The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about the effect of bus franchising in the vehicle manufacturing sector.
Andrew Jones
I refer my hon Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole to the answer I gave on 15th February, to Question UIN 26533.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the direct effect of drug eluting stents on the reduction of lower limb amputations.
George Freeman
Vascular services manage the treatment and care of patients with diseases related to disorders of the arteries, veins and lymphatic system. These can be managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures and surgical reconstruction. NHS England commissions these services as part of its specialised commissioning portfolio.
The vascular disease specialised commissioning clinical reference group has prepared a service specification for specialised vascular services. This aims to ensure that services deliver improved patient experience, provide equality of access to the full range of vascular diagnostics and interventions, and ensue that patients are receiving a high quality of service, with access to the most modern techniques.
Implementation of the service specification for specialised vascular services through the local service review processes is designed to reduce regional variation.
The service specification can be found at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/a04-spec-vascu-adult.pdf
The Government has made no assessment of the effects of drug eluting stents on lower limb amputation rates.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-04-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications for the Falkland Islands of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf finding that they are in Argentinian territorial waters.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the member for East Devon (Mr Swire), on 13 April 2016 (PQ 33811).
"The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has no jurisdiction to consider areas subject to competing claims and therefore has no locus to make recommendations in relation to the Falkland Islands. The UN itself has acknowledged that the CLCS could not consider those parts of the original Argentine submission of 2009 that were subject to dispute. This would include the Falkland Islands."
Furthermore, the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future. We will continue to make that clear to Argentina and other countries in the region.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the contribution of the work of the Olympic Legacy Park in Sheffield to breaking down distinctions between sport and wider physical activity.
David Evennett
Government is committed to increasing physical activity as set out in our sport strategy, ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation’ published late last year. That strategy removed the artificial barriers between sport and wider physical activity, broadening Sport England’s remit to include cycling, dancing and walking. The recently published Sport England strategy, ‘Towards an Active Nation’, sets out their plans to implement this new approach.
I recognise that creating a more active society will require action by a range of bodies working together over a significant period of time. I therefore welcome the work of Legacy Park Ltd in Sheffield in bringing together partners across local government, the health sector, academia, elite and community sport and the private sector. I look forward to seeing their ambitious plans to establish sport facilities for elite and community use and an Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre that would work with the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine to provide health and wellbeing research and learning.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a list of all secondees to her Department from (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what the role was of each of those secondees.
Sarah Newton
The Home Office has seconded less than five people from consultancy firms including those listed, in the last three financial years. It is not possible to provide a further breakdown as it would breach the Department’s obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998, not to disclose to a third party, personal information about another person.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-10-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place between the Home Office and the Department of Health in relation to the increase in the use by the police of powers of detention under section 136 of the Mental Health Act; and with what result.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
The Home Office and Department of Health have been working to increase the use of alternative joint health and policing approaches and interventions that reduce the need for the police to use their formal powers of detention under section 136 of the Mental Health Act. Whilst overall police use of section 136 has increased, from just under 15,000 in 2011/12 to 19,410 in 2014/15, the use of police cells has reduced from just under 9,000 in 2011/12 to 2,100 in 2015/16.
As a result of joint work with the Department of Health those suffering a mental health crisis are more likely to be offered alternative support. The introduction of initiatives such as street triage schemes and community based places of safety provide an alternative to the use of police cells. These types of interventions are proving successful and the Home Office is seeking to promote their use nationally using the £15m funding made available by the Department of Health to increase the availability of alternative places of safety.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many police Counter Terrorism Security Advisers were employed in England and Wales in (1) April 2010, and (2) April 2015.
Lord Bates
Advice and guidance on protective security and preparedness to terrorist threats is provided by specialist Counter-Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs) who operate in every police region.
The number of CTSAs in post in England and Wales in April 2010 was 191. The number in post in England and Wales in April 2015 was 146 (this figure includes 4 Counter Terrorism Awareness Advisers dedicated towards the provision of CT awareness advice).
Government aims to have 171 staff in post by the end of 2016/17 (145 CTSAs and 26 CTAAs). These planned changes to resource are for the effective and efficient delivery of future advice and guidance, whilst ensuring they maintain their fundamental role as part of wider police capabilities to safeguard the security of the public.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much of her Department’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.
Andrea Leadsom
The Spending Review 2015 set out settlements for departments and showed how the government will deliver on its priorities, eliminate the deficit, and deliver security and opportunity for working people.
For the Department of Energy and Climate Change this means doubling DECC’s innovation programme to £505 million over 5 years, which will strengthen the future security of supply, reduce the costs of decarbonisation and boost industrial and research capabilities.
Final decisions on internal departmental funding allocations for future years, including for other research and development, have not yet been made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the whole system costs of different energy technologies; and when that information will be published.
Andrea Leadsom
Quantifying the whole system impacts of electricity technologies is a complex exercise which requires sophisticated electricity system modelling. In order to build on previous internal analysis quantifying system costs for some electricity technologies, DECC has commissioned a project titled: Whole System Impacts of Electricity Generation Technologies.
This project will improve DECC’s internal electricity system modelling capability to better capture the costs and benefits of all generation technologies on the whole electricity system. It will also allow a better representation of the dynamics behind these costs and benefits, in particular how they vary over time and with the background electricity mix.
This project is currently ongoing and given the complex modelling involved, it requires a rigorous quality assurance process to ensure the analysis is robust. We are aiming to complete the project in the first half of 2016, and will publish the results as soon as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of short school inspections carried out last term were converted into a full section 5 inspection; and if she will list those inspections.
Nick Gibb
This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.