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Category: Speeches

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals were heard in the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) relating to immigration decisions made by her Department in each of the last five years; for how many of those cases her Department did not appoint a legal representative; and in how many of those cases where no legal representative was appointed the appeal was upheld.

    James Brokenshire

    The Ministry of Justice publishes data at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics on the total number of appeals disposed at the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) which includes all types of immigration appeal. Due to the way that data is recorded on Home Office systems, overseas appeals have been excluded from the data set included in the table attachment. The data also excludes paper cases at which a Home Office representative is not required.

    The Home Office is usually represented at appeal hearings by a Home Office Presenting Officer acting as a Crown representative on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) in immigration appeals pursuant to s84 (6) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Section 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 covers who can act as legal representatives in immigration appeals. Subsection 6 specifies that persons acting on behalf of the Crown or relevant Government Department can represent the SSHD at immigration appeals and do not need to be a legally qualified person. However in some cases barristers have also been used.

    The proportion of oral appeals not represented increased between January – September 2015 in comparison to the previous 2 years. This was the result of the availability of Presenting resource in the Home Office to match court listing schedules which varied from forecasts used for planning purposes to a significant extent. Resources were put in place to ensure that representation rates increased in the final three months of the calendar year.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects a new Chair for the Environment Agency to be appointed.

    George Eustice

    Defra has appointed Emma Howard Boyd as Acting Chairman. She will lead the Board until a permanent Chairman is recruited in due course following an open competition.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the access to therapeutic services for children who enter the care system.

    Edward Timpson

    Local authorities are required to comply with a robust care planning framework which clearly sets out their duties in meeting the needs of looked-after children. This includes the assessment of a child’s emotional and mental health and requires the local authority to set out how they will address any needs.

    This framework should ensure that every looked-after child can access the support and services they need. At the Education Select Committee hearing on the mental health and wellbeing of looked-after children on 3 February 2016, the Minister for Community and Social Care announced that the Departments of Health and Education will be setting up an expert group working with NHS England, Health Education England, and sector partners to develop care pathways to support an integrated approach to meeting the needs of looked-after children with mental health difficulties. The experts will be drawn from across the health, social care and education sectors, with input from children, young people, carers and families with experience of the care system.

    In addition, the Department for Education’s £100 million Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme currently supports 53 projects in the development, testing and spreading of more effective ways of supporting children and families who need help. This includes projects focused on providing therapeutic services to improve outcomes for young people, including those looked-after and on the edge of care. The projects are being independently evaluated.

  • David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Davis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many operations the UK Reaper force has transferred operational control of UK Reapers to (a) the US Air Force and (b) embedded RAF personnel in the US Air Force in Syria and Iraq since 2 December 2015.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 November 2015 to Question 16741. It remains the case that provisions set out in the UK-US Memorandum of Understanding have not yet been enacted by either party.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 April 2016 to Question 32366, what assessment he has made of trends in the proportion of the NHS budget spent on general practice over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    Overall National Health Service investment increased from £97.47 billion in 2010/11 to £110.56 billion in 2014/15, the last five years for which data is available. Over the same period, spending on general practice increased by £651 million in cash terms. The percentage of total NHS spend on general practice decreased from 8.6% to 8.1%.

    NHS England has committed to increasing the funding it invests in primary medical care by an average of 4.5% each year until 2020/21.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-05-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding the Government provided to each (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian non-governmental organisation through the (i) Conflict Security and Stability Fund and (ii) bilateral programme budget in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    (a)The provisional project spend for 2015/16 for non-governmental organisations registered in Israel provided through: (i) the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund is: The Peres Centre for Peace – £44,592; Injaz – Centre for Professional Arab Local Governance – £60,608; Kids Creating Peace – £40,000; Yesh Din – £196,084; Gisha – £53,126; Peace Now – £124,361; Terrestrial Jerusalem – £51,040; The International Peace and Cooperation Centre – £232,933; and Rabbis for Human Rights – £101,441; (ii) the Bilateral Programme Budget is: none.

    (b)The provisional project spend for 2015/16 for non-governmental organisations registered with the Palestinian Authority provided through: (i) the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund is: Jerusalem Community Advocacy Network (also registered in Israel) – £141,679 (ii) the Bilateral Programme Budget is: Society for the care of Disabled People – £9,117; Nawa Association for Culture and Arts Association – £7,111; Al Aqsa Sports and Social Club- £9,602; Society for Physically Handicapped People – £9,602; Ibda’a for children development and institutional cultural exchange – £5,062; Idna Cooperation – Women Capacity Building- £6,658; Sourif Association for Higher Education – £2,920; Iman and Baraem Kindergartens – £4,865 ; ADWAR Association for Social Change – £5,516; Assembly of Benevolent Operation – £7,061; Atwar centre – £1,282; Diyar Sports school for Girls – £6,328; Saint Nicolas Home for the Elderly – £5,183; Hebron Rehabilitation Committee – £5,010; Ashtar Theatre – £2,127; The Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry – £9,963; Aqaba Club for Unity and Hope – £5,169; Burj Al Luqluq Youth Centre (also registered in Israel) – £19,297; and Silwan Youth Centre (also registered in Israel) – £7,173

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the foreign aid budget was given directly to the governments of recipient nations in each of the last three years.

    Sir Desmond Swayne

    Direct financial aid to governments of recipient nations constituted 14%, 12% and 9% of DFID’s total programme expenditure for years 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 respectively. These are the three most recent years for which this data is currently available. General Budget Support reduced from 2.2% to 0.5% of DFID’s total programme expenditure over the same period.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the Financial Reporting Council’s ability to work with other financial regulators in the UK to address the systematic financial risk of climate change.

    Margot James

    Although the Financial Reporting Council’s remit does not extend to the systemic financial risks of climate change, I am confident of its ability to collaborate effectively with any financial regulators, as required, within whose remit such risks fall.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the Prince of Wales’ visit to the startup academy Wayra UK, they have plans to promote the #iwill campaign.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Cabinet Office has pledged to support the #iwill campaign by ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to engage in meaningful youth social action opportunities. The Cabinet Office has renewed its commitment to the campaign and will invest £1million to support the development of youth social action opportunities in 2015/16. Any future investment will be announced after the autumn statement 2015.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional variation in the condition of local authority A roads that merit the indicator which states that they are roads where maintenance should be considered.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport regularly publishes Official Statistics on the proportion of roads where maintenance should be considered by region in England. The latest available published data are for the financial year 2013/14.

    Road maintenance is a matter for individual local highway authorities, and it is for them to prioritise work according to local need. However, we are providing local highway authorities with record funding of £6 billion for local highways maintenance plus a £250 million pothole action fund as recently announced by the Chancellor on top of this.