The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make transitional arrangements for women affected by changes to the state pension age introduced during the 2010 Parliament.
Justin Tomlinson
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 November 2015 to Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North), Question UIN 15476
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-12-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why their representatives at the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles voted on 28 October to weaken and delay the introduction of real driving emissions tests for air pollution emissions by diesel light duty vehicles.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Government officials voted to secure the best possible outcome on the 28th October. This meant ensuring that real driving emissions tests will be introduced as early as possible and so make a significant contribution towards lowering emissions of nitrogen oxides from light duty diesel vehicles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to develop polices on confirming the date a transgender person has begun living in role.
Jane Ellison
Specialised gender identity services are directly commissioned by NHS England.
NHS England has considered the outcomes of the listening exercise conducted by Professor Field and has put in place a significant programme of work to improve healthcare services for transgender and non-binary people. A dedicated task group has been established to provide leadership and coordination of NHS England’s work to improve transgender and non-binary people’s experience of the National Health Service, and NHS England holds a Transgender Network event twice a year. Regular updates on NHS England’s work to improve gender identity services are given on NHS England’s website by the Regional Director of Specialised Commissioning (London) who chairs the task group.
A Clinical Reference Group for Gender Identity Services has been established, comprising professional and lay experts. This group makes recommendations to NHS England on clinical matters. Issues around the standardisation of pathways across gender identity services and clinical protocols are being considered as part of the current work to develop a service specification that, it is proposed, will describe how NHS England will commission these services in the future. The process for developing a proposed service specification has included a period of public consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward proposals to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
George Eustice
A ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses is a manifesto commitment and will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. In the interim, the welfare of any wild animals still being used by travelling circuses in England is protected by the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012. During the 2015 circus touring season, 18 wild animals were licensed by Defra under the Regulations for use by two circuses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupil referral units have employed trainees on an employment-based teacher-training basis in each of the last four years.
Nick Gibb
Of those Pupil Referral Units that provided information to the School Workforce Census, there were 11 in 2014 and 11 in 2013 that reported having trainees on an employment-based teacher-training basis in service. The employment based training routes covered include the Graduate Teacher Programme, Overseas Trained Teacher Programme, Registered Teacher Programme, School Direct (Salaried) and Teach First Programme. In both years there were 11.3 full-time equivalent trainees employed by the 11 Pupil Referral Units.
Information for previous years is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures and checks her Department has put in place to ensure that the new supplier of language analysis testing are fully qualified to conduct those tests.
James Brokenshire
Language analysis assists us in determining whether asylum seekers are of the nationality or national origin they claim. It is one of the tools used by asylum decision makers to help resolve fairly issues of doubtful nationality or national origin and to ensure that those claiming asylum in a false identity are detected quickly. It does not replace the requirement during substantive interview to fully probe and investigate doubted nationality/national origin cases.
Professional linguists have communicated with the Home Office regarding their particular preference for the different models available for language analysis testing. As part of the contract competition undertaken in 2014, language analysis companies provided strong evidence of the quality of the services offered. There are dedicated formal arrangements in place to monitor our suppliers’ compliance with the contract terms.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 23632, whether UK military personnel providing training and education for military personnel in Saudi Arabia on the subjects of compliance with international humanitarian law and transparency address the use of cluster munitions.
Michael Fallon
We have provided education and training courses to Saudi Arabian military personnel under existing Government-to-Government arrangements. These courses expose Saudi military personnel to UK policy, compliance with International Humanitarian Law and the conventions relating to the Law of Armed Conflict. We take our obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions seriously and continue to encourage Saudi Arabia, as a non-party to the Convention, to accede to it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to ensure that pension schemes are obliged to (a) identify and (b) publish details of costs to a pension fund for scheme members.
Richard Harrington
The Government remains committed to increasing transparency and ensuring that members of pension schemes are able to obtain information about the costs and charges which they bear.
Governance bodies of defined contribution workplace pension schemes are obliged, under existing requirements, to assess costs and charges. We and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are actively considering how to achieve greater transparency and standardisation of transaction costs, and the FCA plans to publish a consultation later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will estimate how many jobs will be created in Wales as a result of the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.
Alun Cairns
The UK Government does not hold the specific figures requested. The decision to proceed with the first new nuclear power station for a generation will provide a huge boost to the regional economy including South Wales. Construction at the Hinkley site will provide 26,000 jobs and apprenticeships, and 64% of the project’s costs will be spent in the UK.
Welsh companies are already taking advantage of the opportunities this project presents, for example, Express Reinforcements in South Wales was given preferred bidder status for a £100m contract to supply 200,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel for the project.
I would encourage businesses in Wales to register with EDF in order to take advantage of upcoming supply chain opportunities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus offices host work clubs and service academies.
Priti Patel
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.