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  • 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 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how often powers in the Child Support Information Regulations 2008 to require suppliers of gas and electricity to (a) provide the Child Support Agency with information to confirm the whereabouts of a non-resident parent and (b) obtain account information to assist enforcement action to recover child maintenance arrears have been used to date.

    Steve Webb

    The powers available within Section 4(1) of the Child Support Information Regulations 2008 are used as part of the normal trace process available to caseworkers when required. However, this information is not routinely recorded for management information purposes. To provide this would require the creation of new information, which could only be completed and appropriately assured at a disproportionate cost.

  • 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 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims to the Independent Living Fund of what total value were made in each parliamentary constituency in the last year.

    Mike Penning

    There were no claims to the Independent Living Fund in the last year as the Fund was closed to new applications in 2010.

  • 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 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of recipients of the Independent Living Fund (a) are in employment and (b) were in employment at the date of application.

    Mike Penning

    The information is not available in the format requested as the ILF does not record the employment status of its recipients.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on the viability of public houses of the method by which business rates are currently calculated.

    Brandon Lewis

    Decisions on rateable values are made independently of Ministers by the Valuation Office Agency. All rateable values are based on the rental value of the property and for public houses rates are based on actual rents paid by tenants. Ratepayers should contact the Valuation Office Agency if they are concerned about their rateable value and may appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal if their dispute cannot be resolved.

    As part of our review of business rates administration, the Government will consider options for arriving at a rental based assessment for non-domestic properties including public houses and the discussion paper, published last month, invites views on this issue.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department gives local authorities on considering the potential flooding risks to land in neighbouring local authorities when making planning decisions.

    Nick Boles

    In the new planning guidance, launched on 6 March, we have made it crystal clear that councils need to consider the strict tests set out in national policy and, where these are not met new development should not be allowed. These tests, set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, include ensuring new development does not increase flood risk elsewhere. The tests are designed to protect people and property from flooding and give councils the robust ability to reject unacceptable planning applications.

    We also expect Strategic Flood Risk Assessments, prepared by local councils to inform Local Plans, to consider flood risks to and from surrounding areas in the same flood catchment.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each NHS trust and foundation trust spent on legal costs on individual employment cases in each of the last 10 years.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department does not collect data about how much each National Health Service trust and foundation trust spends on legal costs on individual employment cases.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on making the term surgeon a protected title.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There is currently already provision in the Medical Act 1983 (s.49) which makes it an offence for a person to pretend to be or use the title “surgeon” which implies registration with the General Medical Council.

    However, as part of a longer title, the title “surgeon” has not been restricted and is widely used for other specialist employment roles e.g. tree surgeon, veterinary surgeon etc.

    The Law Commission has recommended in its report on the regulation of health care professionals and social care professionals in England, published April 2014, that the Government should consider undertaking a full review of existing protected titles and functions, and related offences. We will consider the Law Commission’s proposals and produce a formal response in due course.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency expects to conclude its investigation into Churngold Recycling Ltd.

    Dan Rogerson

    This is a complex investigation that the Environment Agency is working hard to complete. Legal challenges to the investigation in the civil courts have caused delays. Once the investigation is complete and the matter has been legally reviewed, the Environment Agency will decide on any appropriate enforcement.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria.

    Mark Simmonds

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) spoke to the Nigerian Foreign Minister on 18 April when he condemned the abductions and offered UK assistance in securing the release of the schoolgirls.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the current whereabouts of the children recently kidnapped from Chibok, Nigeria.

    Mark Simmonds

    Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April we have remained in close contact with the Nigerian authorities about the case. Although the whereabouts of the girls remains unclear, reports in the media and from girls who escaped suggest they are being held in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State. Media reports also suggest the girls may have been taken into Cameroon and Chad. We continue to try and establish the facts in this case.