The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-09-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the guidance issued under the Building Regulations 2010, in particular that guidance relating to fire safety.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government is considering a number of issues related to the Building Regulations 2010 and building control system matters in England. We will make an announcement about our plans in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-20.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on moves to reduce Air Passenger Duty by 50 per cent in the near future.
Jane Ellison
Like all taxes Air Passenger Duty is kept under review with any changes being announced at fiscal events.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many planning areas in England are in need of additional primary school places by September 2016; in how many of those planning areas there has never been an application to open a primary or all-through mainstream free school; and in how of those planning areas there are no primary or all-through mainstream free schools.
Edward Timpson
The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of available school places and pupil forecasts through the annual school capacity survey (SCAP). The main tables contain local authority level data. The underlying data on school capacity is published at school level and pupil forecasts at planning area level. The latest published data, relating to the position as reported at May 2014, can be found on GOV.UK [1].
The Department also publishes local authority basic need scorecards for primary schools. The latest scorecards relate to 2014 capacity and contain departmental estimates of the number of additional primary school places needed to meet demand in 2016/17, once existing plans for new places have been factored in. The latest data and details of the methodology used for the estimates can be found on GOV.UK [2]
The scorecard summary data shows that across England around 63,000 additional primary places were estimated to be needed to meet demand in 2016/17, based on capacity and planned places at May 2014. The Department does not publish data on the number of additional primary places needed to meet demand at planning area level.
The Department does not currently publish basic need scorecards for secondary school places.
Between 2003/4 and 2009/10 the total number of school places in the system reduced by 200,000, against a backdrop of rising birth rates. That is why the Coalition Government doubled the funding available to create new school places during the last Parliament to £5 billion, and this Government has committed to invest a further £7 billion during this Parliament. The latest published information shows there were 445,000 more school places in May 2014 than in May 2010, and we know that many more places have been delivered since then or are in the pipeline.
Over this Parliament, we have committed to open at least 500 new free schools.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-capacity-academic-year-2013-to-2014
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on how many occasions a special adviser in her Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.
Andrea Leadsom
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been accompanied by special advisers on three overseas trips since May 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21401, what her Department’s policy is on energy issues affecting park homes.
Andrea Leadsom
Park home residents are able to benefit from DECC policies aimed at improving the energy efficiency of homes and helping with energy bills. This includes the Energy Company Obligation, Green Deal Communities, the Renewable Heat Incentive, the Warm Home Discount and the Central Heating Fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage competition between rail services providers in the UK.
Claire Perry
Since the launch of the franchising programme in March 2013, the Department has introduced a series of measures aimed at increasing the number of companies in the market.
Working with UKTI and other partners in Government, we have been actively seeking potential new entrants. We have engaged closely with a number of companies that are looking to join the market and have provided advice on the conditions and qualities of our market so they can begin the process of entry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.
Jane Ellison
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 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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on implementation of the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka.
Mr Hugo Swire
Sri Lanka has made encouraging progress towards fulfilling its commitments to UNHRC Resolution 30/1 but we recognise there remains much to be done. We look forward to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment of progress at the next Human Rights Council in June.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the recommendations of the report of the Public Accounts Committee, Department for International Development: responding to crises, published on 20 April 2016, what steps she is taking to ensure that her Department improves its system of accounting for ODA spend on humanitarian emergencies.
Justine Greening
The Government will respond to the Committee’s recommendations in the usual way in a Treasury Minute which will be laid before Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-06-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the one-year survival rates are for women diagnosed with cervical cancer following (a) a routine smear test and (b) diagnosis by other means.
Jane Ellison
Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. Cervical screening detects abnormalities within the cervix that could, if undetected and untreated, develop into cervical cancer. It is unusual to detect an invasive cervical cancer on a screening test and this would need to be confirmed by a diagnostic test.
For those cervical cancers which are detected through screening, the one-year relative survival is 99%. This compares to 86% for all cervical cancers; 83% for those diagnosed after a Two Week Wait referral; and 45% for those diagnosed as an emergency.