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  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken, both by them internationally and through voluntary agencies, to prevent refugees now in transit through south-eastern Europe from dying of cold; and whether they consider that action is sufficient.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK is providing £46 million of humanitarian support to address the needs of refugees and other irregular migrants transiting through Europe and the Balkans. This support is enabling host governments and international organisations including the Red Cross, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Organisation for Migration, and non-governmental organisations to provide basic care, assistance, protection, and information to people on the move, with a particular focus on children and the most vulnerable. Of this, £30.5 million is specifically targeted at meeting needs during the Winter. This includes 178,000 warm blankets, 1,700 ‘winterised’ tents to shelter people from the cold weather, warm clothing, hot food, medicines and medical support where low temperatures mean more people will get sick.

    DFID continually reviews humanitarian needs and has deployed experts to countries along the route to assess conditions first-hand. Their assessment is that UK support is appropriate and well targeted, although they remain concerned by the conditions being experienced by already vulnerable people, particularly those who become stranded. DFID will keep the humanitarian situation under review and adapt the UK’s response to emerging needs.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to respond in detail to the recommendations in the report of the Shaw review into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons.

    Lord Bates

    The Government’s position on the Stephen Shaw review was set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid on 14 January 2016. Mr Shaw’s recommendations, including on pregnant women, will be taken into account as we develop arrangements for the adult at risk policy referred to in the Written Ministerial Statement.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have accepted the recommendation in the report of the Shaw review into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons that there should be an absolute exclusion from detention of pregnant women; and if not, why not.

    Lord Bates

    The Government’s position on the Stephen Shaw review was set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid on 14 January 2016. Mr Shaw’s recommendations, including on pregnant women, will be taken into account as we develop arrangements for the adult at risk policy referred to in the Written Ministerial Statement.

  • Lord Mawhinney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Mawhinney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what powers they have, if any, to overrule local authorities that grant planning permission that allows residential or commercial properties to be built on land designated as a flood plain.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Secretary of State has specific intervention powers to consider an application for himself before a decision has been issued by the local planning authority and powers to revoke or modify a planning permission before the permission is implemented. Local planning authorities, through their Local Plans and planning decisions are expected to avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. Between April 2011 and March 2015, over 99 percent of proposed new homes had planning outcomes in line with Environment Agency advice where they had been made aware of the decision.

    All local planning authorities are expected to follow the strict tests set out in national planning policy and guidance. Where these tests are not met, national policy is very clear that new development should not be allowed.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the legal requirements that apply to daily acts of collective worship in school assemblies.

    Lord Nash

    The Government does not plan to change the requirements for a daily act of collective worship. It is for schools to tailor their provision to suit the needs of their pupils, and parents can choose to withdraw their children from all or any part of collective worship.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they make available for stand-alone academies facing budget deficits and the possibility of becoming bankrupt.

    Lord Nash

    Academy trusts are required to set balanced budgets each year, and it is the trustees’ responsibility to manage the funding for their school effectively and appropriately.

    Where stand-alone academy trusts are facing genuine financial difficulties, there are a number of ways they can access support to help them return to financial stability. These include:

    • Accessing the recently launched suite of tools and information designed to improve financial health and efficiency within schools
    • Working with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) to agree a recovery plan to identify savings and ensure value for money
    • In the most serious cases, the EFA may agree to provide an advance of funding that is repayable over an agreed timeframe
    • If appropriate, working with Regional Schools Commissioners to consider joining a multi-academy trust
  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Education, Health and Care plans are now in place.

    Lord Nash

    Information on statements of special educational needs and statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans maintained by local authorities is collected in the annual SEN2 data return from local authorities in January each year. The latest available data shows there were 4,205 statutory EHC plans maintained by local authorities, as of January 2015.

    The Department does not collect information on which local authority has taken the longest amount of time to assess and decide on an EHC plan. Data is collected in the annual SEN2 return on the number of EHC plans which were issued within the 20 weeks set out in regulations.

    Of the new EHC plans issued in 2014, 64.3% were within the 20 weeks when excluding exception cases. Including exception cases; 61.5% were issued within the 20 weeks. However, these figures cover EHC plans issued in the first four months of the transitional period where local authorities are beginning to implement the new reforms within 20 weeks.

    This information was published in the statistical first release ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England 2015’, in May 2015. Data for January 2016 is expected to be published in May 2016.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authority has taken the longest amount of time to assess and decide on an Education, Health and Care plan.

    Lord Nash

    Information on statements of special educational needs and statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans maintained by local authorities is collected in the annual SEN2 data return from local authorities in January each year. The latest available data shows there were 4,205 statutory EHC plans maintained by local authorities, as of January 2015.

    The Department does not collect information on which local authority has taken the longest amount of time to assess and decide on an EHC plan. Data is collected in the annual SEN2 return on the number of EHC plans which were issued within the 20 weeks set out in regulations.

    Of the new EHC plans issued in 2014, 64.3% were within the 20 weeks when excluding exception cases. Including exception cases; 61.5% were issued within the 20 weeks. However, these figures cover EHC plans issued in the first four months of the transitional period where local authorities are beginning to implement the new reforms within 20 weeks.

    This information was published in the statistical first release ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England 2015’, in May 2015. Data for January 2016 is expected to be published in May 2016.

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of gross domestic product was spent on (1) the NHS and public health, (2) publicly financed adult social care, and (3) both of those, in (a) 1996–97, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2009–10, and (d) for each year thereafter up to and including 2014–15.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Spend as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is usually reported on a United Kingdom basis.

    The Department is responsible for reporting on health spend in England and is not in a position to provide equivalent spend figures for health and adult social care by the devolved administrations.

    HM Treasury publish UK health spend figures as a percentage of GDP which are shown in table below.

    Spend on health in UK as % of GDP

    Year

    UK Public Spending on health as a % of GDP

    1996/97

    5.0%

    2000/01

    5.2%

    2009/10

    7.8%

    2010/11

    7.6%

    2011/12

    7.4%

    2012/13

    7.5%

    2013/14

    7.5%

    2014/15

    7.4%

    Source: Table 4.4 HMT, Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2015.

    Numbers shown do not include total spend on adult social care

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they estimate will be the percentage of gross domestic product spent on (1) the NHS and public health, (2) publicly financed adult social care, and (c) both of those, following the allocations and economic forecast in the 2015 Spending Review.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department is unable to provide estimated spend figures as a percentage of United Kingdom gross domestic product.

    The Department reports on health expenditure in England but we are not in a position to provide equivalent health estimated spend figures from the devolved administrations.