Category: Speeches

Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were (a) granted and (b) not granted on the basis of the harm-benefit analysis.

Mr John Hayes

The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.

The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).

The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.

The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.

The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.

Year	(a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1]	(b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors	(c) Project licences granted
2012	9	4	626
2013	3	0	604
2014	4	1	474
2015	3	0	577

[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’

01/01/2023

Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the £390 million funding referred to in paragraph 0.5 of his Department’s paper, Infected blood: reform of financial and other support, published in January 2016, was spent in each year to date; and what the average spend per recipient in each such year was.

Jane Ellison

The Department only holds finance data for payments under the Schemes back to 2007. This information is provided below.

2014-15 £22,278,096

2013-14 £27,043,569

2012-13 £22,052,458

2011-12 £27,192,232

2010-11 £39,805,667

2009-10 £22,461,057

2008-09 £19,240,337

2007-08 £20,532,461

The figures above include the annual payments to those with HIV and hepatitis C stage 2, and the lump sum payments made on joining the scheme and progressing to hepatitis C stage 2. The fluctuation in amounts between the years reflects the variance in number of people newly coming forward or progressing to hepatitis C stage 2 in each year.

The payments to individuals included both discretionary and non-discretionary payments, data on which is only held by the trusts and funds. Therefore, the Department is unable to estimate the levels of individual payments.

01/01/2023
Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether GEO received full payment for its contracted services to run Harmondsworth Removal Centre for each year of that contract.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office has not pursued legal action against GEO for its performance in managing Harmondsworth immigration removal centre (IRC). Under the terms of the contract signed on 20th January 2009, deductions were made from payments to GEO for performance-related service credits and dilapidation costs.

01/01/2023
Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on commissioning of integrated paediatric continence services.

Jane Ellison

In November 2015, NHS England published the Commissioning Framework for Continence Services Excellence in Continence Care.

This covers all ages including children and outlines a pathway including assessment, diagnosis and treatment to recovery where possible. The framework sets out a number of principles for a good design of service including integration across primary, secondary and tertiary services, health, education and social care.

The framework references the Paediatric Continence Commissioning Guide (2014) which provides a specification for paediatric continence services which again puts integration at its heart.

A national Excellence in Continence Care Board, chaired by NHS England and with membership of paediatric continence specialists and the Paediatric Forum continues to oversee the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care framework.

01/01/2023
Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to help strengthen the economy of Northern Ireland.

Mr Ben Wallace

The Government’s long term economic plan to strengthen the economy is delivering for the UK and for Northern Ireland.

By cutting the deficit, reducing business taxes and encouraging investment in enterprise and innovation we are making Northern Ireland a more competitive and attractive place to do business.

01/01/2023
Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy and (b) effectiveness of regulatory frameworks related to algorithms for (i) Facebook, (ii) Google and (iii) other online platforms.

Matt Hancock

The Government Office for Science published an evaluation report on Distributed Ledger Technology: beyond block chain on 19 January 2016, which provides an assessment. In addition, the report recommends 8 actions for government to maximise the opportunities and reduce the risks of this new technology. A copy of the report is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492972/gs-16-1-distributed-ledger-technology.pdf

Consumers’ rights with regard to the collection, processing and disclosure of their personal data are governed by the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The DPA provides rights for individuals in respect of their personal data, including rights in relation to automated decision-making, the right of subject access, the right to prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress compensation for failure to comply with certain of the Act’s requirements, and the right to have data rectified, blocked, erased or otherwise destroyed in certain circumstances.

There have been significant advances in digital technology since the DPA came into force nearly 20 years ago. The Government is reviewing the current regulatory framework to ensure it is fit for purpose for the digital age.

01/01/2023
John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the proportion of new build properties excluding flats that has been sold as leasehold in each of the last here years.

Gavin Barwell

The department does not hold this information. The department published an estimate of the number of leasehold dwellings in 2014. As Table 1 (see link below) shows, in 2012-13 there were approximately 1.3 million leasehold properties that were not flats. The remaining 2.8 million leasehold dwellings were flats.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/342628/Residential_Leasehold_dwellings_in_England.pdf

01/01/2023

Lord Hoyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2015-10-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the balance of United Kingdom payments to and receipts from the European Union for each of the last 10 years.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The United Kingdom’s contribution to the EU budget, net of rebate and total receipts, for the last 10 years is as follows:

Year	Gross contributions post rebate	Total public and private receipts	Net contribution	Net contribution
	€bn	€bn	€bn	£bn
2005	12.16	8.67	3.49	2.46
2006	12.38	8.29	4.09	2.80
2007	13.43	7.42	6.01	4.03
2008	10.11	7.31	2.80	2.06
2009	10.11	6.25	3.86	3.68
2010	14.66	6.75	7.91	7.09
2011	13.83	6.57	7.26	6.21
2012	16.18	6.93	9.24	7.82
2013	17.07	6.31	10.76	8.78
2014	14.07	6.98	7.09	5.91

These figures are taken from the EU’s Financial Report 2014, where comprehensive figures for the UK’s contributions and receipts, as well as those for all other Member States, for all years from 2000-2014 are available. The latest version of this report can be accessed at the European Commission’s website.^{^[1]}

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/budget/financialreport/2014/foreword/index_en.html

“

01/01/2023

Andy McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many UK microbiology laboratories use the UK SMI B58 or equivalent test for detecting group B strep carriage.

Jane Ellison

UK microbiology laboratories that do not use Standards for Microbiological Investigations (SMIs) should be able to demonstrate at least equivalence in their testing methodologies to the relevant accreditation body. Public Health England is not an accrediting body in these circumstances therefore we do not hold information as to what tests are deemed to be equivalent to UK SMI B58.

UK SMIs are not mandatory and Public Health England does not have data as to how many laboratories, National Health Service or otherwise use UK SMI B58 or equivalent testing for detecting Group B Strep.

SMIs are intended as a general resource for practising professionals operating in the field of laboratory medicine and infection specialties in the United Kingdom.

SMIs help laboratories to meet accreditation requirements by promoting high quality practices which are auditable.

01/01/2023
Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s priorities are for the next round of negotiations on CAP.

George Eustice

The European Commission’s current focus is on simplification of the CAP. UK Ministers are pressing the Commission and other Member States to be more ambitious in this exercise in order to reduce burdens and costs to farmers and administrators.

Our priorities for the next round of CAP reform were set out in our manifesto. Our aim is to deliver a new agricultural policy which is simpler, which contributes to productivity and growth in the farming industry and which also delivers for the environment and improves animal welfare.

01/01/2023