Category: Speeches

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has for his Department’s offices in Manchester.

    Joseph Johnson

    As part of the Department’s change programme, BIS2020, we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint. Beyond the announcement made about our Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place on 28 January, we do not yet know exactly which sites will be retained or closed over the course of the Parliament. By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and its Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside London through a number of centres – such as in Birmingham, Glasgow, and Swindon – as well as a regional footprint for the provision of local services.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children from the poorest families have not fallen behind their peers when they start school.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We want every child, regardless of birth or background, to fulfil their full potential. Good quality early education can positively affect a child’s later attainment, which is why local authorities in England have a legal duty to ensure all three- and four-year-olds and the most disadvantaged two-year-olds are able to take up a funded early education place free of charge.

    Each eligible child is entitled to 570 hours of free early learning a year, equivalent to 15 hours a week of early education for 38 weeks per year. Government figures show 99% of four-year-olds and 96% of three-year-olds are accessing free childcare. Survey findings also indicate 70% of disadvantaged two year-olds are taking up the offer.

    The early years pupil premium, which was introduced in April last year, provides nurseries and schools delivering the early education entitlement for three- and four-year-olds with an extra 53p an hour for each eligible child to help them improve the outcomes of disadvantaged children and close the gap in school readiness between disadvantaged children and their peers.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to hold a public consultation on the proposed closures of HM Revenue and Customs offices in Scotland.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to create two new Regional Centres in Scotland, in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2019-20, accommodating between 5,700 and 6,300 employees. HMRC’s new Regional Centres will give its staff all they need including a modern office environment, close to good travel and transport links. They will provide stable, high quality jobs and offer a wide range of opportunities for training and promotion and allow its staff to follow more varied career paths than have previously been possible.

    HMRC will help all its staff work through their options. It will give everyone the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances with their manager ahead of any office closures or moves, so they know about any issues that need to be taken into account when making decisions.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the Indian government and (b) other parties involved on the release to its owners of the vessel Seaman Guard Ohio.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I have made no representations to the Indian Government or any other parties on the release of the vessel Seaman Guard Ohio.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to (1) review the long-standing advice by the Department of Health against eating fatty foods, and (2) publish revised advice.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Government advice is that people should base meals on starchy carbohydrates, especially wholegrain; eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day; and cut back on food and drinks high in saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories.

    The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently reviewing evidence on saturated fat and health. A draft report is planned for public consultation at the end of 2017. Current advice will remain in place until the SACN has completed its review.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the feasibility of processing applications for registration certificates and residence cards through an online system; and if she will estimate the potential savings in administration costs to the public purse of such a system.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Data on the total number of EEA related applications made by people in the UK is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Migration Transparency Data release. The latest published figures (Q2 2016) can be found in the table ‘Temporary and permanent migration data’. See tab InC-01a. This data can be accessed via the link below.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-august-2016

    With regards to the online processing of EEA applications, UK Visas & Immigration is undertaking a programme of transformation of which digitisation is a core part. UKVI is working towards digitising all application routes from existing methods of applying by paper for applicants from within and outside of the UK. The intention is to enable customers to apply online across the services and immigration routes in a straight-forward and customer-focused way.

    The online application service Access UK first launched for visit visa customers in China in June 2014, and has subsequently been rolled out to 180 countries globally for overseas visit routes in more than 15 languages. For those already in the UK, Access UK has launched for customers applying for tier 2 (work) and tier 4 (study) extensions and is preparing for further services to go online. UKVI is currently trialling the online service for some EEA applicants. As the programme matures we expect benefits to security, customer service and efficiencies to be identified and realised.

  • Lord Northbourne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Northbourne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Northbourne on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposal to change the status of all secondary schools in England to become academies would mean that those schools which are now maintained schools will no longer have an obligation to deliver sex and relationship education.

    Lord Nash

    The Government is clear that all schools should make provision for high-quality sex and relationship education, which is a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain.

    Academies, like maintained schools, must teach a broad and balanced curriculum and in respect of sex and relationship education, they must – under the terms of their funding agreement – have regard to the Secretary of State’s statutory Sex and Relationship Education guidance published in 2000.

    The issue of statutory personal, social, health and economic education and sex and relationship education was raised during the Education Select Committee session in September. The Secretary of State agreed that we need to look again at how schools deliver high-quality personal, social, health and economic education including sex and relationship education. The Government is considering all the options and will come to a view in due course.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Volkswagen on irregularities in the levels of carbon dioxide emissions from cars manufactured by that firm; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government takes the unacceptable actions of Volkswagen (VW) Group extremely seriously. As we investigate what went wrong and what we can do to stop it happening again, the priority of course remains to protect the public. We expect VW to take every step necessary to protect its UK customers, but it is right that the Government carry out their own thorough and independent investigation.

    A written statement was made today (10 November) informing the House of the latest developments on the Department for Transport’s vehicle emissions testing programme, following the revelations that VW had fitted defeat devices to some of its vehicles.

    The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is working to confirm that this issue is not industry wide. They have tested two VW group vehicles known to contain a defeat device and will rerun laboratory tests on popular cars sold in the UK to compare real world driving emissions against laboratory performance. This will include measuring CO2 .

    The Secretary of State spoke to Dr Herbert Deiss of VW on 4 November to discuss CO2 emissions, seeking information on those vehicles affected in the UK and the extent of the discrepancy. VW have stated that they are working hard to clarify the situation and are liaising with relevant approval authorities.

    The Secretary of State has written jointly with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to VW seeking clarification on several issues. Separately, officials from the Department for Transport, and its Agencies have held a number of discussions with VW regarding the recall of affected vehicles.

    The Department for Transport has not made a specific assessment of on road emissions in relation to type approval requirements, but officials are aware of the findings in published reports suggesting significant differences.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps his Department has taken to promote use of the UK Guarantees Scheme in Wales.

    Stephen Crabb

    When I meet with members of the business community in Wales, it is clear to me the importance of the UK Guarantees Scheme in providing investors with the vital financial certainty to initiate critical new infrastructure projects in Wales and throughout the UK. HM Government has a memorandum of understanding with Hitachi and Horizon Nuclear Power to support investment for the proposed nuclear development at Wylfa Newydd; discussions around the provision of a Government Guarantee form a key part of this. The Project will create up to 1,000 permanent jobs and provide excellent opportunities for Welsh businesses to be a part of the supply chain.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the role and responsibilities of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) in relation to flood prevention and defences; whether they have been changed in the light of recent flooding; whether they have asked the NIC for advice following that flooding; and whether they have received any such advice.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The National Infrastructure Commission is an independent body that will advise on the country’s infrastructure challenges by adopting a long-term approach in assessing the UK’s infrastructure needs over a 10 to 30 year horizon.

    The Commission will have a mandate to examine all sectors of economic infrastructure – including flood defences, energy, transport, water and sewage, waste and digital communications.