Category: Speeches

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he takes to monitor the economic effect of projects his Department has funded.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has taken a number of steps to embed systematic monitoring of our policies and programmes, including economic effects. The Department’s vision for monitoring and evaluation is outlined in our Evaluation Strategy, found on the GOV.UK website.

    In particular:

    1. For all new spending the Department ensures fit for purpose monitoring and evaluation plans are embedded before policy implementation.
    2. The Department publishes an updated summary of the monitoring and evaluation coverage for each policy area on an annual basis. The BIS Evaluation Plan 2016 was published in January and is the second annual publication of BIS’s evaluation coverage, also found on the GOV.UK website.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the volume of advice given by community pharmacists to patients that is not covered by a commissioned services contract.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As part of the essential services within the National Health Service community pharmacy contractual framework, all community pharmacies are expected to provide advice in respect to dispensed medicines, support for self-care, prescription linked healthy life style advice and signposting to others where the pharmacy cannot itself provide support. The volume of advice given by community pharmacists to patients that is not covered by a commissioned services contract has not been assessed.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to section 7 of the East Anglia franchise Invitation to Tender, published on 17 September 2015, what weighting his Department has ascribed to (a) social characteristics and (b) other factors used to determine the most economically advantageous tender for (i) that franchise and (ii) proposals for new rolling stock orders by bidders for that franchise.

    Claire Perry

    As you have indicated the winning bid will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender as set out in section 7 of the Invitation to Tender (ITT). This is determined through a combination of ‘price’ and weighted quality points awarded as part of the Department’s evaluation of initiatives proposed by a bidder to meet or exceed the Department’s requirements set out in each delivery plan at section 5 of the East Anglia ITT.

    It is in the delivery plans themselves that references to social characteristics are included. In the main they appear in the Stations, Customer Experience and Leadership delivery plans.

    In respect of Rolling Stock, as a minimum, the Department has required that bidders propose either new rolling stock or non-new build rolling stock. If non-new build rolling stock, passengers will perceive the overall design, internal ambience, condition and facilities, and the external condition, as being modern, comfortable and comparable to that of new or nearly new rolling stock.

    This link takes you to the full ITT should you require it: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/461470/east-anglia-invitation-to-tender.pdf

    “

  • Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House of Lords

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Leader of the House, further to her Written Statement on 21 July (HLWS128), what discussion she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the light of that Department’s position as the Department having the worst record in answering Questions for Written Answer within 10 working days, and whether the Secretary of State intends to make a Written Statement to explain what steps have been taken within that Department to match the overall record of government departments in answering 93 per cent of Written Question within 10 working days.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    I take very seriously my responsibility as Leader of the House to encourage Ministers to be punctual in answering written questions. I recently published data on departmental performance in answering Questions for Written Answer for the 2015/16 session, where I was pleased to see that 93% of questions were answered within 10 working days. Nevertheless, we must always strive to do better. I have written to the three departments with the greatest proportion of late responses in the last session to make clear the House’s expectations and to stress the importance of timely responses.

    Though the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (formerly the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) received 475 Questions for Written Answer in 2015/16 – more than double the number received in the previous session – Ministers were nevertheless disappointed by the department’s performance. In response the department has put in place a range of actions to improve performance, including strengthening internal deadlines and procedures. Baroness Neville-Rolfe, as the Lords Minister, has stressed to me how seriously the department takes its responsibilities to Parliament and is confident that performance will improve in this session.

    My office continues to work with all departments to ensure prompt and comprehensive responses to all Questions for Written Answer. I will continue to publish data on an annual basis to allow analysis of performance over time. This practice is important in highlighting where improvements in timeliness could and should be made.

  • David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Warburton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Warburton on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is giving to rural nurseries to ensure they are able to meet the Government’s commitment of providing 30 free hours of childcare.

    Caroline Dinenage

    We have recently consulted on a comprehensive set of reforms to the early years funding system, and one of our proposals is to allow local authorities to use a rurality/sparsity supplement in their local funding formulae, in recognition that there may be unavoidable higher costs to providers operating in sparsely populated, rural areas with limited demand. We are currently considering all responses to the consultation and are planning to publish the government’s response in the autumn.

    We are also keen to gather learning and test how the extended entitlement will operate in a range of area types, including rural areas. Through Early Implementation of the 30 Hours Free Childcare entitlement, Northumberland, one of our early implementer local authorities, is looking specifically at how the extended hours work for and impact on providers operating within the most rural postcodes in Northumberland. Since September, over 500 children in rural parts of Northumberland have been benefiting from a 30 hours free childcare place a year early.

  • Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) increase awareness of autism and (b) ensure that diagnosis times are improved.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and National Health Service organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from Local Authorities and NHS bodies.

    The Department has also discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups to discuss good practice in meeting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the NHS to be working towards meeting the recommendations.

    We are aware that Northumberland continues to make significant progress in improving access to services. A child will wait no longer between initial referral and treatment than 12 weeks and the majority are seen within nine weeks. Northumberland has also invested in adult autism diagnosis services and has an agreed programme with Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust designed to deliver the NICE guidelines for adults by September 2016. Urgent cases are seen earlier and those on waiting lists, whose needs escalate, are given access to services as required. There is also a newly developed emotional health and wellbeing strategy for children and young people in Northumberland which will aim seek to identify children with autism at an earlier age and ultimately provide earlier treatment.

    NHS England is promoting the engagement services with children and young people. All children, young people and adults, including those with autism or a learning disability, who are receiving care from the NHS, should have the opportunity to provide feedback via the Friends and Family Test. There should also be consideration given to capturing the views of parents and carers. In addition, the autism statutory guidance mentioned above states that NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts should look at people’s experiences of the autism diagnostic process locally and assure themselves that this is acceptable.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department provides for local authorities on the administration of blue badge disabled parking arrangements.

    Andrew Jones

    The Blue Badge scheme applies to on-street parking only. The Department for Transport (DfT) has produced non-statutory guidance designed to help local authorities with the administration and enforcement of the scheme. The guidance can be viewed at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-local-authority-guidance-england

    The guidance also includes a link to a good practice guide on inclusive mobility which includes a chapter on parking issues aimed at helping local authorities meet their obligations under the Equalities Act 2010.

    “

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 24 December 2015 to Questions 19956 and 19957, how many migrants granted leave to remain in the UK did not have No Recourse to public funds conditions imposed on them because of exceptional circumstances in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of cases in which leave to remain in the UK was granted that did not have No Recourse to Public Funds conditions imposed on them in the years 2008 to 2010 was as follows:

    2008: 3,490

    2009: 7,795

    2010: 9,020

    These figures have been provided by the Home Office database with figures rounded to the nearest 5, interpreting ‘migrants’ as ‘lead cases’ and excluding asylum applications.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on Chinese market economy status.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Our officials regularly exchange views with the US on this issue. Given that the decision on whether or not to grant China market economy status will be taken at the European Union level, the government’s main discussions have been with the Commission and other Member States. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid) on 29 January 2016 (PQ 24530).

  • Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether additional investment to that already announced will be required during the stage 2 design process for the Successor programme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As I announced on 3 March 2016 (Official Report, columns 45-46WS) we are investing a further £642 million in the design phase of the Successor submarine. This is part of the staged investment approach announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.