The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Marie Morris on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the Primary Care Infrastructure Fund he plans to disburse in each of the next five years.
Alistair Burt
The Primary Care Transformation Fund (formerly the Infrastructure Fund) was announced in December 2014 and is a £1 billion fund over four years. As such we are planning to disburse £250 million in each of the next three years 2016/17 – 2018/19.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of the recommendation of the Low Commission to establish a national advice and legal support fund funded through annual contributions from his Department, the Cabinet Office, the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The Ministry of Justice welcomes the work done by the Low Commission in producing its reports and recommendations, and we recognise the importance of advice being available in all contexts.
As the Justice Secretary said in June, we want to create a one nation justice system, and we are considering how this can be taken forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been diagnosed with lung disease in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison
This data is not available in the format requested.
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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Court of Appeal’s recent decision on domestic violence evidential requirements for legal aid, what interim steps his Department plans to make for victims of domestic violence whose evidence is more than 24 months old.
Mike Penning
We are carefully considering the judgment and will make a further announcement in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Jones on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of a UK withdrawal from the EU on the UK’s digital industries.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The UK is home to a thriving digital sector, worth £118.3 billion and equivalent to 7.3% of UK GVA. 43% of the UK tech sector’s total exports go to the EU.
Digital Single Market reforms could be worth £330 billion a year to the EU economy. This is a clear example of how the single market benefits the UK digital industries.
The Government’s position is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional coastal patrol vessels she plans to commission.
James Brokenshire
Border Force recently announced that it will purchase additional patrol vessels to complement the work done by its cutters and enable a greater level of flexible response.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials of his Department are (a) on secondment from external companies and (b) engaged as external contractors or consultants; and what the cost is of engaging such people.
Greg Hands
Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF), Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as some new hires.
Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes the Secretary of State as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes.
Since the department was formed in July there have been no secondees appointed from the private sector. Secondees previously in post with syndicate organisations have moved across to DIT on legacy terms.
Contractors in post with syndicate organisations have also moved across to DIT on legacy terms. Since the department was formed in July the number of contractors remains 217 with incumbent costs, as tabled below.
|
DIT Secondees |
Monthly Costs |
DIT Contractors |
Costs for financial year 2015/16 |
|
|
Trade Policy & Ministerial (BEIS) |
1 |
£0.00 |
1 |
£14,982 |
|
International Trade & Investment (UKTI) |
*12 |
£14,299.27 |
196 – as of 01/09/16 |
£24 million |
|
UK Export Finance |
0 |
– |
20 – as of 01/09/16 |
£2.54 million |
|
Total |
13 |
£14,299.27 |
217 |
£26.5 million |
Table Notes:
The majority of secondees are funded by seconding companies. Costs are based on collective monthly salaries of DIT funded secondees.
Actual numbers of contractors fluctuate throughout the year as do costs. Contractor costs reflect the level of senior specialist, technical and commercial knowledge required by the former UKTI department to support British businesses in international markets, and with overseas investors looking to invest in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that private higher education providers that have attained degree powers and university status provide an education of a sufficient quality.
Joseph Johnson
Private higher education providers can obtain Degree Awarding Powers (DAPs) and University Title (UT) if they meet the criteria. The criteria are set out in departmental guidance, and are the same for publicly-funded and private providers. For DAPs they include criteria around Governance and Academic Management, and Academic Standards and Quality Assurance. For UT they include good governance criteria such as quality assurance and academic standards, and criteria on student numbers.
Higher education providers that are publicly funded can obtain DAPs on an indefinite basis. All other organisations, including private providers, can be granted DAPs for a fixed term period of six years. The decision to renew degree-awarding powers after each term rests with the Privy Council and is subject to the organisation meeting the criteria for the renewals set out in our guidance. All holders of DAPs are expected to subscribe to the Quality Assurance Agency and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.
A change in control at the provider may trigger a review to check that the provider in question continues to meet the criteria for UT, and remains the same cohesive academic community that was granted DAPs.
The current departmental guidance is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/higher-education-market-entry-guidance
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Karen Bradley
The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention in June 2012 and this Government remains committed to its ratification.
The UK already complies with the vast majority of the articles through our comprehensive work to protect women and girls from violence, including criminalising forced marriage as required by the Convention.
However, primary legislation will be required to comply with the extra-territorial jurisdiction provisions in Article 44 of the Convention before ratification. The Government is liaising with the devolved administrations about ratification, including any further legislative steps necessary.
The Government takes its international commitments very seriously and will only commit to such ratification when we are absolutely satisfied that we comply with all articles. We will continue to lead efforts to tackle violence against women and girls, end Female Genital Mutilation and combat early and forced marriage, both at home and abroad.