Category: Speeches

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of clinical staff in the National Health Service who will need to be made redundant to fund the proposed increases in fees as set out in the options in the consultation paper published by the Care Quality Commission on 2 November.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Government policy for fee-setting regulators is that their chargeable costs should be fully covered through their fees income, in line with HM Treasury Guidance set out in ‘Managing Public Money’.

    The proposed fees increases being consulted upon for 2016-17 reflect the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) commitment to achieving full cost recovery, in line with Managing Public Money, within the period of the Spending Review. The fees being charged are therefore funding the CQC as an effective regulator. They allow the CQC’s tough inspection regime to drive up standards across the country, which in turn ensures quality and safety of health and social care provision.

    The CQC’s new regulatory model, led by three specialist Chief Inspectors, provides for robust monitoring and inspection of hospitals, adult care providers and general practitioners.

    Our expectation is that National Health Service providers should be able to absorb these increases within their overall income which will depend, amongst other factors, on the outcome of the Spending Review and the subsequent tariff setting process for 2016-17.

    The Department has also announced that it will make up to £15 million available for general practice in order to cover this and other pressures in 2016/17.

    It is for providers to ensure that they have the appropriate capacity and capability in place in order to deliver a safe, high quality service.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, by when Departments are required to publish Single Departmental Plans.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    Single Departmental Plans will constitute a single, clear roadmap for departments, bringing together plans for implementing strategic, operational, corporate and efficiency objectives. A public version of the Single Departmental Plans will be published on gov.uk in January 2016Single Departmental Plans will constitute a single, clear roadmap for departments, bringing together plans for implementing strategic, operational, corporate and efficiency objectives. A public version of the Single Departmental Plans will be published on gov.uk in January 2016.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has received from (a) charities, (b) lobby groups, (c) experts, (d) social workers and (e) law professionals on the treatment of female prisoners with young children.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the accessibility of mobile broadband services and wifi on public transport was (a) on the last date for which figures are available and (b) in 2010.

    Claire Perry

    Modes of public transport vary significantly with different factors influencing the availability of mobile broadband services which is generally outwith the control of the transport operator. It is not monitored and no data are available.

    Wi-Fi equipment has and continues to be installed by public transport operators to improve internet connectivity for passengers. Generally, the decision to install Wi-Fi is a commercial decision for the relevant operator and, where relevant, subsidising authority. With the exception of the Department for Transport-controlled rail franchised services, it has not been monitored and no data are available.

    On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. Currently around 30% of train carriages operating within the DfT controlled franchises and serving around 50% of rail passenger journeys have Wi-Fi available. Our intention is for 90% of passenger journeys to benefit from free Wi-Fi by the end of 2018. No figures are available for 2010.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the National Citizen Service participants are from (a) independent schools and (b) BME backgrounds.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    National Citizen Service attracts young people from all backgrounds and walks of life. The latest evaluation showed that 27% of NCS participants were from non-white backgrounds compared with 19% of the comparable general population. Data is not currently held on the proportion of young people from independent schools participating in NCS. However, the Trust will begin to collect this detail this coming summer. Independent schools such as Dulwich College, Leicester Grammar, James Allen’s Girls School and Hymers College, along with others, are referring pupils to NCS. NCS is also now featured on the new Independent State Schools Partnership website (www.schoolstogether.org).

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  • Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Tugendhat on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure full transparency of all charges relating to personal private pensions.

    Harriett Baldwin

    This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the Honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Yvette Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Yvette Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yvette Cooper on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of (a) jobs and (b) businesses that have been created in the North East through European Regional Development Fund projects since 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    The number of jobs estimated to have been created in the North East through European Regional Development Fund projects from the start of the 2007-2013 programmes to the end of February 2016 is 20,602. The number of businesses created in the same period is 5,888.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19682, how much land in Poole Unitary Authority in hectares is designated as Green Belt.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England. The latest figures for 2014-15 show that 1,900 hectares of land in Poole Unitary Authority was designated as Green Belt. This is 29% of the land area of Poole Unitary Authority.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to ensure STEM-qualified teachers are exempt from the £35,000 income threshold for settlement for non-EU workers.

    Nick Gibb

    The Government announced in 2012 that from 6 April 2016, Tier 2 visa holders who apply for settlement in the UK will be required to meet a minimum annual salary requirement of £35,000. Secondary education teachers from non-EU countries in the subjects of mathematics, chemistry and physics are on the shortage occupation list and thus are exempt from the £35,000 threshold.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the differences are in the requirements for proposed new grammar schools and existing grammar schools for fairer access.

    Nick Gibb

    On 12 September, the department launched the consultation ‘Schools that work for everyone’, which sets out proposed requirements that could be placed on new and existing selective schools to ensure fair access. This can be found at https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone.

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