First elected: 11th June 1987
Left House: 30th March 2015 (Retired)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Joan Walley, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Joan Walley has not been granted any Urgent Questions
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. The Bill would create a duty on the Secretary of State to prepare a Code for Sustainable Food to promote the procurement of healthy and sustainable food by public bodies. This Code could be made compulsory if uptake was not sufficiently extensive.
Joan Walley has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
As at 24 March 2015 the Government are meeting the solid fuel and cash in-lieu entitlement of 1,323 former UK Coal miners and their beneficiaries who had lost their entitlement as a result of the restructure of UK Coal in July 2013.
A copy of the Ex-UK Coal Concessionary Fuel Scheme Rules following the 15th November 2013 announcement was placed in the Libraries of the House.
As at 24 March 2015 the Government are meeting the solid fuel and cash in-lieu entitlement of 1,323 former UK Coal miners and their beneficiaries who had lost their entitlement as a result of the restructure of UK Coal in July 2013.
The UK already requires quoted companies to report, where necessary for an understanding of their business, on environmental matters. Companies are required to report their policy, principle risks and outcomes.
In addition, UK will implement directive 2014/95/EU that requires reports to cover, amongst other matters, environmental policy. This disclosure will include a discussion of the company policy, including the due diligence measures implemented, the outcome and the principle risks related to the environment related to the company’s operations, business relationships, products and services.
Considering the requirements already in place and those necessary to implement the EU Directive, we have no current plans to bring forward additional legislation proposals on this issue.
329 organisations and companies were contacted and 45 interviews were conducted by the research company carrying out the study on the impact of compulsory country of origin marking on behalf of the Department. Respondents were asked for permission for their name to be included in the final report, but only 12 did so. We have asked the research company to contact all of those respondents that indicated that they were content to have their name included in the final report to seek their permission to make it public now. A list of those respondents who indicate that they are content to be identified in this way will be placed in the Library of the House.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ran a formal consultation on the Product Safety and Market Surveillance Package from 10 July 2013 to 4 September 2013. Details of the Consultation can be found on the following link to the Gov.UK website:
In response to the specific question about country of origin marking contained in the Consultation paper we received responses from a wide range of stakeholders including 25 trade associations, but only 2 of these indicated to us that they agreed with the proposed mandatory requirements for all consumer products to bear indication of origin marking
I would of course welcome any evidence Steelite International may have on the cost benefits of mandatory country of origin marking for consumer products and I will ask my officials to meet them to discuss this.
The Government’s Horizon Scanning Programme examines emerging trends and developments, such as those related to resource insecurity, that have the potential to lead to risks and opportunities for the UK. As part of this programme, Defra led a piece of work to assess risks to the UK economy from countries or companies restricting the supply of key resources. A summary of this work was published in Civil Service Quarterly in July 2014.
Last year, the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee set up the Strategic Resources and Risks group to coordinate work on resource insecurity across Government. As part of its remit, this group considers risks and opportunities that resource insecurity poses to the UK economy. This work is being reflected in the current refresh of the Government’s National Security Risk Assessment. Domestic risks related to resource insecurity are also included in the UK’s National Risk Register.
It has been the practice of successive Governments not to give specific information on the content of Cabinet Committee and other Ministerial meetings.
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The Government is not proposing any policy change regarding biodiversity offsetting at this point. As recommended by the Environmental Audit Committee and others, Defra waited for - and is considering - the report on the six offsetting pilots before making any further decisions.
The Government has always been clear that any policy change regarding offsetting would not alter existing protections in the planning system such as those for ancient woodland.
Defra did not allocate any funding to Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs) in 2013/14. In 2011-13 Defra, together with Natural England, provided a one-off £1 million capacity building fund for LNPs. Ongoing funding was not part of the envisaged model for LNPs. In 2013/14 the Environment Agency funded a small number of LNPs, the details of which are listed in the attached table. The Environment Agency has also contributed to other partnership projects where the LNP is a partner but not the direct recipient of its funding. These are not included in the attached table.
Each application for shale gas exploration and extraction will be assessed on its merits and operators will require planning permission from the local minerals planning authority. The Environment Agency will object to shale gas extraction infrastructure or activity within a Source Protection Zone (SPZ) 1 (i.e. drinking water protected zone). Outside SPZ1, the Agency will also object when the activity would have an unacceptable effect on groundwater based on a site specific assessment.
In England, an environmental impact assessment is required if a particular development is located wholly or partly in a ‘sensitive area'.
Planning authorities assess each application on a case by case basis. There is a general presumption against approving a permit in such areas.
