (c) 12 weeks in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs contracts the supplier BancTec to process cheques received from customers. Cheques are passed to BancTec on the day they are received, 99% of the cheques received are banked on the day of receipt. Over the last 12 months there was only one occasion when the cheques were not banked on the day of receipt. In one percent of cases further information is required, usually from the customer, to enable the cheque to be processed. Generally, all cases that require investigation are resolved within four working days.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department gives to TV Licensing on how it deals with people who do not own a television.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Within the legislative framework set out by Government, it is for the BBC Executive Board to manage licence fee collection. Under the terms of the 2006 Royal Charter the BBC Trust is required to ensure that the arrangements for the collection of the licence fee by the BBC Executive are efficient, appropriate and proportionate. In order to fulfil this function, the Trust has committed to regularly review the BBC Executive’s licence fee collection strategy, as part of the BBC’s annual report and accounts.

    Last year an independent review led by David Perry QC examined the current methods of enforcement, and we are considering the review’s recommendations as part of the ongoing Charter Review.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of differences in mortality rates for (a) permanent and (b) temporary workers.

    Nick Boles

    My Department has not made an assessment of the differences in mortality rates for permanent and temporary workers.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the link on the DVLA website to information on the EU referendum will be removed when the purdah period comes into force.

    John Penrose

    All links to the eureferendum.gov.uk website will be removed from government channels such as GOV.UK at the start of the 28 day restricted period ahead of the EU Referendum.

    “