The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on creation of new unitary authorities.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Government’s policy is to work with local areas to deliver effective devolution with the governance necessary to support this. We support the move to create new unitary authorities where such a move is locally driven and enjoys local support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 18626, what estimate he has made of the average cost of (a) the five new prisons planned to be open in the current Parliament and (b) the four new prisons planned to open after the current Parliament; and what estimate he has made of the average time that will be taken from application for planning permission to completion in each such set of such prisons.
Andrew Selous
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to PQ 18626 on 8 December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on children being absent from school to be on holiday.
Nick Gibb
Reducing absence from school is a top priority for this government as good attendance is clearly linked to attainment. Evidence shows that missing the equivalent of just one week a year from school can damage a pupil’s life chances and reduce a pupil’s chances of succeeding at school[1]. Parents should avoid taking their child out of school during term time if this is not absolutely necessary.
Head teachers continue to have the discretion to approve term-time absence, but only in exceptional circumstances.
[1] : “The link between absence and attainment at KS2 and KS4: 2012 to 2013 academic year” research report at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/absence-and-attainment-at-key-stages-2-and-4-2012-to-2013
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department takes to monitor how aid disbursed by the UK to the Palestinian Territories is used.
Mr Desmond Swayne
DFID’s Operational Plan for the Occupied Palestinian Territories contains a results framework which is monitored annually to ensure results being delivered are in line with those planned. We assess that UK aid is on track to deliver key results as set out in our Operational Plan.
Each new project is approved on the basis of a value for money assessment. This involves assessing the strength of the evidence provided in each business case for the intervention, and comparing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of different delivery options. All projects are reviewed annually, and at project completion, to monitor the results that have been delivered. All reviews are publicly available on the Development Tracker website: http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his current estimate is of when the (a) electrification and (b) improvement of the Midland mainline will be completed (i) in Northamptonshire and (ii) for the whole line.
Claire Perry
Electrification of the line should be completed north from Bedford to Ketteringand Corby in Northamptonshire by 2019 and the whole line north from Kettering to Leicester / Derby/ Nottingham & Sheffield by 2023.
Network Rail is proposing that line speed and capacity improvement works forming the remainder of the improvement works to the line will be co-ordinated with electrification in order to minimise disruption to passengers on the route.
Sir Peter Hendy has been asked to review Network Rail’s enhancement portfolio, so that works may be delivered over a more realistic timeframe. When we receive his report, expected later in the autumn, we will be able to announce more about the programme for the capacity and line speed works planned for the Midland Mainline.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to support the establishment of an NFL franchise in London.
Tracey Crouch
As the Chancellor stated in October 2014, the Government fully backs the NFL franchise, and HM Treasury is currently in discussions with the Greater London Authority about increasing the number of NFL matches in London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Leader of the House being elected by the whole House.
Chris Grayling
None.
The parliamentary question asked by Peter Bone, the Conservative MP for Wellingborough, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
If migrants who crossed the channel from France illegally were immediately returned to France, it would stop illegal migration to this country, break the economic model of the people smugglers and, perhaps more importantly, stop thousands of people descending on northern French cities, which would benefit the French. When the Prime Minister spoke to the French President, was a returns policy discussed? If so, what was the President’s response?
The Deputy Prime Minister (Dominic Raab)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. I cannot tell him the precise read-out from the meeting—I have not seen it yet—but I can tell him that the Home Secretary’s deal and agreement with her French opposite number means a 40% increase in officers patrolling beaches in northern France; UK officers embedded with their French counterparts for the first time; investment in port security infrastructure; more technology; and more wider European co-operation. We have taken all those measures in the teeth of the opposition from the Labour Front Bench, who have opposed every single measure that we have taken to stop illegal immigration, including things where I would have thought there would be cross-party consensus, such as life sentences for traffickers who play on human misery.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2014-07-16.
To ask the Leader of the House, how many days were allocated to business not introduced by a Government Minister in each of the last 10 years.
Mr William Hague
The statistics requested are not maintained as business is not always allocated on the basis of whole days. The number of days allocated to Opposition Days, Backbench business, select committee business and private Members’ bills each session is specified in the Standing Orders of the House. The number of hours spent each Session on different categories of business is recorded in the Sessional Returns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2014-07-16.
To ask the Leader of the House, how many amendments to Government bills were not debated in the House due to a lack of time in each of the last 10 years.
Mr William Hague
The information sought is not held in the form requested; nor is it possible to determine the reasons why some amendments are not debated. The majority of public bill committees in this Parliament have concluded earlier than the time programmed. The average number of groups of amendments not reached at Report Stage on a Bill in each of the ten Sessions from 2002-03 has been provided by the Government and is included in the Appendix of the Third Report from the Procedure Committee of Session 2013-14, HC767. The figure for the 2013-14 Session is an average of 1.4 groups per Bill.