The Secretary of State has no such planned engagements at present but always welcomes meeting a broad range of organisations to understand their needs and concerns. The UK Government is committed to the development of the shale gas industry in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
The Secretary of State has no such planned engagements at present but always welcomes meeting a broad range of organisations to understand their needs and concerns. The UK Government is committed to the development of the shale gas industry in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
A copy of each Environmental Assessment Report produced for motorway improvement schemes in the last three years will be placed in the House Library by 30 January 2015.
It should be noted that Air Quality scoping reports are not produced as individual documents for motorway improvement schemes, but air quality is considered as part of the overall environmental scoping exercise which is undertaken for each project in line with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 11 Section 2 parts 4 and 6.
The results of the scoping exercise provide the basis for the subsequent Environment Assessment Report which provides decision makers and the public with an accessible document which:
Every MOT tester has to apply the standards set out within the inspection manual when inspecting vehicles fitted with diesel particulate filters. Since the end of October 2014, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have visited around 1500 garages. If any issues have arisen during these visits, all staff at the garages have been made aware of the requirements.
My Noble Friend Baroness Kramer, Minister for Local Transport has recently completed a review of the use of a derogation applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus and coach passenger rights) exempting bus and coach drivers from undertaking mandatory disability awareness training.
To inform this review, she wrote to bus industry representatives, disability stakeholders and charities seeking their input, to determine whether drivers are receiving adequate disability awareness training under the current voluntary arrangement.
Having received and considered many comprehensive responses, the findings have been shared with Ministerial colleagues who are discussing how best to proceed.
While these discussions continue, officials will place a summary of all responses received in relation to the review on the Government’s website as a matter of priority.
I have made no such assessment. Network Rail is currently undertaking a Long Term Planning Process in consultation with industry, local and other stakeholders to identify the strategic priorities for future development of the rail network following the 2014-2019 Control Period.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does not seize and impound cars.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) adopts a compliance and enforcement approach to ensuring vehicle excise duty is paid. This includes reminder letters and late licensing penalties as well as court prosecutions and the wheelclamping and/or removal of unlicensed vehicles.
If the DVLA is made aware of any action taken as a result of an error, officials will consider refunding any charges incurred. Each case is considered individually.
The ESA 50 is completed by claimants with help from a friend, relative, carer or representative such as a support worker if needed.
Therefore no training is required or provided to GPs and other healthcare professions on completing it.
Guidance and information for GPs and other healthcare professionals from the DWP can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/healthcare-practitioners-guidance-and-information-from-dwp
To date, over 90% of Universal Credit claimants have made their claim online. Other methods will continue to be available – telephone or in person at the Jobcentre – to support claimants who require alternative arrangements to make a successful claim. All Jobcentres across the country have gone digital with computers and free Wi-Fi available for claimants to access the internet.
All new Universal Credit claimants will receive an information pack and advice from their work coach to help them understand universal credit processes and payments, and the support available locally.
Beginning next month Universal Credit will begin to expand across Great Britain in a tranche based approach, mirroring the successful implementation methods that we used to safely and securely roll it out in the north west of England. For more details please see the link below.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-national-expansion )
DWP Implementation Officers from Stoke/West Midlands recently met with their local authority counterparts to discuss Universal Credit roll-out in 2015/16 and the need to ensure that through local partnership working, support would be available for those single Job seekers who may need support to make and manage their claim. This discussion is in advance of the more detailed discussions around the detail in the Delivery Partnership Agreements.
Through local partnership working between DWP and local authorities, we are brokering funded Delivery Partnership Agreements to make available more support for those claimants who will need extra help to make and manage their Universal Credit claim on-line and their Universal Credit payment. This will help strengthen local partnership working between DWP, local authorities and their partners as we establish Personal Budgeting Support in all local communities through the expansion of universal credit from February 2015.
To date, over 90% of Universal Credit claimants have made their claim online. Other methods will continue to be available – telephone or in person at the Jobcentre – to support claimants who require alternative arrangements to make a successful claim. All Jobcentres across the country have gone digital with computers and free Wi-Fi available for claimants to access the internet.
All new Universal Credit claimants will receive an information pack and advice from their work coach to help them understand universal credit processes and payments, and the support available locally.
Beginning next month Universal Credit will begin to expand across Great Britain in a tranche based approach, mirroring the successful implementation methods that we used to safely and securely roll it out in the north west of England. For more details please see the link below.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-national-expansion )
DWP Implementation Officers from Stoke/West Midlands recently met with their local authority counterparts to discuss Universal Credit roll-out in 2015/16 and the need to ensure that through local partnership working, support would be available for those single Job seekers who may need support to make and manage their claim. This discussion is in advance of the more detailed discussions around the detail in the Delivery Partnership Agreements.
Through local partnership working between DWP and local authorities, we are brokering funded Delivery Partnership Agreements to make available more support for those claimants who will need extra help to make and manage their Universal Credit claim on-line and their Universal Credit payment. This will help strengthen local partnership working between DWP, local authorities and their partners as we establish Personal Budgeting Support in all local communities through the expansion of universal credit from February 2015.
