The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of hours of childcare was for which claimants in receipt of the childcare element of universal credit made a claim for reimbursement of their costs in the most recent month for which figures are available.
Priti Patel
The information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the book value of the portfolio of mortgages sold by Cerberus to TSB, following the sale of UK Asset Resolution’s Granite portfolio, was on 13 November 2015.
Harriett Baldwin
Following their acquisition of the Granite portfolio, Cerberus Capital Management LP announced that they have agreed to sell £3.3bn of the assets to TSB Bank plc.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason passenger cars have been exempted from the proposed clean air zones in her Department’s plan to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions.
Rory Stewart
Local Authorities already have powers under Part 3 of the Transport Act 2000 which can be used to establish Clean Air Zones. Vehicles have to comply with European emissions standards in order to be put on the market and we have been pushing strongly for action to improve the standards and for real driving emission testing to be introduced as quickly as possible.
As set out in our air quality plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions, published on 17 December 2015, we will be requiring five cities in England to introduce Clean Air Zones and discourage certain types of vehicles from entering them. The plan identifies different categories of Clean Air Zone which may be appropriate depending on the circumstances of a particular Local Authority introducing a zone. However, the plan explains that, for those five cities, we have assessed that we can bring the UK into compliance with nitrogen dioxide limits without requiring the Local Authorities to impose restrictions on passenger cars. Further, the plan sets out the Mayor of London’s commitment to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone by September 2020 covering a range of vehicles, including passenger cars.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Durham on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have deployed, or intend to deploy, experts from the UK preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative team to help support local responses in Burundi to conflict-related sexual violence.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We take the allegations of sexual violence in Burundi very seriously. The UK has been at the forefront of supporting the UN’s efforts to encourage an end to violence and human rights abuses in the country. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), has raised the subject with the Government of Burundi, including with the Burundian Foreign Minister at the African Union Summit in January. While we have not deployed any experts from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials will explore the possibility of supporting non-governmental organisations already present and active in Burundi when the allegations first came to our attention.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Clement-Jones on 2016-02-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans the Department of Health has to instruct NICE to include a broader assessment of value in its appraisals of cancer medicines.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides guidance on the prevention and treatment of ill health and the promotion of good health and social care. NICE is responsible for its own processes and methodology.
In 2014, NICE held a three month consultation on proposals for a wider approach to the assessment of value. The diversity of the responses to NICE’s consultation showed that this is a very complex issue. It is critical that stakeholders continue to have confidence in NICE’s work and the Government agreed with NICE that it should not proceed with making the proposed changes to the way it assesses new medicines at that time.
NICE regularly reviews its processes and methodology and its internationally renowned technology appraisal programme has evolved constantly to meet new challenges. NICE has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changes in the health and care environment, and we expect it will continue to evolve in the future.
NICE most recently consulted on proposed changes to its technology appraisal methods and processes as part of its joint consultation with NHS England on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF).
The Accelerated Access Review (AAR) is actively engaging with NHS England to ensure alignment between the work of the review on speeding up access for NHS patients to innovative and cost effective new medicines and the CDF. The AAR is looking at the capability of NICE, NHS England and the Department to support innovative pathways for the assessment, adoption and reimbursement of treatments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken in response to the Resolution of the House of 11 February on conservation of sea bass and the effect of related EU measures on the UK recreational fishing industry.
George Eustice
The Government has noted carefully the points of the Resolution of the House, which have informed the ongoing development of UK policy on bass as we continue to work to improve the sustainability of the stock at both national and EU level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has commissioned or is funding into wireless charging technology for electric vehicles.
Andrew Jones
A number of private UK interests are actively undertaking research, including TRL who are a partner in the EU’s 7th Framework Programme £7m ‘FABRIC’ project (Feasibility analysis and development of on-road charging solutions for future electric vehicles). This follows their successful completion of a Highways England commissioned study into the feasibility of implementing dynamic wireless power transfer systems on the UK’s strategic road network (http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/publications/1902/).
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications to her policies of the findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Freedom of Religion or Belief’s report entitled, Fleeing Persecution: Asylum Claims in the UK on Religious Freedom Grounds, published in June 2016; and what plans she has to implement the recommendations of that report.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits, including claims based on religious persecution. We grant protection to those who genuinely need it in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of asylum claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of stakeholders, including religious groups. The current training and support available for asylum caseworkers includes a UNHCR endorsed Foundation Training Programme. This, and follow-on courses, covers all aspects of the asylum interview and decision making process, including the assessment of credibility and country information in religious based claims. Real-life case studies and role-play are used throughout the training programme to reinforce knowledge and understanding of the issues.
We are currently carefully considering the APPG report and it’s recommendations and will provide a response in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of nuisance calls.
Matt Hancock
I refer the honourable member to my response to PQ 44827, answered on 12th September.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates meetings were held between Dame Lowell Goddard and officials of her Department between the date of her appointment as chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and the date of her departure from that position.
Sarah Newton
Dame Lowell Goddard met with the Permanent Secretary on the following dates between the date that her appointment commenced on 6 April 2015 and resignation on 4 August 2016:
• 21 April 2015
• 18 May 2016
The Permanent Secretary set this out in a letter of 28 October to the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee. There was also a meeting between Dame Lowell Goddard and the former Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime on 7 December 2015 at which Home Office officials were also present.