Category: Speeches

  • James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on beak trimming of laying hens.

    George Eustice

    Since 2010, the use of a hot blade to routinely beak trim laying hens has been banned in the UK. In order to prevent injurious feather pecking, use of infra-red technology only is permitted on day old chicks. The Government established the Beak Trimming Action Group (BTAG), comprising representatives from industry, welfare groups, retailers, Defra, scientific and veterinary professions to look at ways birds might be managed so that even infra-red beak trimming would no longer be necessary. Having reviewed all the available evidence, BTAG has now submitted its recommendations, and the report will be placed in the House Library. I have accepted all of the Group’s recommendations.

    The Group advised that the risks of introducing a ban on infra-red beak trimming are too great. It could result in outbreaks of severe feather pecking and having to employ emergency beak trimming using the hot blade method, which is a far worse outcome from an animal welfare perspective. However, the BTAG report also identified improved management techniques that could reduce feather pecking. The Government expects to see these techniques introduced across the laying hen sector.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Part 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, what assessment he has made of whether all armed forces personnel aged 16 and 17 are able to study for 280 guided learning hours per year towards accredited qualifications.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Armed Forces meet the requirement of Raising the Participation Age, as defined in the Education and Skills Act 2008.

    In the Naval Service, all new recruits, whether Royal Navy or Royal Marines and irrespective of age, undertake a Level 2 accredited apprenticeship. This is as part of Phase 2 training for the Royal Navy and Phase 1 training for the Royal Marines.

    The Army provides full-time training and education to all recruits aged 16 and 17, largely through the Junior Entry courses at Army Foundation College, Harrogate.

    All non-commissioned Royal Air Force recruits, regardless of their age, are enrolled onto a Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 accredited apprenticeship according to their Trade.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland on the speed and efficiency of transfer of patient records between administrations.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not have any record of discussions that have taken place between the Secretary of State for Health and the devolved administrations on the speed and efficiency of transfer of patient records between administrations. However, we are aware that Wales has been conducting a pilot of the GP2GP system, which enables patient records to be electronically transferred between one practice and another, and Scotland has also been rolling out the system. In the future this should enable faster, more effective transfer of patient records between administrations.

    Additionally, the Summary Care Record Programme in England has a four nations forum with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that focuses on best practice and lessons learned from the respective national record sharing solutions.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she has taken to ensure that all renewables can compete on equal terms in the additional rounds of renewable subsidy auctions scheduled between now and 2020.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme allows a wide range of renewable technologies to compete for contracts.

    On 18 November 2015, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change announced the intention to run three more auctions this Parliament, with the first, for the less established group of technologies that includes Offshore Wind, Wave, Tidal Stream, Advanced Conversion Technologies, Anaerobic Digestion, Dedicated Biomass with Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Geothermal, planned for late 2016.

    We will announce plans for Pot 1 (established technologies) and Pot 3 (biomass conversion) in due course.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many episodes of (a) traumatic brain injury, (b) spinal injury, (c) fractures, (d) dislocated shoulders and (e) ligamentous tears were sustained in school sports in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department does not hold this information.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2016 to Question 31117, whether the time period referred to when providing details of the not anticipated reduction in genital warts associated with the bivalent vaccine takes into account the impact of the introduction of the quadrivalent vaccine in 2012.

    Jane Ellison

    The findings of Kavanagh and others, 2014, and of Mesher and others, 2016, are consistent with the reductions in human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 that were expected in the assessments that informed the Department’s policies. Neither of these papers report findings about genital warts incidence, both report no decrease in HPV types 6 and 11; this is also consistent with expectations in assessments that informed the Department’s policies.

    The answer of 23 March 2016 stated, ‘data reported to Public Health England (PHE) from genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics shows a reduction in rates of genital warts diagnoses at GUM clinics between 2009 and 2014.’ This analysis has been updated with data for 2013 and 2014. The reductions reported were in patients aged 15 years and older. As the introduction of the quadrivalent vaccine was in 2012, to 12 year olds, no impact on genital warts in 15+ year olds within this time period was expected due to this introduction. Use of the quadrivalent vaccine within this age group prior to its introduction in the national immunisation programme was assessed as a possible but highly unlikely cause of the reductions seen.

    The latest data from PHE showing reductions in genital warts diagnoses in GUM clinics amongst ages offered the bivalent vaccine are data for 2014: the future duration of any protection from genital warts associated with the bivalent vaccine has not been (and cannot be) inferred.

  • Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues to inform people of state pension age of the implications for their surviving civil partner in the event of their death they are not married; and how many civil partners have been denied a claim to their partner’s pension following a claimant’s death.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Guidance on the circumstances in which the surviving member of a married couple or civil partnership may be entitled to State Pension based on their late partner’s National Insurance contributions is available on www.gov.uk.

    Information on the number of applications for State Pension based on a late partner’s National Insurance contributions which have been disallowed is not available.

    “

  • Scott Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Scott Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Scott Mann on 2016-07-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of replacing Vehicle Excise Duty with a roads fund fuel levy that charges motorists excise duty based upon how many miles they drive; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    No assessment has been made of a roads fund fuel levy as described by the Hon. Member. The government has previously considered calls to replace Vehicle Excise Duty with a supplement on fuel duty, but has concluded that this would not be fair. It would have a disproportionate burden on certain groups such as businesses and households in rural areas without ready access to public transport alternatives.

  • Bob Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Bob Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Stewart on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to introduce a levy on companies employing foreign workers below an agreed wage threshold.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Foreign workers in the UK benefit from the same rights under National Minimum Wage legislation as UK workers.

    In addition, companies sponsoring non-EEA workers to fill vacancies under Tier 2 (General), the skilled work immigration route, must pay a salary of at least £20,800 (rising to £25,000 later this autumn and £30,000 in April 2017) or the appropriate rate for the particular occupation, whichever is higher. For non-EEA workers using the Tier 2 (Intra Company Transfer) route for multi-national companies, the salary minimum is £24,500, rising to £30,000 later this autumn and £41,500 from April 2017.

    From April 2017, the Government will levy an Immigration Skills Charge on Tier 2 employers of £1,000 per sponsored worker per year. A reduced rate of £364 will apply to small and charitable sponsors. PhD-level roles, intra-company transfer graduate trainees, and graduates switching from the student route will be exempt.

  • Lord Naseby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Naseby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the UN OISL report published in September, what action they intend to take to bring to justice those British citizens residing in the United Kingdom who are alleged to have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity whilst fighting for the Tamil Tigers.

    Lord Bates

    The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including whether an offence has been committed, is an operational matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service.