To date, over 90% of Universal Credit claimants have made their claim online. Other methods will continue to be available – telephone or in person at the Jobcentre – to support claimants who require alternative arrangements to make a successful claim. All Jobcentres across the country have gone digital with computers and free Wi-Fi available for claimants to access the internet.
All new Universal Credit claimants will receive an information pack and advice from their work coach to help them understand universal credit processes and payments, and the support available locally.
Beginning next month Universal Credit will begin to expand across Great Britain in a tranche based approach, mirroring the successful implementation methods that we used to safely and securely roll it out in the north west of England. For more details please see the link below.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-national-expansion )
DWP Implementation Officers from Stoke/West Midlands recently met with their local authority counterparts to discuss Universal Credit roll-out in 2015/16 and the need to ensure that through local partnership working, support would be available for those single Job seekers who may need support to make and manage their claim. This discussion is in advance of the more detailed discussions around the detail in the Delivery Partnership Agreements.
Through local partnership working between DWP and local authorities, we are brokering funded Delivery Partnership Agreements to make available more support for those claimants who will need extra help to make and manage their Universal Credit claim on-line and their Universal Credit payment. This will help strengthen local partnership working between DWP, local authorities and their partners as we establish Personal Budgeting Support in all local communities through the expansion of universal credit from February 2015.
To date, over 90% of Universal Credit claimants have made their claim online. Other methods will continue to be available – telephone or in person at the Jobcentre – to support claimants who require alternative arrangements to make a successful claim. All Jobcentres across the country have gone digital with computers and free Wi-Fi available for claimants to access the internet.
All new Universal Credit claimants will receive an information pack and advice from their work coach to help them understand universal credit processes and payments, and the support available locally.
Beginning next month Universal Credit will begin to expand across Great Britain in a tranche based approach, mirroring the successful implementation methods that we used to safely and securely roll it out in the north west of England. For more details please see the link below.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-national-expansion )
DWP Implementation Officers from Stoke/West Midlands recently met with their local authority counterparts to discuss Universal Credit roll-out in 2015/16 and the need to ensure that through local partnership working, support would be available for those single Job seekers who may need support to make and manage their claim. This discussion is in advance of the more detailed discussions around the detail in the Delivery Partnership Agreements.
Through local partnership working between DWP and local authorities, we are brokering funded Delivery Partnership Agreements to make available more support for those claimants who will need extra help to make and manage their Universal Credit claim on-line and their Universal Credit payment. This will help strengthen local partnership working between DWP, local authorities and their partners as we establish Personal Budgeting Support in all local communities through the expansion of universal credit from February 2015.
My response relates to Work Capability Assessments.
The reasons for making special payments are not routinely recorded and to provide the requested information would incur disproportionate cost.
We are continuing to work closely with Atos under the current contract and process claims as quickly as possible. DWP’s aim is to continually improve the Work Capability Assessment process and help bring down waiting times for claimants.
For most benefits, any earnings received are deducted from entitlement, subject to a disregard. This disregard may vary depending on the claimant’s circumstances, the type of occupation and the benefit in payment. Claimants are usually excluded from benefit if they work more than 16 hours per week.
Voluntary work is defined for social security purposes as work for which the claimant receives no payment other than in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by the volunteer. It must be reasonable for the claimant to be providing services without pay. Voluntary work does not affect entitlement to benefit and any expenses paid are disregarded.
Whether working part-time or doing voluntary work, the claimant must continue to meet other relevant benefit conditions. For example, in order to be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance they must be available for and actively seeking full-time work.
There are a number of working age benefits and each has slightly different rules. Working age benefits are usually affected by earnings and, depending which benefit is in payment, the amount payable may be affected. If work is unpaid because it is voluntary work, this would, in most cases, not affect the benefit award. If work is unpaid and it is not reasonable for it to be unpaid, the income related benefit rules allow an amount of notional earnings to be assumed.
NHS England is reviewing current international evidence and recent emerging findings to clarify future commissioning intentions. The relevant specialist clinicians within the Children’s and Cancer Leukaemia Group are assessing what data, including the possibility of a national audit of retrospective data, are needed. Following this, NHS England will consider the possibility of a research fellowship post.
NHS England is currently planning to deliver a national Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) service in the United Kingdom in 2018. Until then, it continues to fund all clinically appropriate patients on the Proton Overseas Programme. Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumours are not currently included in the list of clinical indications for referral to PBT. However, the list of clinical indications for the new UK service is still in development.
The provision of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss is a matter for local commissioners and the level of provision is based on the needs of the local population.
A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database identified 66 written representations received between 27 June 2014 and 2 September 2014 about North Staffordshire clinical commissioning group’s (CCG) proposals to decommission the funding of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss.
