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Category: Speeches

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications of the cancellation of presidential elections in Haiti.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The postponement of the second round of the Presidential elections in Haiti is regrettable and given the uncertainty about what happens once President Martelly’s mandate comes to an end on 7th February. The international community is pressing the Haitian authorities to set a date for the postponed second round of the Presidential elections as soon as possible. Our Embassy in Port-au-Prince continues to monitor the situation closely.

    We reiterate our support for the EU Election Observer Mission’s view that the first round of the Presidential elections was credible and that a second round with the top two candidates should have taken place. It is therefore important that all sides work together to agree a date for the second round as soon as possible.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.45 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence Review 2015, when he expects to announce further details of the Government’s proposed new armed forces offer.

    Penny Mordaunt

    In order to deliver the battle-winning forces which the UK needs for the future, we are looking at developing a new "offer" for new joiners into the Armed Forces which meets the expectations of future recruits. It will ensure our future expenditure on personnel is sustainable and applied in the most efficient way. We have now begun the conceptual stages of evidence gathering and initial policy development which will determine whether the concept of a new offer is viable and when it could be delivered. We will engage stakeholders including the Armed Forces Pay Review Body as usual on our proposals when they mature. The new offer for new joiners will not impact on existing Service personnel.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the continued ban on Gaza Strip exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While there is not a ban on Gazan exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad, Israeli restrictions on Gazan exports of many goods remain. The UN has reported that there was a sharp increase in exports and transfers from Gaza during 2015. According to the UN, in January 2016, 288 truckloads of goods were permitted to leave Gaza for the West Bank, Israel and international markets. This is the largest figure in a single month since the imposition of movement and access restrictions in 2007. We welcome the steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions. However, we want to see Israel go much further. We have frequent discussions with the Government of Israel about the need to ease restrictions on Gaza. We continue to press for an end to movement and access restrictions in and out of Gaza, and for urgent measures to relieve the humanitarian suffering of those in Gaza.

  • Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government plans to publish the White Paper on the BBC Charter.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government will set out its plans for the future of the BBC in a White Paper in May.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the government of Turkey on that government’s proposal to remove parliamentary immunity from opposition members of parliament.

    Mr David Lidington

    The lifting of parliamentary immunity is a matter for the Turkish parliament. As a modern democracy and candidate for EU accession, we would expect Turkey to undertake any subsequent legal processes transparently and to fully respect the rule of law.

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

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 10706, and to the letter sent by Network Rail to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley on 14 July 2016, what the expected timescale is for accessibility alterations for Stechford railway station.

    Paul Maynard

    Network Rail have completed the option selection process for the Access for All scheme at Stechford and are working on a detailed design for the project. The Network Rail sponsor for the project would be happy to meet the hon Member to discuss plans for improving access at the station.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the decision by the Department of Health to remove electrical socket inserts from all premises where NHS care is delivered; and whether her Department plans to issue similar guidance.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has never required the use of socket covers in schools. All socket outlets in teaching areas of schools are designed to BS1363 and have built in safety shutters.

    The Department of Health guidance followed recent advice from electrical engineers that in some circumstances socket covers can compromise the safe operation of socket outlets and advises against their use.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the current threat posed to UK undersea fibre optic cables from hostile forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We do not comment on intelligence matters or media speculation relating to these.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the (a) forecast reduction in cases of and deaths from infection by Group C meningococcal disease as a result of the introduction of the meningitis C vaccine to the UK schedule in 1999, (b) number of meningitis C vaccinations administered in each year since that programme began and (c) cost of delivering that programme in each year since 1999.

    Jane Ellison

    Deaths have fallen from 110 in 1998/99 to an annual average of 3 deaths over the last 10 years. Annual MenC cases and deaths have therefore been respectively 97% and 96% lower in the last 10 years than in the year before vaccination was available.

    Routine immunisation programmes with MenC containing vaccines have changed since 1999 and this has affected the ability to collect estimate annual numbers of doses administered for each vaccine offered but currently around 96% of infants receive MenC vaccine and 93% of one year olds receive their MenC-Hib booster in England by their second birthday. Coverage data are not routinely collected on the third dose in adolescence (currently MenACWY vaccine) which began in the 2013-2014 school year.

    The administrative costs for the MenC programme are included in the global sum payment to general practitioners (managed by NHS England) which covers the costs of providing essential and additional primary care services.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2015 to Question 1958, what the total budget of the BIS Automotive sector team was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The total administrative budget associated with the BIS Automotive sector team for the last five financial years was £6,265,356. This is illustrated below:

    Financial Year Administrative Cost

    11/12 £1,393,614*^

    12/13 £1,187,636^

    13/14 £1,207,986^

    14/15 £1,256,570^

    15/16 £1,219,550^

    *Includes funding for the Advanced Manufacturing Showcasing team who were under the same administrative budget for these years.

    ^ Includes one FTE on loan to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

    The total budget to support Industrial R&D primarily for the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Driverless cars over the last 3 years* was:

    RDEL(Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit) – £79.327m

    CDEL (Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit) – £11m.

    RDEL CDEL

    13/14 £452,000 £0

    14/15 £26,000,000 £5,000,000

    15/16 £52,875,000 £6,000,000

    *There is no data available for 11/12 and 12/13