Category: Speeches

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the Government has (a) spent to date and (b) allocated for future spending to (i) his Department, (ii) the Department for International Development and (iii) the UNHCR to identify people for the vulnerable Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    In the Financial Year 2014/15, Government expenditure on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme totalled £1.702m. These costs were partially offset by EU funding of £0.993m. Information on costs for FY 2015/16 is not yet available.

    On 7 September, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) announced an expanded scheme involving the Department for International Development, the Home Office and local authorities. The anticipated costs of this scheme are currently being analysed by these departments and we expect to agree indicative costings soon. Any further allocations to specific departments will be decided during the Government spending review.

    The Government has offered funding and other support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in order to identify individuals for resettlement. The Government’s Syria resettlement team, overseen by the Home Office, is currently finalising the details of this support package.

    Overall, the UK has committed more than £1.1bn in aid towards alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and bolstering Syria’s neighbours.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Airports Commission estimate of net present value of the three shortlisted schemes took account of the (a) extent to which the cost of each such scheme would be passed to passengers in higher fares and (b) effect of such higher fares on passenger demand.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

  • Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from mental health organisations about the next NHS mandate.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    A public consultation on the Government’s Mandate to NHS England took place earlier this year, to which 139 organisations of various types responded. Those concerned specifically with mental health included the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Policy Group and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition. Charities and patient groups that responded, especially those with an interest in long-term conditions, often made reference to the impact of such conditions on the mental health of those that they represent.

    The Government response to the consultation, published on 17 December 2015, summarises these concerns and sets out its response to them. A copy of the document is attached.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the cost per household of implementing measures agreed at the Paris Climate Conference.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK’s contribution to the Paris Agreement will be determined by our commitments to meeting EU climate and energy targets, and by the UK’s own domestic framework, comprising a 2050 emissions reduction target of at least 80% on 1990 base year levels and a series of five-year carbon budgets, as established by the Climate Change Act 2008.

    The level of the Fifth Carbon Budget covering the period 2028-2032 is required to be set in law by the end of June this year. When making the decision on the level, the Government is required to take account of a number of factors including social circumstances, and in particular the likely impact of the decision on fuel poverty. This decision will be accompanied by an impact assessment which will set out illustrative costs and benefits of meeting different budget levels, recognising that the actions to meet the budget will be uncertain at that stage. In addition, our new emission reduction plan is due to be published towards the end of this year.

  • 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 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24142, how many current CSA cases where there are existing child maintenance arrears have been subject to proactive or reactive case closure.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested on case closure arrears is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

  • David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Amess – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to put in place a blue belt to protect marine habitats and species.

    George Eustice

    Since 2013, we have designated 50 Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), which protect a range of habitats and species. A third tranche of MCZs will be designated in 2018.

    We are currently undertaking work to identify a complete network of Special Protection Areas for seabirds, and consulting on five Special Areas of Conservation for harbour porpoise.

    Over 17% of UK waters and almost a third of English inshore waters are now within Marine Protected Areas.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many occasions in the last five years HM Revenue and Customs officials have raised concerns internally that UK taxpayers who are customers of the (a) High Net Worth Unit and (b) Large Business Unit have received preferential or inappropriate tax treatment as a result of their position.

    Mr David Gauke

    HMRC has a Whistleblowing and Raising a Concern Policy. Since April 2014 concerns raised under this policy have been captured centrally but the data has been captured at a high level and does not have sufficient detail to enable HMRC to reliably identify concerns relating to customers of the High Net Worth Unit and Large Business Unit over the last 5 years.

    HMRC does not offer preferential treatment to any tax payer or group. HMRC is even handed in its treatment of all customers, and manages different customers by allocating its resources to those groups which need more support or present higher risks of not meeting their tax obligations.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will take steps to end the cross-examination of self-representing survivors of domestic abuse by their abusers in family court proceedings.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J sets out a strong and clear framework for judges to apply to the management of difficult court room situations, to ensure they are handled sensitively for alleged victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable witnesses. All judges receive specific training on this framework and they can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has for parliamentary scrutiny of the work of the UK’s representatives on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance; and if he will list the (a) dates and (b) means by which its decisions have been reported to Parliament during 2016.

    Alok Sharma

    The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance was established in 1988 as a result of the Stockholm Declaration, which represents a political commitment between signatories, rather than a legal one. Its decisions are not legally binding and have no direct impact on UK legislation, policy or resources. As such there is no formal requirement for parliamentary scrutiny of its
    decisions. All its activities and decisions are reported in full on its website.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the rural economy.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The UK is still a member of the EU and we will continue to engage with EU business as normal and be engaged in EU decision-making in the usual way.

    Once Article 50 is invoked, we will remain bound by EU law until the withdrawal agreement comes into force.

    We now have a historic opportunity to deliver an environment for future generations to be proud of, grow our world-leading food and farming industry that continues to attract significant global investment and harness the enormous economic potential of our rural communities.