Category: Speeches

  • Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of improvements to the Brighton Mainline in Control Period 5 on seat capacity on northbound trains at (a) Horley, (b) Redhill and (c) East Croydon rail stations during weekday morning peak periods.

    Claire Perry

    The Department has not carried out a specific assessment of the effect of improvements to the Brighton Mainline (BML) in Control Period 5 (2014-19) on seating capacity from the three aforementioned stations. We are investing significantly in capacity improvements on the BML which will start to be delivered this year and fully delivered for the 2018 timetable change. Govia Thameslink Railway intend to carry out a public consultation on their proposed 2018 timetable changes later this year.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the final report of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, published in May 2016, if she will introduce (a) a UK-specific target for the reduction of farm antibiotic use in livestock, (b) restrictions or bans on the use in farming of highly critical antibiotics and (c) improved transparency from food producers on antibiotics used for raising meat.

    George Eustice

    The UK Government welcomes the report and recommendations from the Independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. A full Government response to the recommendations will be published following purdah.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress has been made on implementing pledges on child education made in the Supporting Syria Conference held in the UK in February 2016; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK has been working closely with the UN, other donors and refugee hosting countries to deliver increased enrolment in formal and informal education. The UK is on track to deliver on its Conference commitments to support education, including spending £40million a year on education in Lebanon and £20million a year in Jordan. We will continue to work closely with these partners to track progress, including on enrolment in the upcoming school year.

    The UK is supporting the provision of informal and formal education opportunities to 1.1m children in Syria and the region. In addition, the UK has financed the provision of 350,000 children in Lebanon with textbooks, including over 100,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanese public schools.

  • 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 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether there are plans for NICE to review the process of patient involvement in technology appraisals.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it is currently reviewing its overall approach to patient and public involvement, including involvement in its technology appraisal process.

    Initial proposals, based on the findings of a literature review, a stakeholder survey and meeting, and internal interviews, were presented to NICE’s public board meeting on 20 July 2016. Once approved by the Board, these proposals will go out for public consultation later this year.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make available on the NHS the treatment of lymph nodes to ease the pain of women with breast cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    Lymph nodes are often one of the first sites to which cancer spreads. Therefore, treatment and, in some cases, removal of lymph nodes is standard practice across the National Health Service to treat cancers which have spread locally.

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ruth Cadbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will reopen his Department’s consultation on the proposed NHS mandate.

    George Freeman

    Each year the Government aims to publish the mandate to NHS England before Christmas, in order to allow the NHS sufficient time to plan before the new financial year. The mandate to NHS England 2016-17 was laid before Parliament and published on Thursday 17 December 2015. Alongside it, the Government published its response to the consultation, explaining what we heard and how the mandate has changed as a result.

    The Government is therefore unable to reopen the consultation on the mandate to NHS England.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of probation service delivery across the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Our probation reforms are designed to make sure almost all offenders will receive support on release including, for the first time, those sentenced to less than 12 months. These reforms will help to reduce reoffending, cut crime and improve public safety.

    We hold Community Rehabilitation Companies to account for their performance and seek continuous improvement. We have identified some areas of strength and some areas for improvement. Staffordshire and West Midlands Community Rehabilitation Company have reassured us that they are making the necessary improvements and we are closely monitoring progress.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost has been of provision of free school meals by region in each of the last three years.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Schools in England fund free school meals out of the overall resources available to them. Since September 2014, all infant pupils in maintained schools in England have been entitled to free school meals, regardless of parental income. The government does provide specific funding to schools to pay for meals for infant pupils who are not eligible for benefits-related FSM. The breakdown of this funding is available at school level for financial year 2014-15 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-provisional-funding-allocations-2014-to-2015; and for financial year 2015-16 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016.

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  • Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to UK firms of implementing Capital Requirement Directive IV.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Capital Requirements Directive IV (CRD IV) implements, in the EU, the prudential banking standards agreed by the international Basel Committee. The Government supports these global standards to ensure that we do not again face severe economic impacts as a result of inadequate banking regulation and would have implemented these with or without EU legislation.

    It is difficult to isolate the costs and benefits from other prudential banking measures introduced since the global financial crisis. And the benefits in particular are hard to capture as they take time to materialize. However, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) stated in its cost-benefit analysis carried out 2013 that ‘the CRDIV package is net beneficial to the UK economy.’

    Taking all of the prudential measures together, the PRA has estimated that the net economic benefit is £8.25bn per annum.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants making the transition from employment and support allowance to jobseeker’s allowance have received a decision assurance call; and what the outcome was of each such call.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.