Category: Speeches

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report by Sir Stephen Bubb, Time for Change: the challenge ahead, published in February 2016, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a commissioner for people with learning disabilities.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department will consider the recommendations made in Time for Change – the Challenge Ahead, as part of development work on our Learning Disability Action Plan and in delivering the commitments we made in the Government’s response to ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’ consultation published in November 2015. However, new statutory roles and legislation are not necessarily the answer to promoting and protecting the rights of people with learning disabilities and their families.

    In the response to ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’, we set out how we can make more rapid and meaningful progress by ensuring that the rights that exist under current laws and statutes are properly understood, implemented and exercised by those with learning disabilities and/or autism. This work is underway and we have made a clear commitment to consider legislation if the actions we propose do not create sufficient progress.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.59 of the Summer Budget 2015, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of restricting finance cost relief for landlords on the ability of private individuals who operate buy-to-let businesses with large private buy-to-let companies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    An individual’s property income is subject to a separate set of tax rules to those of a private company.

    Once the changes are fully in place by 2020-21, all individuals will get finance cost relief at the basic rate of income tax, 20%. Incorporated businesses will continue to receive relief at the corporate tax rate which is currently 20% and due to fall to 17% in 2020.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage wider participation and interest in St George’s Day; what steps his Department is planning to take to further increase participation and interest in such events in 2017; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department supports a number of Arm’s Length bodies that run events across the country on St George’s day.

    English Heritage hold an annual programme – which includes one of its biggest events of the year, the St George’s Day Festival at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. English Heritage also organise St George’s Day pageant events (living history shows) at other sites including Dover Castle in Kent, Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire and Warkworth Castle in Northumberland.

    In addition to English Heritage events, The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded ‘Derby Live’ £35,300 for a three-year community project called ‘Maypoles, Mummers and Merry England.’ The project, designed for school children explored English folk traditions through workshops, activities and folk dances at the Derby St George’s Day celebrations.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33935, whether the UK Government considers that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition forces have committed any violation of International Humanitarian Law during the Yemen conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military Coalition. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL, and that lessons will be acted upon. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to IHL is whether there is a clear risk that those weapons might be used in a serious violation of IHL. Having regard to all the information available to us, we assess that this test has not been met.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-09-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many widowed parents and bereaved cohabiting parents will be financially worse off as a result of the planned changes to the widowed parent’s allowance.

    Mr David Gauke

    The new Bereavement Support Payment will be introduced from April 2017 for new claimants only. Existing claimants of Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance will remain on those benefits for the lifetime of their awards, so there will be no impact on them or their families.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth on the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​As the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) has said, the referendum result means that we need to be redoubling our efforts in multilateral organisations, including the Commonwealth. My noble Friend, The Rt Hon. Baroness of Anelay of St Johns, Minister for the Commonwealth, has discussed a range of issues with the Commonwealth Secretary General, including the decision by the UK to leave the EU. Building on the positive momentum from the Commonealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2015 in Malta, and will make the most of the opportunities that the Commonwealth has to offer. The UK will continue to be a global advocate for Commonwealth interests, including with our European allies. We will work closely with the Secretary General and the Secretariat to successfully deliver the next CHOGM, which will be hosted by the UK in 2018.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of North Korea about the comments by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea that each year more than 50,000 North Koreans are sent abroad to work in conditions that amount to slavery.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We fully support the work of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). On 29 October, we delivered a statement in the UN which welcomed his efforts to improve the lives of ordinary North Koreans while also urging the DPRK authorities to grant him immediate and unhindered access to their country. We will continue to deliver these messages.

    The Special Rapporteur’s comments on forced labour are deeply concerning and, if accurate, appear to provide further evidence of the DPRK’s lack of respect for international norms. It is important that any country hosting North Korean workers respect their rights. We continue to press the DPRK to make tangible progress on improving its appalling human rights record, most recently in meetings in October between senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and DPRK counterparts in London and Pyongyang.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall have round the clock mental health support.

    Alistair Burt

    This information is not held centrally.

    NHS England advises that the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust has a 24-hour psychiatric liaison service that has been in operation since the beginning of January 2016 and that 24-hour duty support from the mental health services is available to access for all Devon hospitals.

    NHS England also advises secondary care mental health services are commissioned from Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust which includes 24/7 Home Treatment Team services and 24/7 in-patient services. NHS England assures me that NHS Kernow is committed to delivering the requirements of the National Crisis Care Concordat, including ensuring that people with mental health problems can get help 24 hours a day.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of regional school commissioners’ powers for identifying unregistered pupils being taught at home.

    Edward Timpson

    The role of Regional Schools Commissioners is to work with school leaders to promote and monitor academies and free schools. The list of their responsibilities does not include unregistered pupils or home education.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.

    Alistair Burt

    This Information is not held centrally by the Department.