Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 27 January (HL5180), how they will ensure that the forecast increase in the level of podiatry commissions by 2020 will be met by the podiatry workforce; and what assessment they have made of the risks presented by the reduction in Health Education England commissioned student places in 2016–17 and the end of bursaries in August 2017.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Health Education England (HEE) operates an annual comprehensive planning process to ensure their investments meet the future needs of the population. This process determines the education commissioning volumes for the following financial year.

    The HEE Commissioning and Investment Plan – 2016/17 includes a forecast increase in the available supply of podiatrists into the National Health Service workforce of 36.4% by 2020. The forecast reflects the planned commissions but also the net effect of different levels of non-retirement, leavers and joiners other than from HEE training programmes.

    HEE local teams are responsible for assessing the forecast supply and demand. The activity of gathering evidence, modelling and decision making at the local level is supported by Partnership Councils, including NHS and non-NHS service providers.

    The Department will run a consultation on how the funding reforms for nursing, midwifery and allied health education can be most successfully implemented. We currently expect to consult during March 2016. As part of this, an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment will be published.

    HEE will continue to have a central role in the commissioning of nursing, midwifery and allied health courses which will include podiatry. They will continue to provide sufficient clinical placement funding for those places needed to meet the workforce planning needs of the NHS.

    We estimate that the reforms will allow universities to be able to offer up to 10,000 more nursing, midwifery and allied health training places over this parliament.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the UK’s relationships with its defence partners in Europe of the UK leaving the EU.

    Michael Fallon

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 March 2016 to Question 28708 to the hon. Member for Clacton (Douglas Carswell).

    “

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage (a) development of oil and mineral production and (b) other economic development within South Sudan.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Sustainable economic development in South Sudan will require peace and political will from the country’s leaders. This means appointing a transitional government of national unity as soon as possible and implementing the peace agreement signed in August 2015. The UK remains committed to the people of South Sudan. DFID supports livelihoods and basic services for the people of South Sudan alongside life-saving humanitarian support. We support economic development by helping to improve the capacity of key institutions, and through our support to improving the effectiveness and transparency of customs operations. DFID has no plans to support the development of oil and mineral production beyond seeking to ensure a greater degree of transparency in the sector.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the total expenditure by HS2 to date; and how much has been spent on (a) land, (b) property, (c) compensation and (d) salaries.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Under the Government’s commitment to transparency, the data that is recorded by departments for projects such as HS2 in its Major Projects Portfolio is published by departments alongside the publication of the Annual Report of the Infrastructure & Projects Authority. This data includes financial statistics such as whole life costs of each project as well as total in-year budget, forecast spend and variance. This information is available from GOV.UK.

    Since 2009/10 the Government has spent £1.4bn on the HS2 programme. This includes the costs incurred by HS2 Ltd and Land & Property expenditure. In relation to (a), (b) and (c), as of March 2016, £434.4m has been spent on land and property with a further £11.2m in compensation payments associated with the statutory blight regime. Please note that 2015/16 figures have not been audited yet.

    With regards to (d), the information on HS2 Ltd salaries is published in the company’s Annual Accounts, which are available from Gov.UK. As of March 2016, the total salaries for HS2 Ltd stand at £80.4m.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2016 to Question 39812, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who have benefited from the UK Aid strategy to date.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In the first year of the commitment made in the UK Aid strategy, the Department for International Development have helped 11.3 million people get access to clean water and sanitation.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department uses used wheelchairs, zimmer frames, crutches and other ambulatory equipment.

    David Mowat

    The Department has no central role in the provision of used wheelchairs, zimmer frames, crutches and other ambulatory equipment. This is a matter for local determination.

    We want to see hospitals and other settings make the best use of such equipment, providing timely access to disability equipment in order to ensure an individual’s safe discharge. This could be the difference between independence or reliance on carers, services and others. This should include considering the provision of recycled equipment where it is safe and cost-effective.

  • Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department has allocated to work on the strategic communications plan for making (a) young and (b) other people aware of the blanket ban on legal highs proposed in the Psychoactive Substances Bill.

    Mike Penning

    A strategic communications plan to make people aware of the intended blanket ban on psychoactive substances is currently being developed. We are working with key partners and agencies such as Pubic Health England to develop a comprehensive plan that will explain the legislative changes and consequences to sellers, young people and other users and signpost support and advice. A budget has not yet been allocated for this work.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether financial penalties related to welfare reform have been ceased since legislation on that subject was agreed by the Northern Ireland Assembly; and whether there has been reimbursement of such penalties since that agreement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    In the Fresh Start Agreement, the Government committed to stop welfare deductions for 2015-16 following Assembly approval of a consent motion to enable primary and secondary legislation to the welfare system to proceed at Westminster.

    The Government also committed to refund the proportion of deduction due for the remainder of 2015-16, making an equivalent sum available to the NI Executive spread equally over 2016-17 and 2017-18. This will now take place.

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average expenditure was per head of local authorities in (a) Bolton and (b) Greater Manchester in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The average revenue expenditure per head for the financial year 2014-15, the latest available, was £1,675.33 per person for Bolton Council and the average for all local authorities in Greater Manchester was £1,896.10 per person.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many persons or family groups have received exceptional leave to enter or remain in the UK, outside the normal rules, for purposes of family re-union, in each year since 2011; and in each of those years, how many of those individuals given leave were related in ways other than as spouses or children under 18.

    Lord Bates

    The specific information is not available in the format requested.