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  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the franchise specifications for rail passenger services on the (a) TransPennine and (b) Northern lines contained in his Department’s consultation document published on 9 June 2014 will increase the total number of daily (i) peak and (ii) off-peak services on these routes.

    Stephen Hammond

    The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises. No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.

    “

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people are employed at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham; and how many people will be employed at that centre when it is fully operational.

    Stephen Hammond

    The transition to the new HM Coastguard structure is progressive over 15 months, from September 2014 until December 2015, and is structured to incrementally deliver the right number of staff at the right point of the transition timetable.

    There are currently 27 Coastguards employed at the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC). In preparation for the start of operational duties in September 2014 this will increase further as successful internal candidates are released from their current operational duties elsewhere around the UK.

    Once the transition is complete, and the NMOC fully operational, this figure will rise to 96 Coastguard Officers.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what minimum qualifications staff at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham will need in order to discharge the technical duties of that centre when it is fully operational; and what range of qualifications staff currently employed at that centre have.

    Stephen Hammond

    Existing Coastguard officers who are successful in getting a role at the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) will need to have successfully passed the following training programmes dependent on the role they are undertaking:

    · Maritime Search and Rescue – Foundation

    · Maritime Search and Rescue – Intermediate

    · Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator

    New Coastguard Officers recruited into roles at the NMOC will need to have successfully passed the following training programmes dependent on the role they are undertaking:

    · HM Coastguard Foundation Programme

    · Maritime Operations Officer Programme

    · Senior Maritime Operations Officer Programme

    Currently the Maritime Operations Officers externally recruited are undertaking the Maritime Operations Officer Programme and will be qualified prior to the NMOC taking on operational duties in September 2014. All existing Coastguard Officers who are currently employed at the NMOC have the requisite qualifications for the posts they hold.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the franchise specifications for rail passenger services on the (a) TransPennine and (b) Northern lines contained in his Department’s consultation document published on 9 June 2014 will lead to a reduction in services for passengers in the North East.

    Stephen Hammond

    The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises. No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.

    “

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what average number of hours of training staff employed at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre at Fareham are expected to undertake to reach that centre’s full operating capacity; and how many staff have already undertaken that amount of training.

    Stephen Hammond

    The hours of training needed for coastguards at the new National Maritime Operations Centre to be fully operational will vary depending on the nature of the role, whether they are existing staff, their levels of experience, or external recruits brand new to HM Coastguard. HM Coastguard has tailored its training programmes on an individual basis. Training is underway for all new recruits and they will receive at least 488 hours of training.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with external stakeholders on the staffing and training levels required for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre at Fareham to be fully operational.

    Stephen Hammond

    The proposals for the modernisation of Her Majesty’s Coastguard, including plans for staffing the new National Maritime Operations Centre and the roles and skills of its officers, were the subject of two rounds of extensive public consultation from December 2010 to May 2011 and then again from July to September 2011. More detailed work by experienced coastguards to develop and implement training plans has taken account of those earlier consultations and has involved representatives of the PCS Union.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on disabled people in work of the closure of the Independent Living Fund.

    Mike Penning

    The potential implications of closing the Independent Living Fund are set out clearly in the Equality Analysis that was published on 6 March alongside the Written Ministerial Statement announcing the closure.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the employment status of Independent Living Fund recipients; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Independent Living Fund does not collect or record data on the employment status of its users when assessing their care and support packages.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of work capability assessments.

    Mike Penning

    We are working closely with Atos to deliver the best possible service for claimants and ensure the number of cases outstanding with them continues to fall.

    We announced last summer that we were looking to bring in further provision to support the delivery of the Work Capability Assessment. In the meantime, we have been working closely with Atos to improve their performance and have put in place changes to better manage the flow of work between the Department, all designed to reduce waiting times for claimants. These measures are taking effect and the backlog of cases has fallen over the past few months.

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints his Department has received on the Access to Work scheme in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    Access to Work complaints are handled in accordance with the DWP two tier complaints process. The figures that are available since the introduction of that process are:

    Customer complaints received

    Year

    2011/12 (Q4 only)

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Number of complaints

    121

    75

    157

    “