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Tag: David Warburton

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Ofcom’s review of the future regulatory framework of the independent television production sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom reported on the operation of the television production sector on 23 December. I am now considering that report, and will make a decision in due course.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the Government has made on putting in place a blue belt to protect marine habitats and species in the UK’s Overseas Territories.

    James Duddridge

    The UK Government has announced plans to designate a no-take Marine Protected Area throughout Pitcairn waters, and with the Ascension Island Government has agreed to close 50% of their waters from fishing activities whilst establishing a well-managed fishery in the remaining offshore waters. Work is also underway to identify any gaps in marine conservation across the remaining OTs, which will assist Territories in delivering additional marine protection through a range of marine management tools, where necessary. We will work closely with the Environment Audit Committee in this regard.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote opportunities for businesses in the South West to access high growth markets abroad.

    Anna Soubry

    This financial year UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has helped more than 800 South West (SW) businesses access new markets. UKTI’s Passport to Export programme provided intensive support to 170 companies entering new markets including high growth markets (HGMs) such as China and UAE.

    A further 850 South West business delegates have attended business clinics and seminars promoting export opportunities including those in HGMs. During Export Week in November 2015, 233 business delegates had 787 one-to-one meetings with 69 visiting overseas Trade Officers at the ExploreExport event in Bristol.

    Additionally, in December alone SW businesses responded to 116 Export Opportunities as part of the Exporting is Great campaign, including 25 in China. To date UKTI South West has issued 119 Market Visit Grants to businesses, 42 of which were to HGMs.

    UKTI South West activity is supported by a High Impact in Growth Economies programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund. That programme has assisted forty South West SMEs to trade successfully in Brazil. Focused mainly on sectors with innovative high value products the programme is forecast to increase employment in the region by 260 jobs by 2017 as well as adding £100 million to South West export sales by 2020. UKTI South West aims to continue the programme by targeting further high growth markets over the next 3 years including Mexico, Cuba, Chile, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Brazil.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has conducted an impact assessment of (a) the proposed changes to the dividend tax system and (b) other measures in the Finance Bill 2016 on lower-earning micro-business owners.

    Mr David Gauke

    At the Summer Budget 2015 the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016. A Tax Information and Impact Note setting out expected impacts was published on 9 December on GOV.UK. Impact assessments have been produced for all measures in the Finance Bill 2016.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on ensuring that Afghan interpreters who have assisted British troops are able to claim asylum in the UK; and whether her Department plans to review that policy.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government accepts that we have a responsibility to those who have worked for the British forces in conflict zones. Many have served with distinction and at great personal risk. Separate schemes have existed since 2013 to assist interpreters previously employed by our forces in Afghanistan. These apply only to those who have remained in Afghanistan and, in recognition of their unique and exceptional service or the danger interpreters may face because of their work, can lead to relocation to the UK if certain criteria are met.

    There is no change to the way in which asylum claims by former interpreters with British forces in Afghanistan are considered. All claims made in the UK are individually considered on their merits in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention. Those who we accept have a well-founded fear of persecution are normally granted asylum. Those who are found not to be in need of international protection have a right of appeal to the independent courts. If all appeal rights are exhausted, they are then required to leave the UK.

    Government policy is however very clear that we only consider asylum claims lodged in the UK. We have no obligation to extend the asylum process to those outside the UK and cannot undertake to consider claims by individuals or groups in other countries or facilitate their journey to the UK. People who need international protection should seek protection in the first available safe country – that is the fastest route to safety.

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

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to meet demand for school places in Somerton and Frome constituency.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Supporting local authorities to ensure sufficient school places continues to be one of the Government’s top priorities. That is why we have committed to spending £7 billion on school places up to 2021, which, along with our investment in the free schools programme, we expect to deliver 600,000 new places. Somerset received £14.6 million of basic need funding between 2011 and 2015, which helped to create almost 3,000 new places between 2010 and 2015. It has also been allocated a further £24.5 million to create the places needed by 2019.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s timetable is for publishing and implementing the secondary legislation required to implement the increase in the Pension Protection Fund compensation cap provided for under the Pensions Act 2014.

    Richard Harrington

    On 15 September I tabled a written statement saying that I had begun the consultation on this secondary legislation with the intention that the increase in the compensation cap will be implemented from April 2017.

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

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is giving to rural nurseries to ensure they are able to meet the Government’s commitment of providing 30 free hours of childcare.

    Caroline Dinenage

    We have recently consulted on a comprehensive set of reforms to the early years funding system, and one of our proposals is to allow local authorities to use a rurality/sparsity supplement in their local funding formulae, in recognition that there may be unavoidable higher costs to providers operating in sparsely populated, rural areas with limited demand. We are currently considering all responses to the consultation and are planning to publish the government’s response in the autumn.

    We are also keen to gather learning and test how the extended entitlement will operate in a range of area types, including rural areas. Through Early Implementation of the 30 Hours Free Childcare entitlement, Northumberland, one of our early implementer local authorities, is looking specifically at how the extended hours work for and impact on providers operating within the most rural postcodes in Northumberland. Since September, over 500 children in rural parts of Northumberland have been benefiting from a 30 hours free childcare place a year early.

  • David Warburton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Warburton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the digital single market.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Business and the Cabinet Office have overall policy responsibility for the Digital Single Market. The Department for Culture Media and Sport leads on telecoms, audio visual policy, IT Security and now Data Protection. The Digital Single Market is a key priority for the UK Government and we welcome its ambition. It offers huge potential for jobs and growth and could increase UK GDP by up to 2%, and it can also benefit citizens, as shown by our recent deal within the European Council on roaming.

  • David Warburton – 2021 Speech on Foreign Aid Cuts

    David Warburton – 2021 Speech on Foreign Aid Cuts

    The speech made by David Warburton, the Conservative MP for Somerton and Frome, in the House of Commons on 13 July 2021.

    I am pleased that the House has an opportunity both to debate and to determine this question. I have always defended our aid budget, and I do not think that we should search for economies at the expense of the most vulnerable globally and at the expense of our own reputation and influence globally.

    I do not need to rehearse the case for ODA spending, which funds the vaccination of 55 million people; saves an incredible 10 million children from hunger; and helps to provide 50 million people with the means to climb out of poverty. I do not need to describe its soft-power benefits: the influence for Britain culturally, diplomatically, and politically; its symbolic significance; and its demonstration of leadership. I could not, therefore, support the reduction of that spending when the return to 0.7% is effectively at the whim or under the control of the Government. No matter how strong the intention to raise it again, events are always likely to overtake and overcome good intentions.

    I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor for the conversations that we have had in recent days. Given the uncertainty in the economy, I entirely understand his reluctance to offer a date for the restoration of the 0.7%. However, a set of conditions would provide a pathway, governed by objective circumstances, to a solution. Ceding control of the mechanism to the OBR and basing it on conditions that were met as recently as 2018-19—and forecasted by the OBR in 2018-19 and in 2020 to be met in the following financial year—would provide that pathway back to our manifesto commitment and our duty to the world.

    The Treasury is effectively outsourcing its spending decisions to the OBR and the state of the public finances. I do not believe that that has happened before and it provides us with the certainty we need that the cut is temporary and that our commitment to 0.7% will be upheld. It also ensures that our public finances are protected. That not only gives us a route back, but ensures that the current position is transitory, so I will support the motion. The worth of a commitment is whether it is upheld in the face of challenges, and the motion allows us to meet our challenges and our commitments.