Category: Speeches

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of fraudulent compensation claims against Armed Forces personnel in Iraq.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Government is committed to action to bear down on unmeritorious litigation of all kinds against the Armed Forces, and will be announcing its proposed course of action in due course. Accusations must be investigated, but where they are found to be fraudulent, or where relevant information is withheld, we will robustly defend the reputation of the Armed Forces and the interests of the taxpayer. We welcome the decision of the Solicitors Regulation Authority to refer one firm of solicitors heavily involved in bringing claims from Iraq to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will place in the Library a copy of the application made by Twynham Learning Federation to establish a new primary academy in West Christchurch which is proposed to open from September 2016 and a copy of her response.

    Edward Timpson

    The Secretary of State is happy to make available the proposal by Twynham Learning Federation and also a copy of the decision letter signed by Sir David Carter, the former Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West. These documents will be published on the department’s website in May, along with other successful central free school applications.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to respond to the consultation exercise of the Gift aid small donations scheme: A Call for evidence which closes on 2 March 2016.

    Damian Hinds

    The consultation has now closed and HMRC are currently analysing the responses. They will publish a responses document before the summer recess and will continue to work closely with the charity sector.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the capital and revenue costs of free schools in London that (a) have been provided to date, (b) are to be provided in 2016-17 and (c) are projected to be provided between 2017 and 2020.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education’s accounts show that the total capital spend on free schools up to the end of 2013-14 was £1.029bn; the accounts for following years will be published in due course. The capital costs of individual projects are published once contracts are finalised and are no longer commercially sensitive. They are published, along with the costs of sixteen projects in London and one project in Kirklees, on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-funding-for-open-free-schools

    The total pre- and post-opening revenue expenditure for free school projects that opened in 2011 to 2013 is also published on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-expenditure-for-free-schools

    We plan to publish updated revenue expenditure for free schools that were opened in 2014 and 2015 within the next few weeks. This data will be updated annually each Autumn.

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  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the total amount awarded to schools in pre-opening support grants in each month of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Stewart on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security benefits of procuring four Successor submarines.

    Michael Fallon

    The United Kingdom’s continuous at sea nuclear deterrent will remain essential to our security today, and for as long as the global security situation demands.

    A four-boat fleet is the minimum needed to provide the assurance that at least one submarine will always be at sea on covert patrol.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Chuka Umunna – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many citizens of other EU countries work in (a) his Department and (b) agencies and other bodies for which his Department is responsible.

    Guto Bebb

    No citizens of EU countries other than the UK work in the Wales Office, and the department is not responsible for any other agencies or bodies.

  • Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Essex Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

    Greg Clark

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 November 2015, PQ 13946.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Oral Statement of 25 November 2015, Official Report, column 1358, what the evidential basis is for his statement that business investment has grown more than twice as fast as consumption; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    The latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the volume of business investment increased by 30 per cent between Q1 2010 and Q3 2015. Over the same time period, private consumption increased by 11 per cent.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information her Department holds on (a) how much methane gas an average shale gas drilling site releases into the atmosphere and (b) what technology reduces the amount of methane gas so released.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Research has shown that the carbon footprint of shale gas extraction and use is likely to be comparable to conventional sources of gas and lower than the carbon footprint of imported Liquefied Natural Gas. [1]

    In order to make sure emissions are minimised, the Environment Agency has made ‘Green Completions’ to capture emissions from operations a requirement for Environmental Permits for shale gas production.

    Additionally, operators must develop a Waste Management Plan setting out how waste gases including fugitive methane emissions will be minimised, managed and monitored, which is submitted to the Environment Agency with permit applications. The Environment Agency will also consider an enclosed flare to provide the best environmental performance for treatment of waste gases from onshore oil and gas operations during exploration.

    We have one of the most robust regulatory regimes in the world for shale gas and we insist on high standards of health safety and environmental protection.

    [1] Mackay-Stone report (requested by DECC), Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Shale Gas Extraction and Use, Sept 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237330/MacKay_Stone_shale_study_report_09092013.pdf

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