The provision of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.
As such the Department has made no representations to North Staffordshire CCG about this matter.
A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database identified 66 written representations received between 27 June 2014 and 2 September 2014 about North Staffordshire clinical commissioning group’s (CCG) proposals to decommission the funding of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss.
The provision of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.
As such the Department has made no representations to North Staffordshire CCG about this matter.
I have received no formal representations on the Cayman Islands' Environmental Protection Fund. The Fund, which is financed by a departure tax, is a matter for the Cayman Islands. Expenditure from the Fund is approved by the Finance Committee of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly and disbursements fall under the control of the Minister of Finance.
I have not had any formal discussions with ministerial colleagues about the proposal for a no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA) within Pitcairn’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) since being appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 11 August 2014. Senior officials are currently considering these proposals and will provide advice to Ministers in due course.
21 out of 51 peacekeeping missions established since 1990 did not include a human rights mandate to monitor and intervene. Of these 21, only the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) is still in operation.
Human rights mandates or components in peacekeeping missions vary depending on the context, and are common in newer peacekeeping missions. The UK Government has supported these human rights mandates wherever possible. This is part of our broader efforts to mainstream human rights into the UN's peace and security work.
We receive reports on the security situation in the region including in Western Sahara from a number of sources. The UN mission, MINURSO reports each year to the UN Security Council, most recently in document S/2014/258 dated April 2014.
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has a budget of £3.8bn and there is no immediate need for the bank to borrow.
As set out in ‘investing in Britain’s future’, the GIB has the power to borrow from the NLF if desired.
The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority to include consideration of the principles of good regulation in their annual report.
These statutory principles of good regulation include “the desirability of sustainable growth in the economy of the United Kingdom in the medium or long term”.
Economic growth and improving the environment go hand-in-hand, and the Natural Capital Committee has made a range of recommendations on how we manage the environment in a way that will enhance it for future generations whilst meeting our economic needs.
Given the significance of this work, the Government is carefully analysing the recommendations made in the Natural Capital Committee’s report, and will respond in due course. As part of that response, we will set out how Government plans to integrate natural capital into wider policy making and reporting.
The Government takes natural capital very seriously. We have set long term-goals to stop the decades of decline in wildlife and habitats, and have already seen some improvements. Since 2010 we have helped to create over 150,000 acres of field margins, wetlands and woodlands, and woodland cover is at its highest level in 700 years.
The Government takes natural capital very seriously. It has set long-term goals to stop decades of decline in wildlife and habitats, which have already resulted in improvements. Since 2010, it has helped to create over 150,000 acres of field margins, wetlands and woodlands; woodland cover is at its highest level in 700 years.
The Government’s environmental objectives are reflected in the National Infrastructure Plan. Its Top 40 Priority Infrastructure Investments include rail electrification, renewable energy and Smart Meters. These projects support a transition to a less resource intensive economy.
The Bank of England, its subsidiary the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) operate independently within the statutory remit agreed by Parliament.
The statutory principles of good regulation to which the PRA and FCA must have regard, provided for at section 3B of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 include “the desirability of sustainable growth in the economy of the United Kingdom in the medium or long term”.
The UK Government is at the forefront of the global response to international aggressive tax planning and cross-border evasion, driving the international tax, transparency and trade agenda forward under the UK's G8 presidency in 2013, and fully backing the OECD's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project.
Under the Prime Minister's leadership of the G8, the UK has led a global leap forward in international tax transparency, meaning there are fewer places to hide. We are imposing tough new sanctions for those who do not come forward under HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) offshore disclosure facilities. There will be serious consequences for those who continue to believe they can hide wealth offshore, when later on this year HMRC will consult on a new strict liability criminal offence that could mean jail for those who do not declare taxable offshore income. HMRC will also consult on tougher civil sanctions. In addition, last year the Government entered into a series of Intergovernmental Agreements with the overseas territories which will ensure that from September 2016 HMRC will receive details of UK residents who have bank accounts and other investments in the overseas territories.
HMRC co-operates with tax authorities in other countries, in areas such as exchange of information and recovery of tax. Following the commitments made at the G8, all of the UK's Overseas Territories with financial centres and the Crown Dependencies have taken significant steps forward on tax transparency putting them at the forefront of this agenda globally. In addition to signing agreements with the UK for the automatic exchange of tax information, they have also agreed to be early adopters of the new global standard for automatic exchange of tax information, committing to an ambitious timetable of implementation as members of a group of 44 countries and jurisdictions.
Completion of the loan guarantee arrangements for the proposed nuclear power station for Hinkley Point C will coincide with the European Commission's closing decision on the government's state aid notification in relation to the project. This is expected by the end of 2014.
If a guarantee is signed it will be reported to Parliament as required by the legislation, Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Act 2012, underpinning the scheme.