Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Jones and Oliver Dowden

Thursday 16th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

16. What progress his Department has made on strengthening national resilience.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Secretary of State (Oliver Dowden)]

Strengthening our national resilience is one of my personal priorities, and my Department continues to lead on this crucial work across Government. We identified seven immediate priorities through the resilience framework; of those, we have already published four. We will soon publish an updated national risk register. Since I last addressed the House, I have also chaired a dedicated resilience Sub-Committee of the National Security Council.

[Andrew Jones]

Our preparedness for national emergencies relies on our local resilience, too. In North Yorkshire, we have a high-functioning local resilience forum. Is my right hon. Friend ensuring that these local forums are all operating at the standards needed, and are integrated into our national resilience plans?

[Oliver Dowden]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. We work closely with all resilience forums, which are essential to our whole-of-society resilience approach to any emergency response. There are well-established processes for Government to liaise with local resilience forums to enable national and local integration. In addition, the 2022 resilience framework commits to strengthening local resilience forums, including through clearer accountability and assurance.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Jones and Oliver Dowden

Thursday 2nd February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

The Government take those allegations very seriously, which is precisely why we appointed a leading King’s Counsel with employment law experience to investigate it. I thought the Liberal Democrats believed in due process—we have a due process and we should allow that to take place.

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

T8. In north Yorkshire we have a very high forces presence, so we have a correspondingly significant number of veterans. Today is the close of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and Office for National Statistics survey. I am concerned that some leaving our services find the transition to civil employment not very smooth. Will the results of the survey be used to identify either policy or practice where that transition can be improved?

Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Debate between Andrew Jones and Oliver Dowden

Thursday 12th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

I am quite sure that the city of Edinburgh, which is home to a royal residence, will play a central role in the celebrations in 2022. Of course, in celebrating the platinum jubilee, we will celebrate the remarkable Union of our four nations—possibly the most successful union of nations in modern history.

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

In the long history of our nation’s monarchs, Her Majesty is one of the greatest ever, and her platinum jubilee will be a significant and wonderful moment. Our nation, and certainly the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough, will want to recognise and thank her for her wisdom, dedication and service and then celebrate it. Will there be events to celebrate up and down the country and throughout the year in which my constituents can participate?

[Oliver Dowden]

I am sure that all the people of Harrogate will play their role in the celebrations. There will be year-long celebrations, and then on the four days of the bank holiday weekend, there will be different moments. We will be reflecting, thanksgiving and celebrating. It is not just a party; it is really a moment to say thank you to Her Majesty.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Jones and Oliver Dowden

Wednesday 16th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

T6. What progress is the Department making to encourage technological solutions in the delivery of our public services?

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Oliver Dowden)]

My hon. Friend raises a very important point. We are determined that the public sector uses technology to improve services. Indeed, just last week I announced the first GovTech challenges to help tech firms to create innovative, cutting-edge solutions to public service challenges. The first seeks to use artificial intelligence solutions to identify recruitment images that are created by Daesh and spread online.