Category: Speeches

Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for mandatory reconsideration of a tax credits decision are awaiting determination by Concentrix.

Mr David Gauke

The number of requests for mandatory reconsideration of a decision about a tax credits award that Concentrix have received since the commencement of their contract with HM Revenue and Customs in November 2014 is as follows:

Month	Number of MRs
November 2014	0
December 2014	2
January 2015	6
February 2015	38
March 2015	29
April 2015	137
May 2015	100
June 2015	45
July 2015	71
August 2015	108
September 2015	1221
October 2015	925
November 2015	871
December 2015	2371

The total is about 1.6% of all decisions Concentrix made in the same period.

As of 15 January 2016, there are 566 mandatory reconsiderations in progress that have been opened and Concentrix are waiting for customers to provide further evidence. Concentrix have 30 further mandatory reconsiderations that are awaiting determination.

The average length of time taken between Concentrix starting to work a mandatory reconsideration and making a decision is 24 days. This includes the time needed for customers to provide any further evidence.

01/01/2023

Lord Black of Brentwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2016-02-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to make pre-exposure prophylaxis available in England to men who have sex with men in England who are at high risk of HIV.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to groups at increased risk to prevent them acquiring HIV. This includes a full review and analysis of published literature in this area. The PrEP clinical policy proposition is one of many going through NHS England’s 2016/17 prioritisation round.

01/01/2023
Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to schools on tackling the problems of traffic congestion at the school gate during school drop-off and pick-up.

Nick Gibb

The local authority (LA) is responsible for enforcing parking restrictions around schools. The LA must also promote sustainable travel and transport, and strategies for encouraging walking, cycling and public transport should form part of that. The duty applies to all children and young people of compulsory school age who travel to receive education or training in a local authority’s area and is reinforced by the Department’s home to school transport statutory guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445407/Home_to_School_Travel_and_Transport_Guidance.pdf

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01/01/2023
Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with her foreign counterparts on efforts to tackle dengue fever.

Mr Nick Hurd

Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Word Health Organisation to discuss a range of health issues including on the management of disease outbreaks. Dengue was discussed during last year’s World Health Assembly (WHA), which brings together the member states to discuss important issues. Senior officials from DFID and the Department of Health participate at the WHA.

DFID’s health focus is to improve the provision of basic health services for the poorest by supporting health systems strengthening, health worker capacity and access to essential medicines and equipment. Increasing coverage, access and quality will strengthen health services to address all health problems including communicable diseases.

01/01/2023
Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35453, if he will place in the Library a copy of the surveys referred to in that Answer.

Mr Robert Goodwill

All survey information will be published in due course and it would not be appropriate to publish partial information at this time as this could be misleading to the public.

01/01/2023
David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to assist London Midland in tackling fare evasion on the West Coast Mainline.

Claire Perry

The Department funded a ticketless travel survey in Summer 2015 that highlighted to London Midland where there is lost revenue across their network. London Midland are obliged to maximise revenue in the franchise and it is in their interests to reduce ticketless travel. The public consultation that closed in February 2016 for the new West Midlands franchise asked for views on how ticketless travel can be improved for the next franchise that is due to commence in October 2017.

01/01/2023
Andrea Jenkyns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrea Jenkyns on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on patient care of junior doctors taking five days of strike action per month until the end of 2016.

Mr Philip Dunne

We were encouraged by the British Medical Association’s (BMA) announcement that it is suspending the rolling programme of five continuous days of industrial action from October to December, which it had previously announced and which would have removed urgent and emergency care from some of our most vulnerable patients.

We have urged the BMA to remove all threat of further industrial action so we can work constructively with junior doctors to address their wider concerns and better recognise their vital importance to the National Health Service.

Prior to the BMA’s announcement, NHS England, working with NHS organisations, had assessed the impact of the industrial action on cancelled operations and outpatient services and had developed plans to mitigate the impact of the industrial action.

Had the BMA continued with their proposed industrial action, based on the levels of disruption during the previous two day all out strike, an initial estimate was that around 25,000 operations and 250,000 outpatient appointments would be cancelled during each five day strike period.

01/01/2023
Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to publish an updated action plan on violence against women and girls.

Karen Bradley

Home Office officials have been working with partners on a refresh of our violence against women and girls strategy. We aim to publish this shortly.

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to give local authorities the power to enforce moving traffic contraventions under the provisions of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Andrew Jones

There are no plans to do so at present.

01/01/2023
Anne McLaughlin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne McLaughlin on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the UK’s ratification of the European Charter for Minority or Regional Languages, what steps the Government is taking to facilitate and promote use of the Gaelic language in reserved agencies and policy areas.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Whilst there is currently no UK legislative requirement for Gaelic language broadcasting to be funded by the Exchequer, some of the UK Government’s commitments under Article 11 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority languages are fulfilled by BBC Alba’s content, in tandem with the Gaelic radio service provided by the BBC, Radio nan Gaidheal. MG ALBA is a public body, set up by UK legislation and funded predominantly by the Scottish Government. In addition, two one-off funding allocations of £1 million were provided for MG ABLA for the period 2014-16.

MG ALBA’s principal functions relate to the provision of Gaelic programmes. It works in partnership with the BBC to operate the channel, BBC ALBA. Scotland continues to enjoy the live stream from BBC ALBA and programmes are available on the BBC website via iPlayer for the rest of the UK.

01/01/2023