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  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the appropriateness of the length of time junior doctors will be off shift following a nine or 10 hour night shift in the illustrative rotas for junior doctors, published by NHS Employers on 18 February 2016.

    Ben Gummer

    The new safeguards around shift working are based upon the UK Working Time Regulations, which set out minimum rest requirements between shifts. The new contract goes significantly further than these requirements. It reduces the number of consecutive shifts of nine or 10 hours length to eight from the current 12, with a 48 hour rest break, with further restrictions on consecutive long shifts or night shifts. This was agreed as reasonable with the British Medical Association. The illustrative rotas reflect these safeguards.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 26772, whether (a) legal costs and (b) compensatory payments resulting from investor state dispute settlement claims relating to the acts of local authorities would be passed onto those local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    If the UK were to lose a claim brought under the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism of a trade and investment treaty which relates to an act of a local authority, the Government would typically be responsible for legal costs incurred and compensatory payments awarded by the ISDS tribunal. However, the UK has a good record of creating the right environment for investors and treating them fairly – we have over 90 such agreements in place with other countries and there has never been a successful ISDS claim brought against the UK.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the completion of projects funded in England by EU structural funds in the event of the UK leaving the EU.

    Anna Soubry

    At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the (a) total number and (b) cost has been of (i) flights, (ii) rail journeys and (iii) taxi journeys taken by (A) ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) officials of his Department related to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiation process; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The European Commission conducts trade negotiations – including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – on behalf of the EU and, where appropriate, Member States. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not therefore incur the direct costs of the TTIP negotiating rounds.

    It is rare that travel undertaken by Ministers and officials relates solely to TTIP, but will usually encompass other issues. Officials within the Transatlantic and International Unit in my Department have the lead policy responsibility for TTIP as well as certain other international matters. The total travel expenditure by these officials in 2014/15 was £25,081, in 2015/16 £14,269.

    The cost to the Department of any travel undertaken in relation to TTIP is greatly offset by the economic prize that an ambitious agreement offers. Independent analysis shows that a comprehensive TTIP agreement could give an annual boost to the UK economy of as much as £10 billion each year.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of changes in his Department’s headcount in each financial year of the 2015 Spending Review.

    Joseph Johnson

    As part of the Department’s contribution to deficit reduction BIS received an overall 17% reduction to Resource DEL under the 2015 Spending Review. In order to meet that reduction, the Department is committed to becoming more efficient and effective, including by reducing its overall operational headcount across the whole BIS Group, in consultation with staff in the headquarters and Partner Organisations. The details of exactly what headcount reductions will need to be made in each financial year of the Spending Review are being considered alongside our overall approach to a new business model for the Department.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken to increase voter engagement with the upcoming European referendum.

    John Penrose

    The Government is committed to helping ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote in polls is able to do so. The introduction of online registration makes it easier, simpler and faster for people to register to vote. The Government is working with organisations, including Operation Black Vote and Citizens UK, which represent under registered groups to develop solutions to ensure that as many people as possible are able to have their say at the ballot box.

    Voter engagement is also influenced by factors such as whether electors feel the poll offers a clear choice on an issue which matters greatly to them and on the energy and effectiveness of the political campaigns behind each side of the debate. These are not under Government’s direct control, but we hope that the decision to hold the referendum in the first place, as promised in our election manifesto, will nonetheless help.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the employment rate was for adults in Southampton with (a) mental health, (b) physical health and (c) no declared health conditions in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken to encourage youth engagement in (a) national and (b) local elections.

    John Penrose

    The Government is committed to maximising electoral registration to help ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote in polls is able to do so. The introduction of online voter registration has made it easier, simpler and faster to register to vote. Since its launch in June 2014, 3.6 million people aged 16-24 have applied to register to vote, with 2.6 million applications online.

    The Government has worked with youth organisations such NUS and UK Youth to deliver activities to engage people in the democratic process.

    In addition, The Government has previously funded ​the ​British Youth Council to deliver ​Youth Voice activities including the ​UK Youth Parliament and the associated ‘Make Your Mark’ ballot.

    The ballot led to nearly a million young people, aged 11 to 18, voting in this UK wide ballot; a record turnout. This decided the issues debated at UK Youth Parliament, including mental health, a living wage and tackling religious discrimination.

    The Government has committed​ to support​ the Youth​​ Parliament and associated activities​ for the remainder of the Parliament until 2020.​

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England and Wales died from asthma in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many women have died (a) in pregnancy and (b) during childbirth in (i) St Helens, (ii) St Helens North constituency, (iii) Merseyside and (iv) the North West in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.