Category: Speeches

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of his Department’s contribution to the Government’s aim of reducing regulatory burdens on business in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16; and if he will make an estimate of the financial effect of those reductions on business.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department balances its role in protecting public health with the Government’s aim of reducing regulatory burdens on business. In the period in question this resulted in the following net increases/decreases in annual costs to business.

    Year

    Equivalent Annual Net Direct Cost to Business

    2013-14

    £0

    2014-15

    £-2.8 million (net benefit to business)

    2015-16

    £17.6 million (net cost to business)

    The Department is committed to the use of better regulation to achieve our objectives at the least cost to the economy, thereby promoting economic growth and prosperity. When we do regulate, it is only where it is necessary to protect public health and to ensure we provide safe, effective and compassionate care.

  • Lord Ramsbotham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ramsbotham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to publish the Short Term Holding Facility Rules and the statutory guidance governing such facilities following the most recent consultation on those rules, which ended on 14 April.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Having considered the very detailed responses received to the consultation exercise, we intend to make the statutory rules governing the regulation and management of immigration short term holding facilities in due course.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on work by Ben Emmerson QC for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse during the period since he left his post as senior lawyer on that inquiry; and if she will publish a breakdown of those costs.

    Sarah Newton

    On 12 March 2015 the former Home Secretary established the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse under the Inquiries Act 2005. The Inquiry is independent of the Government and is responsible for the management of its own budget and the publication of its own financial reports.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take steps in support of the African Group’s agreement on a Global Goal for Adaptation at the Paris Climate Conference in December.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government supports the view that the Paris Agreement should set out a long term direction for all countries and the international community on adaptation, which should encourage all countries to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and strengthen resilience, in order to enable climate resilient sustainable development.

  • Peter Dowd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Dowd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Dowd on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the King’s Fund’s quarterly monitoring report, published in October 2015, that reductions in local authority social care budgets are adversely affecting health services.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department is working closely with both local government and the National Health Service to understand how pressures in adult social care services impact on the NHS, and how the sector can best work together to manage those pressures. The Autumn Statement identified £3.5 billion additional funding for adult social care by 2019/20.

    Since April, the Government’s £5.3 billion Better Care Fund (BCF) has provided much needed investment in better integrated care through locally developed plans and by putting resources where the local NHS and social services think they’re needed. The BCF has been the impetus for a greater degree of joint strategic commissioning between health and social care across England, with local leaders and clinical experts working closely together to both plan and deliver the most appropriate services for their local populations while making efficient use of limited resources.

    We are working closely with the Emergency Care Improvement Programme focusing on the 28 most challenged emergency systems and have embedded four social care professionals within the team to provide specific expertise. From this, eight high impact interventions have been developed which can support local systems in reducing Delayed Transfers of Care.

    Additional resource has been provided to bolster the current sector-led improvement support offer to local authorities, creating a flexible pool of experienced local authority social care experts to provide intensive support to challenged local systems and to deliver action plans designed in consultation with the Directors of Adult Social Services and local NHS colleagues.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the diary of engagements of the Chief Social Worker for Children since 1 January 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not publish the diaries of staff members. Diaries often contain sensitive information and releasing them could impact both on the policy making process and the willingness of officials to meet with particular groups if this information were to be freely available.

    Since her appointment, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, has visited the following local authorities: Bexley; Birmingham; Blackpool; Calderdale; Cambridgeshire; Camden; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire West and Chester; Derbyshire; Doncaster; Enfield; East Sussex; Gloucestershire; Greenwich; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Hull; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Kent; Kingston on Thames; Kirklees; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; North Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; Portsmouth; Redcar and Cleveland; Richmond upon Thames; Rotherham; Sheffield; Slough; Solihull; Staffordshire; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; Westminster; Wigan; Wolverhampton; Worcestershire; and York.

    As well as visiting local authorities, the Chief Social Worker meets with representatives of many children’s services departments.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the names of the successful bidders to become trusted partner pilots for the purposes of universal credit alternative payment arrangements.

    Priti Patel

    The intention is to deliver 26 Trusted Partner pilot sites. In total we received just over 200 valid applications; 16 landlords have already commenced the pilot and work is in train to confirm the final 10.

    We plan to let key stakeholders know once all landlords have been confirmed.

    Tenants in accommodation such as supported or sheltered housing are not subject to the Alternative Payment Arrangement process.

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England and Wales died from asthma in each year since 2010.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the review from Keele University, published in the Journal of Ecology, warning that almost all ash trees in Europe will be wiped out due to the fungal disease ash dieback and the emerald ash borer beetle, and what plans they have to tackle these twin problems.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    We are committed to protecting our country from tree pests and diseases and we want to ensure that the ash tree continues to have a place in our environment. To support this we have invested over £21 million in tree health research.

    Natural tolerance to ash dieback does exist and the UK is leading research to identify resistant strains. Ash trees have a wide genetic diversity and potential for greater levels of resistance compared to other tree species affected by diseases.

    There have been no findings of emerald ash borer anywhere in the EU. We have identified this pest as a threat, have introduced restrictions to protect against its introduction and are screening native populations of ash trees grown abroad for resistance.

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the invitation to tender to be issued for the franchise currently held by South West trains.

    Claire Perry

    The Department is finalising the specification for the South Western franchise so that it offers the best possible proposition for passengers. I expect to issue the Invitation to Tender later this month.