The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many times he has attended public meetings of the Communities and Local Government Committee since his appointment.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Secretary of State has attended four meetings of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee since his appointment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on whether non-UK EU citizens will have to leave the UK after the two-year Article 50 negotiation period in the event of the UK leaving the EU.
James Brokenshire
Should there be a vote to leave, we will need to follow the rules for exit, which are set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This is the only lawful route available to withdraw from the EU.
Article 50 provides for a two year negotiation, which would cover the UK’s access to the EU’s Single Market, including the free movement of people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average annual financial cost incurred by mental health trusts as a result of unavailability of beds on mental health wards requiring patients to be placed into care homes; and which body bears the costs of such cases.
Nicola Blackwood
The information is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on carbon capture and storage for coal and gas; and if he will make a statement.
Jesse Norman
We will continue to work with industry going forward and will set out our future approach to carbon capture and storage in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of patient involvement in the commissioning process for musculoskeletal services carried out by Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group prior to the granting of that contract to Circle Holdings PLC; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The procurement of local health services by means of competitive tendering is a matter for the local National Health Service.
We are advised by NHS England that Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) undertook the first of its engagement events on the proposed redesign of the musculoskeletal services pathway during November 2013. We understand that this initial engagement enabled the CCG to identify that the existing pathway was felt to be fragmented and complex for patients. In light of that, a new model was proposed in December 2013, and was shared with the public at workshops during 2014.
We are further advised by NHS England that the proposed pathway was outlined in the draft service specification, which was shared with the patient reference group (PRG) during February and March 2016. We understand that the specification was sent to PRG members to cascade to their patient participation groups and other groups of which they are members, such as the Pensioners’ Forum.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the full list of advisers assisting Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):
Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.
Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).
The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.
Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.
Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2015-12-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many candidates were interviewed for the post of chair of the independent review of the localisation of Council Tax support schemes.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
The position is a Ministerial appointment based on the provisions in the Local Government Finance Act 2012. A range of potential candidates were considered by Ministers. Ministers selected the chair on the basis of:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the rural productivity plan published by her Department in August 2015, when she will publish the calls for evidence on reviewing the planning and regulatory constraints facing rural businesses and the measures that can be taken to address them.
Rory Stewart
The Rural Planning Review Call for Evidence will be published jointly by Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department was informed of plans by Clearsprings to expand asylum accommodation into East Cardiff.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office works with its contractors, local authorities and the Strategic Migration Partnerships to ensure that impact of the dispersal of asylum seekers to local authorities is reviewed regularly. The Home Office was aware of the expansion of existing accommodation in East Cardiff. Decisions on the use of accommodation including which premises are used are made by the individual contractors, who bear the cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from volunteer representatives of the Air Cadet Organisation on the review of the Air Cadet Organisation; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Julian Brazier
Following the Written Ministerial Statement I released on 10 March 2016, (Official Report, column WS605) concerning the Air Cadet Aviation Relaunch, we have received a range of representations from Cadet Force Adult Volunteer staff of the mainstream Air Cadets and the Volunteer Gliding Squadrons. This includes representations through their direct chain of command.