Category: Speeches

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what mechanisms are in place to ensure funding from her Department reaches the project for which it is intended.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    As set out in the UK aid strategy we are determined to ensure that aid is focussed on tackling the global challenges of our time, in order to eliminate poverty and advance the UK’s national interest. The Department for International Development works with many suppliers and partners to deliver hundreds of individual programmes, often in complex and high risk environments. It has rigorous internal systems and processes to ensure that its aid reaches the intended beneficiaries and delivers the intended results. These are reflected in a detailed programme management framework (known as the Smart Rules) which sets out rules and principles designed to ensure all funding is spent as intended and delivers value for money.

    Due Diligence Assessments are undertaken on organisations receiving funding from DFID. The Department also uses delivery chain maps to understand the number and complexity of suppliers involved in a programme and how funds flow to the beneficiaries. These tools allow us to identify, understand and manage potential risks as programmes are delivered and to ensure that funds are properly accounted for. Risk levels are regularly reviewed and programmes closed if risk levels rise too high.

    All programmes that are being implemented undergo a rigorous formal annual review which assesses and records whether funds have been used for their intended purposes and the results that have been delivered. Risks or issues identified during the review are recorded, addressed and monitored. In areas of high risk, particularly in fragile and conflict affected areas, the Department often uses monitoring agents, independent audits, and other additional safeguards.

    All organisations who receive funding from DFID have to provide evidence about the use of funds, including through annual audited statements. DFID’s Internal Audit Department provides further checks that programme funding reaches the intended recipients and reviews the work of all overseas offices every two years. This is supplemented by the National Audit Office and the Independent Commission on Aid Impact who provide independent scrutiny over the use of the aid budget.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he has put in place to monitor how the £1.25 billion allocated to children and adolescent mental health services in the March 2015 Budget is spent; and if he will take steps to ring-fence the remainder of that funding.

    Alistair Burt

    In total the Government has made available an additional £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health. In addition to the £1.25 billion made available in the March 2015 budget, a further £150 million was made available in the 2014 Autumn Statement to develop evidence based community eating disorder services for children and young people.

    NHS England’s Local Transformation Planning guidance issued, in August 2015, and the robust assurance process around it, backed by a programme of regional and national support, ensure that the additional money will be spent for the purposes intended and that locally determined key performance indicators will be met. No funding was allocated without full assurance in place.

    The intention from 2016-17 is to monitor children and young people’s mental health services transformation as part of mainstream NHS England planning processes and through the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Improvement and Assessment Framework. As part of the 2016-17 financial reporting planning process, programme level spend including children and young people’s mental health spend will be monitored routinely throughout the year

    While there is no legal power for the Department to ring-fence funding allocated to CCGs, we have introduced other means to ensure CCGs spend the additional investment where it is intended. The Department set objectives for NHS England in the annual mandate, which reflects the priorities for the health and care system. The mandate for 2016-17 sets objectives to 2020 and it makes it clear that the Government expects to see a transformation of children and young people’s mental health services.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what provision is made within the family justice system to assist victims of domestic abuse in private family law cases who do not have the financial capability to provide documented evidence when applying for legal aid.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is absolutely clear that victims of domestic violence must have access to the help that they need, including access to legal aid.

    As I updated the House on 21 April, the Ministry of Justice has begun work with domestic violence support groups, legal representative bodies and colleagues across government to gather data and further develop our understanding of the issues facing victims of domestic violence when applying for legal aid. The findings will be used to inform an evidence-based and sustainable solution, with the aim of drawing up replacement regulations.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Attorney General, what progress he has made on increasing the number of prosecutions for disability hate crime.

    Robert Buckland

    In 2015/16, the CPS completed 941 prosecutions for disability hate crime, an increase of 41.3% on the previous year when it completed 666 prosecutions.

    The number of convictions rose from 503 in 2014/15 to 707 in 2015/16, an increase of 40.6%.

  • Baroness Blood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Blood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Blood on 2016-10-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the most recent meetings they have had with the Association of Port Health Authorities.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) can confirm since June 2016, FSA officials have met for discussions with Port Health Authority officials from the following ports:

    – Belfast

    – Felixstowe

    – Southampton

    – Gatwick

    – Doncaster

    – Heathrow

    An official from the FSA will provide a presentation on imports and exports policy at the Association of Port Health Authorities (APHA) annual general meeting on Wednesday 30th November 2016. At the meeting, APHA members will be encouraged to provide their thoughts and views on the future work of Port Health Authorities in the United Kingdom.

    A number of large UK ports are no longer members of APHA. These ports have formed another group which hold regular (quarterly) ‘Major Ports Forum’ meetings. The FSA, The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and The Animal and Plant Health Agency actively participate in all of these meetings.

    The Government will continue to collaborate with Port Health Authorities going forward to ensure impacts on Port Health Authorities are fully considered in any policy making decisions.

  • Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) businesses affected by pre-pack insolvencies and (b) employees of such businesses of such insolvencies.

    Anna Soubry

    The University of Wolverhampton undertook research as part of Teresa Graham’s June 2014 review into pre-pack administrations. This found that returns to creditors from a pre-pack were slightly lower than from non pre-packed administrations.

    The report also found that in about 60% of pre-pack deals all jobs were saved, and in a further 10% some jobs were saved. No data is available on the impact of the insolvency on employment at creditors of the company.

    A voluntary package of reforms to pre-packs, as recommended by the Graham review, was launched on 2 November with support from the insolvency industry and creditor groups. The reforms are intended to bring greater transparency and improved creditor confidence in pre-packs, and especially those in which sales are to connected parties.

  • Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to retain the Student Opportunity fund.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is responsible for decisions on how the student opportunity fund is allocated to higher education institutions and for publishing guidance.

    We will be issuing a grant letter to the HEFCE in the New Year outlining the Government’s priorities for expenditure through the teaching grant, including on widening access.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many tickets to the Thiepval Memorial event on 1 July 2016 have been allocated to applicants from (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    Tickets to the Commemorative Event at the Thiepval Memorial were allocated in pairs to residents of the UK via a random ballot, which gave no weighting to residents of a particular area of the UK.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice his Department gives to employers on supporting employees who return to work after a period of mental illness.

    Alistair Burt

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on workplace health management practices. This guidance provides evidence based recommendations on improving the health and wellbeing of employees, and can support organisations to develop effective return to work policies. The guidance is complemented by earlier guidance published by NICE on promoting mental wellbeing at work.

    Additionally, guidance on the NHS Choices website provides advice for line managers on supporting employees with long-term medical conditions, including those with mental health conditions. This can be found at the following link:

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Documents/ChronicConds_LineManagers_Factsheet_A4.pdf

    Public Health England is working with Business in the Community on a new resource for businesses focused specifically on addressing mental health issues building on the existing best practice and considering the transferable learning between business sectors and businesses of different sizes.

    “

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will provide additional financial support to providers in the care industry to support such providers affected by the introduction of the living wage; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    Local authorities are responsible for commissioning adult social care services. Fee levels are agreed by local authorities and social care providers, reflecting local conditions. In setting fee levels, local authorities are obliged to consider the sustainability of their local social care market.

    At the Spending Review, the Government made up to £3.5 billion extra available by 2019/20 to local authorities for adult social care through the social care precept and Better Care Fund. This will help give councils more flexibility to meet local priorities as they see fit.