The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which consultants other than McKinsey bid for the tender to consider his Department’s BIS 2020 programme.
Joseph Johnson
Proposals to consider the Department’s BIS 2020 programme were received from McKinsey & Company and The Boston Consulting Group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions the Government has had with (a) the World Health Organisation and (b) other stakeholders on the response to the spread of the Zika virus in South America.
Mr Nick Hurd
The Department for International Development is working with the Department for Heath, who are leading the UK government’s response to Zika, and Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This includes supporting the World Health Organisation in galvanising an effective international response.
We are not only concerned exclusively by the spread of Zika in the Americas but are equally concerned by the possible spread to other parts of the world – in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia where countries have less capacity to cope with such a disease.
The UK is supporting and commissioning research to better understand the Zika virus, its epidemiology and impacts, with particular focus on the risk to developing countries, and research into interventions to address this virus. This includes:
DFID is in the process of allocating more resources to the WHO for disease control preparedness, including Zika and Yellow Fever, including £4 m for Africa, £1.3 m for the Caribbean and £4 m for the rest of the world. DH and DFID officials along with representatives from key agencies – European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO), Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Inst Pasteur, EU Research Brussels, Paul Allen Foundation, as well as Canada, Japan, France and Australia – participated in a WHO/Donor Teleconference on 20 April to further coordinate response to Zika.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on City Deals in Scotland.
Andrew Percy
This Government has worked with the Scottish Government and local partners to deliver City Deals that drive local economic growth. The Aberdeen deal, for example, will deliver crucial infrastructure to support the oil and gas sector.
Most recently, My Noble Friend Lord Dunlop met Keith Brown to discuss this agenda on 30 June.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the NHS of the common cold.
Nicola Blackwood
No estimate has been made of the annual cost of the common cold to the National Health Service. Although it is usually perceived as a single illness, the common cold is caused by a wide range of viruses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee on the progress of its inquiry into the role of the Government and intelligence and security agencies in the alleged rendition and torture of detainees.
Mr David Cameron
I meet the Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament on a regular basis to discussthe Committee’s priorities for the period ahead. The Committee announced on 29 October that these priorities would include their follow-up examination of the themes and issues identified by the Detainee Inquiry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much has been allocated to Northern Ireland in (a) EU Structural Funds and (b) special initiatives in each year since 2010.
Anna Soubry
The indicative EU Structural Funds and Peace Initiative allocations for Northern Ireland can be found on the Northern Ireland administration’s Department of Finance and Personnel’s website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, broken down by region and subject, of the current levels of qualified teachers.
Lord Nash
The information requested is not available.
Latest figures show that 96 per cent of full-time equivalent teachers in service in state funded schools in England (November 2014) have qualified teacher status.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Drake on 2016-02-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase private pension saving by the self-employed.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
The 2005 Turner Commission recommended that the self-employed should be able to join a pension in an easy and cost-effective fashion. Therefore the Government-backed pension provider, the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) offers low-charge pension schemes to the self-employed, as well as to all employers.
Automatic enrolment has been a huge success to date with almost 6 million eligible workers people now enrolled. We will be reviewing automatic enrolment in 2017. We are keen to identify issues that should be addressed within the review and will be working with stakeholders to determine its scope.
The Government also recognises that the self-employed might benefit from saving in different ways to employees. In 2011 the Government introduced carry forward of annual allowances, which allow individuals with irregular earnings to use any unused Annual Allowance from the previous three years to contribute more to their pension in particular years, if this suits them better than making more regular pension contributions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote the export of Scotch whisky.
George Eustice
We are committed to increasing and promoting sales of our excellent food and drink here and overseas. This is why we have launched the Great British Food Campaign, created a new Great British Food Unit and designated 2016 “The year of Great British Food.”
Scotch whisky is a phenomenal global success. In 2014 exports were worth £3.95 billion* representing 21% of total UK food and drink exports. We are working with the industry to boost exports by developing a new Exports Action Plan, taking every opportunity to promote our products overseas and working hard to secure a global liberalised market for all our spirit drinks.
*Source: Scotch Whisky Association
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when Lancashire County Council made its application to the Pothole Action Fund; what level its application to that fund was awarded; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Jones
The Pothole Action Fund is worth £250 million over the next five years to local highway authorities in England, outside London. On 7 April the Government announced the share each local highway authority will receive from the £50 million available for 2016/17. Funding is allocated according to the length of the road network each local highway authority is responsible for as set out in the Department for Transport Road Statistics Publication. Lancashire County Council received £1,241,000 from the Pothole Action Fund in 2016/17.
Further details can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cash-for-councils-to-fill-almost-1-million-potholes
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