Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about attacks on the freedom of the media in the light of the number of journalists imprisoned, awaiting trial, and refused accreditation, and the number of TV channels that have been closed.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    I refer the noble Lord to my answer of 30 December 2016 (HL4542). The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed the importance of Turkey’s reform agenda including media freedoms, with President Erdoğan when they met in Turkey on 14 January.

  • Lord Smith of Clifton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Smith of Clifton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Clifton on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the average speeds of traffic flows recorded in central London for the years 2008 to 2015 inclusive.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The average speeds are as set out in the table below. This information is based on material published on the Transport for London website.

    Average traffic speeds (miles per hour) by functional sector of London. Working weekdays, by time period. TfL’s ‘network of interest’.

    Area and time period

    2007 speed (mph)

    2008 speed (mph)

    2009 speed (mph)

    2010 speed (mph)

    2011 speed (mph)

    2012 speed (mph)

    2013 speed (mph)

    2014 speed (mph)

    2015 speed (mph) first 6 months only

    Central am peak

    9.4

    9.1

    9.4

    9.4

    9.3

    9.3

    9.4

    8.9

    8.3

    Central inter-peak

    8.5

    8.3

    8.8

    8.7

    8.5

    8.5

    8.5

    8.1

    7.3

    Central pm peak

    9

    8.9

    8.9

    8.7

    8.6

    8.8

    8.6

    8.3

    7.8

    Inner am peak

    12.6

    12.4

    12.9

    12.7

    12.7

    12.6

    12.4

    11.9

    11.1

    Inner inter-peak

    13.1

    13

    13.3

    13.4

    13.3

    13.2

    13.2

    12.8

    12.2

    Inner PM peak

    11.4

    11.4

    11.2

    11.5

    11.4

    11.4

    11.2

    10.6

    10.3

    Outer am peak

    19.3

    19.6

    20.1

    20

    20.1

    19.9

    19.5

    18.6

    17.7

    Outer inter-peak

    21.3

    21.4

    21.4

    21.6

    21.6

    21.7

    21.8

    21.1

    21

    Outer pm peak

    18.3

    18.6

    18.3

    18.5

    18.5

    18.5

    18.1

    17.1

    16.9

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has for the allocation of the £70 million funding for relationship support announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016; and what the timetable will be for the distribution of that funding over the Parliament.

    Priti Patel

    The Department is developing the detail of how the funding will be allocated. For 2016/17 we are extending our programme of relationship support provision which will include supporting local authorities to improve the quality of couple or co-parenting relationships and extending the evidence base in this policy area.

    We are also exploring which interventions can maximise the important links between parenting and relationship support.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the proposed increase in penalty points and fines for those who use mobile phones while driving, in the light of the number of road fatalities in which that offence was a contributing factor.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Evidence shows that hand-held mobile phone use by car drivers decreased after the legislation was introduced in 2003, and after the first increase in the penalty in 2007. However, I know that dangerous in-car mobile phone use remains a key concern amongst motorists. That is why the previous Government increased the level of fine in 2013 and this Government has brought forward a further package of measures to increase the current 3 penalty points to 4 and the fixed penalty notice to rise from £100 to £150.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the coastguard search and rescue capability for the Firth of Forth is.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HM Coastguard search and rescue capability consists of the tasking and coordination of rescue resources, the volunteer Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS) and the provision of Search and Rescue Helicopters.

    Tasking and Coordination of Rescue Assets

    HM Coastguards ‘National Network’ enables the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) and 9 Coastguard Operations Centres (CGOC) to coordinate any incident anywhere around the UK coast. Workload is therefore managed on a national basis enabling national capability and resource to be available to any incident, for example in the Firth of Forth, on the basis of the nature of the incident.

    Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Service

    There are 4 volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams (CRT) covering the Firth of Forth with the following operational capabilities.

    CRT

    Water Safety and Rescue

    Land Search

    Mud Rescue

    Rope Rescue

    First Aid

    Leven

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    Kinghorn

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    South Queensferry

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    Fisherrow

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    North Berwick

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    ✓

    Additionally there are 5 full time Maritime Coastguard Agency employees who are responsible for the management, training and oversight of these teams.

    Search and Rescue Helicopters

    The Search and Rescue Helicopters based at Inverness and Prestwick provide capability for the Firth of Forth. However, it should be noted that the speed and range of the aircraft located at the four HM Coastguard bases in Scotland means that HM Coastguard has the ability to surge up to five SAR helicopters to a single incident in Scotland, should it be necessary to do so.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Copeland and representatives of the Civil Nuclear Police Federation to discuss the Civil Nuclear Constabulary Police Officers’ retirement age.

