Category: Speeches

  • Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have chosen to consolidate HMRC offices across Yorkshire in Leeds, in the light of property costs and levels of competition for skilled workforce in that city, compared with other cities in the region.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles that will enable it to deliver more for less. In addition to cost, these include quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills it needs to continue its transformation.

    HMRC is committing to Yorkshire and the Humber by creating a new Regional Centre in Leeds. HMRC’s assessment is that Leeds is a better choice in terms of the location principles, particularly the quality of transport links and the ability of its staff to commute to a future site.

    Overall, the regional transformation programme will reduce HMRC’s estate’s costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what benefits aside from the 10 per cent price reduction that policy required have accrued from conducting the Lead Provider Framework procurement process to date.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Lead Provider Framework enables clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to run a simpler, legally compliant and more efficient process than typical European procurements in order to source high quality commissioning support from accredited, professional at scale providers.

    Sourcing commissioning support collaboratively with other commissioners enables CCGs to benefit from the economies of scale and the diverse range of smaller niche organisations that the nine Lead Providers bring together.

    The Lead Provider Framework has already led to consolidation within the market, driving efficiency and has improved the quality and range of services offered. CCGs are expected to benefit from further efficiencies as providers compete for their contracts.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Overseas Security and Justice Assessment assessments carried out by the Government in relation to UK aid and security assistance programmes to Saudi Arabia in the last two years have been reviewed since March 2015; and on what dates each of those reviews took place.

    Penny Mordaunt

    In the past two years the MOD has conducted three Overseas Security and Justice Assessments in relation to security assistance programmes with Saudi Arabia. Such engagement encompasses Defence Exercises, Defence Training in Saudi Arabia, Defence training in the UK (or a third party country), High Level International Engagement, UK personnel conducting long-term capacity building (Loan Service Teams/British Military Mission) and Working level International Engagement.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many six-month notice letters of CSA case closure have been issued in each month since July 2014 for cases in (a) segment 1, (b) segment 2, (c) segment 3 and (d) segment 4.

    Priti Patel

    We do not currently collate this data on a monthly basis.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners at each establishment have risk indicators which have been identified after completion of a cell sharing risk assessment.

    Andrew Selous

    The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the target time is for processing applications made to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Fund; and what performance was against that target in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Please see the table below showing the target time for processing applications for the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) and the Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) against that target.

    Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit – Claims

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    IIDB – target

    55.0

    53.0

    50.0

    IIDB – performance (AACT)

    53.7

    52.4

    39.0

    Notes

    The data has been measured using the AACT this measures the average number of Working Days (excludes weekends and English Bank Holidays) between an application being made and the date the customer was notified of the decision on their claim.

    The data refers to the period from 1st April to 31st March each year.

    Source

    Department for Work and Pensions – IIDB Claims Tracker – Management Information Statistics. This is a Departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employers received (a) one, (b) between two and four and (c) more than five fixed penalty fines for illegally employing immigrants in each of the last seven years.

    James Brokenshire

    The information provided refers to civil penalties for illegal working served to employers and is included in the table below.

    Civil penalties for illegal working issued to employers
    Employers issued 1 penalty in year Employers issued 2 – 4 penalties in year Employers issued 5+ penalties in year TOTAL penalties issued (matches certified data)
    2009/10 2167 172 0 2339
    2010/11 1788 111 0 1899
    2011/12 1291 50 0 1341
    2012/13 1230 40 0 1270
    2013/14 2046 98 5 2149
    2014/15 1847 122 5 1974
    2015/16 2328 220 46 2594

    The data provided is for initial penalties only and penalties may have been reduced or cancelled at the objection or appeal stage.

    N.B The data provided is sourced from a Home Office management information system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2016 to Question 41361, on NHS Professionals, which potential options his Department has been exploring.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    No decisions have yet been taken by Ministers on the future of NHS Professionals.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2016 to Question 42169, what his Department’s timetable is for the closure of remaining arrears-only Child Support Agency cases after the current three year programme for closing cases with an ongoing liability is completed.

    Caroline Nokes

    We are currently reviewing the timetable for the closure of Child Support Agency arrears only cases.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance and support her Department is providing to food sovereignty movements in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

    Grant Shapps

    DFID supports strengthening household food security through improving agricultural productivity and improved incomes from agricultural production, building resilience against climate change and linking smallholder farmers to markets and supply chains. We help with a context-specific range of programmes, which all contribute to the inclusive and more sustainable economic growth that will lift poor people out of poverty.

    The UK Government believes that a key element in strengthening food security is to encourage diverse sources of supply. We will not support approaches that undermine open markets and free trade, which allows consumer choice and options for a healthier diet, and so does not specifically support food sovereignty movements in developing countries.