The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of care leavers in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance or employment and support allowance had a sanction applied in each year from 2010 to 2015.
Priti Patel
The information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the amount of staff time that has been used in assisting representatives of British overseas territories and Crown dependencies in preparation for meetings with the European Commission in the most recent period for which information is available.
James Duddridge
The UK is responsible for the international relations of the Overseas Territories, which have a specific status within the European Union Treaties. The Overseas Association Decision is the instrument which sets out the relationship between the European Union and the Overseas Territories of the Member States. In 2015 I attended the annual Forum bringing together Territory leaders, senior representatives from the European Commission and the Member States. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials meet approximately six times a year with the Territories and the Commission to take forward cooperation under the Overseas Association Decision. Other government departments provide officials when required if the subject matter falls within their area of competence.
The United Kingdom is also responsible for the international relations of the Crown Dependencies which have a special relationship with the European Union under Protocol 3 to the United Kingdom’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community.
United Kingdom Government officials meet regularly with Crown Dependency and Overseas Territory representatives to discuss forthcoming business; information sharing is a matter of routine. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories make their own preparations for meetings with the European Commission but Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials assist when asked to do so. Support is also available from other government departments and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union should it be required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-06-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the broadband target of 10 megabits per second by 2020 to a higher one, in the light of the progress made by other countries.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The Government’s ambition for the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) is that it should be set initially at 10 megabits per second. The rationale for the USO is to provide a ‘digital safety net’ to ensure that every home and business is able to access a fast broadband.
A broadband USO set at 10 megabits per second is higher than anywhere else in Europe. Spain, for example, has set their USO at 1 megabit per second, and Finland and Malta at 2 and 4 megabits per second respectively. We expect that the USO speed will need to increase over time beyond 10 megabits per second and are committed to keeping this under review to make sure that it keeps pace with consumers’ needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-07-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 27 June (HL Deb, col 1352), whether when they use the words extremism”
Baroness Williams of Trafford
As part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST), the Prevent strategy was revised in 2011 to address all forms of terrorism.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that terminally ill patients’ needs are fully considered during personal independence payment assessments.
Penny Mordaunt
There are special rules and procedures for people who are terminally ill and make a claim to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) meaning that their claims are fast tracked and they are guaranteed immediate, unconditional entitlement to the enhanced rate of the daily living component, without an assessment of their needs.
To ensure correct decisions are made as quickly as possible, factual information on the claimant’s condition, clinical features and current/planned treatment is captured on the DS1500 form. This is completed by their GP, hospital consultant or delegated practice/special nurse (e.g. a Macmillan nurse).
The Department has worked closely with organisations supporting terminally ill people, such as Macmillan Cancer Support, to ensure that the service we offer works as effectively and efficiently as possible. This collaborative approach has resulted in the Department introducing a dedicated telephone service for terminally ill claimants and introducing an electronic method of submitting a DS1500 form from the claimant’s medical practitioner.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the most significant key risks to the UK’s food security; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
Food supply is one of the UK’s critical national infrastructures and Defra produces an annual sector resilience plan as lead Government Department.
The UK food sector has a highly effective and resilient food supply chain, owing to the size, geographic diversity and competitive nature of the industry. The resilience of the sector has been demonstrated by the response to potentially disruptive challenges in recent years, although it is dependent on other critical services such as fuel, energy, transport and communications. The Government and industry work together closely to identify and mitigate risks and ensure the continued resilience of food supply.
The Government is developing a 25 year food and farming plan to further grow our food and farming industry. We want to export more and produce more for the domestic market. We aim to improve productivity and profitability through greater efficiency, the deployment of new technology and by building on the strong international reputation of British food at home and abroad.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of recapitalising the Command Support Air Transport fleet.
Mr Philip Dunne
A full assessment phase will be undertaken to ensure that any recapitalisation decisions provide the most efficient way of delivering capability and offer best value for money.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will meet members of the Manufacturing Commission to discuss its report, entitled Industrial Evolution, published in October 2015.
Anna Soubry
The Government’s top priority is to continue creating a highly competitive business environment that makes the UK an attractive location for new manufacturing investment in sustainable processes. We are protecting spending on innovation and the cutting-edge smart manufacturing technologies that will encourage digital, virtual, resource-efficient factories in the future. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult has skills, expertise and equipment available to help partner companies improve the efficiency and sustainability of their processes. As part of Autumn Statement 2015, my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that funding to the nine existing Catapults would increase in real terms over the Spending Review period ensuring the UK remains a world leader in high-value manufacturing.
In addition, we are taking into account UK business opportunities during negotiations on the EU Circular Economy proposals which include aims to improve business sustainability, resource and energy efficiency.
At the Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced a review of the business energy efficiency tax landscape and Government launched a consultation in September. The consultation set out proposals for delivering a simpler and more stable environment for business that will reduce administrative costs and improve incentives to invest in energy efficiency. This will help increase the productivity of UK businesses, save carbon emissions and ensure secure energy supplies. The Government is currently considering all consultation responses and is likely to publish its formal response at Budget 2016.
I would be delighted to receive further representations from the Manufacturing Commission on their recent Industrial Evolution report.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Attorney General, if he will estimate the costs attributed to the Department for Education in cases relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by the Government Legal Department since 2010.
Robert Buckland
The Treasury Solicitor’s Department was renamed the Government Legal Department (GLD) on 1 April 2015. It is primarily funded through the fees it charges for its legal services. It provides Litigation, Employment, Commercial and Advisory legal services to the Department for Education (DfE). The fees charged to DfE for this work, including the cost of disbursements, are as follows:
|
Financial year |
Fees (excluding VAT) £ |
|
2010-11 |
4,208,845 |
|
2011-12 |
4,499,546 |
|
2012-13 |
4,805,840 |
|
2013-14 |
4,409,976 |
|
2014-15 |
4,098,629 |
Providing information on the costs attributed to cases relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 would incur disproportionate cost as it would involve a manual exercise to identify those historical cases that relate to FOI.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse of the Defence Assistance Fund was in 2014-15.
Michael Fallon
The cost of the Defence Assistance Fund in financial year 2014-15 was £15.529 million.