    Jesse Norman

    The Minister responsible for matters relating to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary has agreed to meet with all parties to discuss the pension age of Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding per head was received for childcare in (a) the Enfield North constituency, (b) Enfield and (c) London in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Funding for the free early years entitlements is allocated on a local authority basis. In 2016-17, the relevant hourly funding rates per child for local authorities in London (including Enfield) were as follows:

    Local authority

    Three and four year old entitlement

    Two year old entitlement

    Enfield

    £4.16

    £5.28

    Greenwich

    £5.29

    £6.07

    Barking and Dagenham

    £4.27

    £5.28

    Barnet

    £4.80

    £5.53

    Bexley

    £3.97

    £5.28

    Brent

    £6.24

    £5.53

    Bromley

    £4.10

    £5.28

    Croydon

    £4.80

    £5.28

    Ealing

    £5.95

    £5.53

    Harrow

    £4.55

    £5.53

    Havering

    £4.19

    £5.28

    Hillingdon

    £5.16

    £5.53

    Hounslow

    £3.98

    £5.53

    Kingston upon Thames

    £3.93

    £5.53

    Merton

    £4.10

    £5.53

    Redbridge

    £4.34

    £5.28

    Richmond upon Thames

    £3.79

    £5.53

    Sutton

    £4.72

    £5.53

    Waltham Forest

    £5.14

    £5.28

    City of London

    £7.87

    £7.08

    Camden

    £9.17

    £6.07

    Hackney

    £7.50

    £6.07

    Hammersmith and Fulham

    £6.62

    £6.07

    Islington

    £8.41

    £6.07

    Kensington and Chelsea

    £6.73

    £6.07

    Lambeth

    £7.86

    £6.07

    Lewisham

    £6.12

    £6.07

    Southwark

    £8.64

    £6.07

    Tower Hamlets

    £8.21

    £6.07

    Wandsworth

    £5.19

    £6.07

    Westminster

    £7.20

    £6.07

    Haringey

    £5.63

    £5.28

    Newham

    £5.17

    £5.28

    All funding rates for three and four year olds are exclusive of the Early Years Pupil Premium which is an additional funding stream for disadvantaged children.

    We have recently consulted on a new early years national funding formula, and our proposed formula from 2017-18 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-funding-changes-to-funding-for-3-and-4-year-olds

    “

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to implement the conclusions of Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, published in July 2015, and simplify and streamline the number of qualifications.

    Nick Boles

    Compared to other countries, technical and professional education in England is still too complex. The government’s ambition is for a system that provides individuals with clear, high-quality routes to employment.

    Following Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 Review of Vocational Education, the government has already removed thousands of low-quality qualifications, which were not valued by employers, from the school and college performance tables.

    Building on these reforms we will introduce up to 20 specific new professional and technical routes will be created, leading up to employment or degree-level study. This will simplify the system so individuals no longer need to choose from thousands of qualifications.

    To advise on these reforms, the government has appointed an Independent Panel on Technical and Professional Education, headed by Lord Sainsbury, former Minister of Science and Innovation.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 1 December (HL3644), which UK members and UK associate members attended the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Cheltenham on 16 and 17 November.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Northern Ireland Office is not responsible for the administration of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

    However, I am advised by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly secretariat that the following full members of the UK delegation to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly took part in the Assembly’s plenary session held in Cheltenham from 15 to 17 November 2015:

    David Anderson MP

    Lord Bew

    Baroness Blood

    Andrew Bridgen MP

    Deidre Brock MP

    Oliver Colvile MP

    Lord Dubs

    Mark Durkan MP

    Paul Farrelly MP

    Lord Glentoran

    Helen Jones MP

    Danny Kinahan MP

    Rt Hon Lord Mawhinney

    Conor McGinn MP

    Nigel Mills MP

    Laurence Robertson MP

    Andrew Rosindell MP

    Lord Skelmersdale

    Robin Walker MP.

    In addition, a number of full and associate members who had initially committed to attend the plenary session withdrew at short notice.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-01-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government will publish its response to the discussion document on Intermediaries Legislation (IR35).

    Mr David Gauke

    The discussion period closed on 30 September and the Government will announce next steps in due course.