Tag: David Simpson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to support the Russian government since the crash of Airbus 321 in Egypt.

Mr David Lidington

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the day of the Sinai air crash to express the UK Government’s deepest condolences for the tragic loss of life. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has spoken to President Putin on two occasions to offer his condolences and any assistance the UK might be able to provide, and to set out our assessment of the cause of the crash and the steps we have taken to ensure the safety of our citizens. The Prime Minister and President Putin also met in the margins of the G20 Summit in Antalya. We have also followed up at senior official level with further details and to offer practical cooperation and coordination in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on part two of the Leveson Inquiry.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Criminal proceedings connected to the subject matter of the Leveson Inquiry, including the appeals process, have not yet completed. We‎ have always been clear that these cases must conclude before we consider Part 2 of the Inquiry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to encourage and support graduates in finding a job.

Damian Hinds

Jobcentre Plus is committed to providing a high quality service to all jobseekers and this includes graduates looking for employment in high level sectors.

Jobcentre Plus work coaches personalise the support they provide to claimants to help them find work, based on their individual need and circumstances. They have access to a menu of specialist support designed to assist graduates and professional executives.

From April 2017 we are introducing a new Youth Obligation to ensure that young people aged 18–21 are either earning or learning and are given the support, skills and experience they need to move into and get on in work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Prime Minister, whether he raised the issue of persecution and human rights abuse of Christians living in China during the recent state visit by President Xi Jinping.

Mr David Cameron

I was clear during my wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. The joint statement reconfirmed our commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue, an important part of our engagement.

We raise the range of our human rights concerns directly with China, including during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in April 2015. We also highlight them publicly in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights. We will continue to pursue our concerns both privately and in public fora.

We believe that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. I remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity in China. We are aware of reports of the closure or demolition of churches, the removal of crosses from buildings, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-06-06.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that every region in the UK benefits from future economic growth.

Greg Hands

Economic development in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. At the 2015 Spending Review, the government announced that funding available for infrastructure investment via the block grant would rise by 12% in Northern Ireland, 14% in Scotland and 17% in Wales through to 2020-21. At Budget 2016 the government then committed an additional £220m of funding through the Barnett Formula to Northern Ireland, over £650m to Scotland, and more than £380m to Wales.

The government is also empowering England to take responsibility for economic growth. By May 2017, over half the population of the North of England will have a powerful new directly elected mayor. £200m has been committed to Transport for the North, strategic investments have been made in science (including £235m for the Sir Henry Royce Institute,) and Hull has been backed as the 2017 City of Culture. The government is investing in growth in all parts of the country, for example through creating a Midlands Engine Investment Fund of over £250m. Meanwhile our business rate reforms offer local authorities across England unprecedented new levers to drive growth.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has in place to include the devolved administrations in UK trade negotiations in the future.

Greg Hands

In due course, Britain will be leaving the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate, in time, our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade. The Prime Minister has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments and with a broad range of stakeholders over the coming weeks and months as we prepare for negotiations with our international partners.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the disparity between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the price farmers are able to achieve when selling livestock.

George Eustice

We are part of a single market across Europe and as such we should not dictate what a fair price is for farmers and consumers. We support the farming industry by reducing red tape, funding research to foster innovation, extending the tax averaging period for self-employed farmers and working to open up new export markets.

In recognition of the difficulties faced by Northern Irish dairy farmers, the UK government pressed for additional money to be paid to Northern Irish dairy producers as part of the support payments. 71% of Northern Irish dairy farmers have now received their payment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-06-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that increases in the number of foreign, high-fee-paying students does not jeopardise access by UK students to places at their local university.

Joseph Johnson

International students are not in competition for places with British students. The UK is the second most popular destination for international students, and those coming here to study count towards our education exports. International students pay fees to fund their places, and also bring other benefits including providing diversity on our campuses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been invested in the protection of honey bees in the UK in each of the last five years.

George Eustice

Defra has spent between £1.5 million and £2 million on protecting honey bees in England in each of the last five years.

Our programme aims to protect honey bees from pests and diseases, including tackling disease outbreaks and monitoring for exotic pests such as the Asian hornet.

Defra also contributed an additional £2.5 million to the £10 million Insect Pollinator Initiative carried out between 2010 and 2015. This was a joint initiative to look at different aspects of pollinator declines. Of the nine projects funded, two were specifically about honey bees and six were aimed at benefiting both honey bees and bumble bees.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of people who have lost money through telephone scams (a) in each region and (b) in each of the last five years.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.