Category: Speeches

  • Geraint Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Geraint Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geraint Davies on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Health Education England to ensure that the number of speech and language therapy student commissions for 2016-17 is sufficient to meet demand.

    Ben Gummer

    Health Education England (HEE) has been established to ensure the National Health Service has access to the right numbers of staff, at the right time and with the right skills. In doing so, HEE works with key external stakeholders to develop its National Workforce Plan for England which sets out the number of training places it will commission in the year ahead. HEE will formally publish the National Workforce Plan for 2016-17 in January 2016.

    The National Workforce Plan for England 2015-16 outlines that commissions for Speech and Language Therapists has increased since 2014-15 by 3.7%.

    Ministers hold regular discussions with HEE on a broad range of workforce supply issues. The Government issues an annual Mandate to HEE setting its priorities for the coming year. HEE’s performance against the Mandate deliverables are monitored through regular accountability meetings.

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what public health requirements were included in NHS England’s mandate for 2014–15, and which of those were achieved.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England commissions certain public health services through the National Health Service Public Health (Section 7A) Functions Agreement including national programmes for immunisation and screening, health and justice and (prior to 1 October 2015) public health services for children aged 0-5.

    NHS England’s Mandate for 2014-15 included commitments to support improved public health through the promotion of early diagnosis of illness and using NHS staff contact with patients to help people stay in good health.

    The extent to which NHS England has met its commitments under the Section 7A Agreement and the Mandate for 2014-15 is set out in the relevant accountability statements, a copy of which is attached for each one.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the recital in paragraph one of section C of the revised version of the draft EU decision on a new settlement for the UK, what assessment he has made of whether the objectives of political integration enjoys wide support in the union.

    Mr David Lidington

    There is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices, too. The recital in paragraph one of section C makes clear that “the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union”.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers of the devolved administrations on proposals to end the statutory supervision of midwives.

    Ben Gummer

    Ministers in the devolved administrations have been briefed by their Chief Nursing Officers who have been closely involved in the discussions on the changes to statutory supervision of midwives.

    The Department will soon be launching a full public consultation on a Section 60 Order (of the Health Act 1999) on midwifery regulation which includes a proposal to remove statutory midwifery supervision from the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s governing legislation.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records are kept by commanding officers when dealing with offences that are reported to them and dealt with summarily.

    Mark Lancaster

    A Commanding Officer dealing with a Summary Hearing must complete a Record of Summary Hearing (RSH). This can be found at Annex C to Vol 1 Ch.9 JSP 830 (Manual of Service Law) which can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478387/20151113-Chapter9-SHSSSD-AL38.pdf

    The information that must be recorded includes the following:

    – Details of the accused

    – The charges and whether they are admitted or denied

    – The outcome of the Summary Hearing and where relevant the sentence awarded

    – Any order made (for example detention, order to pay)

    – Reasons for sentence (including mitigating and aggravating factors and the effect of the punishment)

    – The date of hearing and who it was heard by

    The paperwork connected with the Summary Hearing should be processed within 24 hours following the hearing. The RSH should be retained under single-Service arrangements for a minimum period of two years and recordable offences will be recorded on the Police National Computer.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with officials of his Department in which withdrawal of the valuation check service by HM Revenue and Customs was discussed since May 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    Tax-advantaged employee share schemes are greatly valued by both companies and employers, and the government wants to make sure that the rules surrounding these schemes are as simple and clear as possible. Budget 2016 made a number of changes to the rules for employment-related securities and options which will make these schemes fairer and easier for taxpayers to understand, and therefore encourage businesses to use them.

    An HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) commissioned report conducted by Oxera considered the effect of the tax-advantaged employee share schemes on productivity. The report is available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110203095056/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/tax-advantaged-report2.pdf.

    The government’s most recent assessment of the cost of the tax-advantaged employee share schemes to the Exchequer is provided in the table below.

    Forecast cost of Income Tax relief (2015-16)

    Forecast cost of National Insurance relief (2015-16)

    Share Incentive Plan

    £220 million

    £165 million

    Save As You Earn

    £180 million

    £140 million

    Enterprise Management Incentives

    £70 million

    £40 million

    Company Share Option Plan

    £70 million

    £40 million

    HMRC has not withdrawn the valuation checking service for the tax-advantaged employee share schemes. However, HMRC has withdrawn other checks for non-tax advantaged schemes as, in the majority of cases, acceptable valuations were submitted. Therefore, the valuation service added no value and is seen as unnecessary.

    The government keeps all areas of the tax system under review and as part of that in always interested in understanding the views of all interested parties.

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

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  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many apheresis machines are operational in the UK; and where those machines are located.

    George Freeman

    Apheresis machines are part of the care provided in a number of haematology services including sickle cell and thalassaemia care.

    NHS Blood and Transplant is one of the main providers of Therapeutic Apheresis Services in England and has the largest installed base of therapeutic apheresis equipment in the National Health Service (32 machine platforms across the country). Additional provision of apheresis services are provided by NHS trusts and other UK Blood Services but NHS England does not currently hold information on this information centrally.

    Work in relation to these services including the incentivisation of automated exchange through Commissioning for Quality and Innovation will improve the baseline information over the coming year.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children aged 11 to 16 are educated at (a) selective state-maintained schools, (b) non-selective state-maintained comprehensive and academy schools, (c) independent fee-paying schools and (d) other educational settings in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland.

    Nick Gibb

    The number and proportion of pupils aged 11-16 in selective state-funded schools, non-selective state-funded secondary schools, independent schools and other settings in England are given in the table below. The Department does not hold this information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and therefore cannot provide these figures or a UK figure.

    Type of Establishment

    Number of pupils aged 11-16 (1)

    Proportion of Total

    State-funded selective schools

    117,310

    3.9%

    State-funded non-selective secondary schools

    2,569,444

    86.2%

    Independent Schools (2)

    226,878

    7.6%

    All other educational settings (3)

    66,498

    2.2%

    (1) Includes sole and dual main registered pupils, as at January 2016.

    (2) Not all independent schools charge all pupils fees, but it is not possible to group only the fee-paying independent schools together here.

    (3) Includes state-funded primary schools, state-funded special schools, non-maintained special schools, general hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision academies and free schools.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans for the next contracts for difference auction to take place; and whether she plans to make any amendments to how that auction operates from previous such auctions.

    Andrea Leadsom

    As my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on the 18th November 2015, the current intention is to hold the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round for ‘less established’ technologies in late 2016.

    We will announce further plans in relation to the next allocation round in due course.

    The auction design for the next round will not change materially. It will be a pay-as-clear auction with ‘less established’ technologies competing for a set budget. Further information will be announced in due course.

    Government has also responded to recommendations made by the Energy and Climate Change Committee, and in the recent EMR Evaluation and Competition Market Authority reports. Published responses can be found on the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-market-reform-evaluation

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/444530/50105_Cm_9090_Accessible.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deccs-response-to-the-cma-updated-issues-statement-uis-of-their-investigation-of-the-energy-market.

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  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money will be devolved to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to coincide with the transfer of obesity surgery commissioning responsibilities from NHS England to CCGs in April 2016; and what NHS England spent on such services in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

    George Freeman

    Any transfer of budget from NHS England to devolved areas will be on the basis of existing contractual activity.

    For England, the expenditure against morbid obesity for adults totalled £50.36 million in 2014/15.

    NHS England is not able to provide a figure for devolvement on 1 April 2016 as the basis for calculating the figures is still being discussed.