Category: Speeches

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will retain the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers in 2017-18.

    Nick Boles

    The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) is available until the end of the 2016/17 academic year to businesses with fewer than 50 employees, who have not employed an apprentice in the last 12 months. Eligible employers can receive a £1,500 grant per apprentice (aged 16 to 24) for up to five new apprentices undertaking an apprenticeship framework.

    Further details on how small businesses will be supported to take on apprentices from April 2017 will be published at the end of June.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what grants her Department has paid to the RSPB in each of the last five years; and for what purpose each such grant was paid.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Grant payments made by core Defra to the RSPB during financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16 are shown the table attached.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of applying country-of-origin checks to UK businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without joining the EU Customs Union.

    Margot James

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is currently working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union to understand the impacts of applying country-of-origin checks to UK businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without joining the EU Customs Union. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what evidence the Government holds of involvement in the Lockerbie bombing of Moussa Koussa; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie remains the subject of an open investigation led by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (the Scottish Prosecution Service) and the Police Service of Scotland. The details of that investigation are a matter for those authorities.

    Helping the police take forward their investigation is a priority. We continue to provide them whatever support we can. However, the worsening of the security and political situation in Libya has practically stalled effective engagement. Scottish investigators will continue to develop the elements of their investigation that do not require them to travel to Libya. Once stability returns efforts will be made at the earliest and safe opportunity to re-commence the co-operation.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of multiple myeloma and the risks presented by late diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England’s ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns do not currently include multiple myeloma.

    A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise.

    We appreciate that this means that there are a number of cancers, besides Myeloid Leukaemia, that are not covered by ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ specifically. Given this, Public Health England is looking at developing an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms. This work is currently in development, with the help of a number of experts, including clinicians and charities.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support the mental welfare of officers in the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

    Mike Penning

    The responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of firefighters rests with individual fire and rescue authorities. The Chief Fire Officers’ Association supports them in this work through its lead on fire and rescue service occupational health matters.

    The Government announced in October last year the allocation of nearly £10 million to help support 200,000 emergency services personnel and volunteers, funded through LIBOR fines. Of this funding up to £4 million was allocated to mental health charity MIND to develop a programme of targeted mental health support and information for all emergency services personnel across England. The programme includes an anti-stigma campaign, a confidential advice line for emergency service staff, training for leaders and line managers, peer learning events and resources to promote better mental health in the work place.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to better inform all landlords of the new rules that oblige them to check new tenants’ immigration status.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office has undertaken a proactive engagement and communications campaign to raise awareness about the roll out of the scheme. This has involved private rented sector engagement, media engagement and the distribution of communications materials across a range of Government and partner channels. We are continuing direct engagement with the private rented sector through a consultative panel, chaired by the Immigration Minister and Lord Best, which includes housing experts and homelessness charities. The Home Office has also undertaken a programme of engagement including training events for all local authorities and presentations at sector conferences.

    The panel has helped to shape the communications strategy for the scheme and has collaborated on communications tactics and methods. The Home Office has collaborated with the panel to produce various communications materials which have been shared with the sector and published on GOV.UK. Since October 2015, there has been an increase in web traffic to Right to Rent guidance on GOV.UK with over 80,000 unique views of key pages.

    The Home Office will continue proactive engagement and communications activity in the months ahead to ensure landlords and tenants are aware of the materials and guidance available.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date his Council of Economic Advisers last met in full; and how many times it met in full in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Members of the Government’s Council of Economic Advisers meet daily with Ministers, officials and others to discuss the design and formation of government policy.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of men in Scotland who reach state pension age in 2016-17 will receive the full flat rate of the new state pension.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Results for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491845/impact-of-new-state-pension-longer-term-reserach.pdf

    “

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy schools are (a) in the process of being re-brokered and (b) awaiting re-brokering.

    Edward Timpson

    There have been 130 academies and free schools (2% of academies) moved from a trust that had not been able to secure necessary improvements, to a strong sponsor. Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) are looking at the appropriate action to take with those that currently have no formal action, working with trusts to improve school performance or looking at sponsor solutions where they feel that the trust is not meeting the required standards.

    The table below shows the numbers of academies which have been re-brokered to other academy sponsors, split by academic year.

    Academic Year

    Number of academies re-brokered to other academy sponsors

    2011/12

    2

    2012/13

    2

    2013/14

    13

    2014/15

    64

    2015/16

    49

    Total

    130

    There are 38 academies in the process of moving from a trust that has not been able to secure necessary improvements, to a strong sponsor.

    The Department does not hold information on the number of academies which are awaiting re-brokerage. RSCs will work with schools in a number of ways before considering moving them to a new sponsor.