Category: Speeches

David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request the government of Burma to release former monk U Gambira from custody.

Mr Hugo Swire

We are aware of the arrest of U Gambira, a well known political activist and former political prisoner, on 19 January, for alleged immigration offences. Our Embassy in Rangoon is following the case closely. The UK regularly raises our concern over political prisoners with the government of Burma, both publicly and privately. Most recently our Embassy in Rangoon issued a statement on 25 January calling for the government of Burma to ensure that all remaining political prisoners are released. We remain concerned that some 78 remain incarcerated, and will continue to raise this with the Burmese authorities.

01/01/2023
Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the built environment on learning progress in schools.

Nick Gibb

The Department’s approach to the built environment is informed by a range of expert research.

The James Review of Education Capital, published in 2011 recommended the implementation of standardised designs for schools that could be continually improved upon and deliver buildings that ‘act as manageable tools for those delivering outstanding education to our children.’ In response to this the Education Funding Agency (EFA) developed ‘Baseline Designs’, which help to ensure that the Department’s funding goes further and that as many pupils as possible benefit from improved school buildings.

Alongside this, the Department recognises the importance of factors such as daylight, temperature and air-quality and offers guidance to schools, contractors and designers through EFA Building Bulletins and the requirements in EFA’s Facilities Output Specification, used in procuring new school buildings.

01/01/2023
Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s Single departmental plan: 2015 to 2020, published in February 2016, what targets she has set for the number of kilometres of fresh water to be enhanced in each year to 2020; and how her Department plans to achieve those targets.

Rory Stewart

River Basin Management Plans provide the framework for protecting and improving the water environment. Updated Plans covering the period 2016 to 2021 were published by the Environment Agency (EA) on 18 February. They complement Defra’s 25 Year Environment Plan by promoting integrated catchment management of water and local decision-making, as well as contributing to flood resilience.

The Plans for England confirm over £3 billion investment in the water environment by 2021 leading to improvements in at least 680 water bodies by 2021, including an overall target to enhance at least 8,000km of fresh waters by 2021. The EA is currently working with Defra to profile the delivery of this target over the six years that the River Basin Management Plan covers, and are also working with partners to explore opportunities to deliver more.

The EA coordinates action by water companies, farmers, local groups, businesses and councils to achieve the targets set out in the Plans. These actions include reducing pollution from sewage treatment works, managing water abstraction, opening up rivers to salmon and other fish species, and improvements to the physical habitat.

01/01/2023

John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Members Estimate Committee

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the Members Estimate Committee, how much Short money the UK Independence Party has claimed since May 2015; and on what dates those payments were made to that party.

Tom Brake

The amount of Short money available to UKIP for 2015/16 since the May general election was £605,871. The amounts claimed and paid were as follows:

Date Paid	Amount
24 August 2015	£14,833.00
28 September 2015	£16,434.68
14 October 2015	£128,034.16
28 October 2015	£31,870.36
25 November 2015	£31,870.36
21 December 2015	£31,870.36
27 January 2016	£31,870.36
24 February 2016	£31,870.36
28 March 2016	£31,870.36
Total	£350,574.00

01/01/2023

Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the implications are of the findings of the report from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, entitled DFID’s efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls, published on 17 May 2016, for her Department’s work on strengthening women’s rights organisations and networks in the developing world.

Justine Greening

I welcome ICAI’s recent review, which awarded my Department their highest rating, a green review score, for our work on tackling violence against women and girls. The review highlights the important contribution UK Aid makes to the lives of women and girls around the world and recognises the significant achievements of DFID to date on this vtial issue. My Department will provide a formal response to the ICAI findings in due course.

01/01/2023

Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-07-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding (1) the National Youth Theatre, (2) the National Youth Orchestra, (3) the National Youth Dance Company, and (4) the Youth Music Theatre UK, receive from (a) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and (b) the Department for Education.

Lord Ashton of Hyde

Government funding between 2014/15 and 2015/16 to the National Youth Theatre Great Britain, the National Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Dance Company, and the Youth Music Theatre UK is set out in the table. Youth Music Theatre UK and the National Youth Orchestra receive funding as National Youth Music Organisations, which is jointly funded through the Department for Education and Arts Council England lottery money.

These figures include total funding provided through Grant in Aid and Lottery funding.

	DFE	DCMS
Organisation	Grant in Aid 2014/15 – 2015/16	Grant in Aid 2014/15 – 2015/16	Lottery Funding 2014/15 – 2015/16	Grants for the Arts 2014/15 – 2015/16*
National Youth Theatre of Great Britain	£611,538
National Youth Orchestra**	£500,000		£44,441
Sadler’s Wells Trust Ltd. (National Youth Dance Company specific)***	£650,000	£200,000
Youth Music Theatre UK**	£300,000			£37,250

* Grants for the arts is the Arts Council’s Lottery-funded grant programme for individuals, arts organisations and other people who use the arts in their work. Grants are available for activities carried out over a set period and which engage people in England in arts activities and help artists and arts organisations in England carry out their work

**National Youth Music Organisation funding

*** The funding is paid to Sadler’s Wells as the grant recipient for use specifically for National Youth Dance Company activities

01/01/2023

Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were absent from school due to having a mental health condition in each year since 2010.

Edward Timpson

The Department does not hold information on absence due to a mental health condition.

01/01/2023
Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they encourage local authorities and other interested organisations to share best practice regarding the introduction and operation of shared space for vehicles and pedestrians.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

To help identify and disseminate good practice in implementing shared space, the Department for Transport is working with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, who are preparing updated guidance. This work aims to use the practical experience gained from recent shared space schemes to provide good practice advice to local authorities and other interested organisations. To help inform this work, as the Minister responsible for this issue, my Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, the Hon Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, has written to all local authorities asking them to provide information on relevant schemes to the Department by the end of November.

01/01/2023
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they currently monitor soil quality in the UK, including soil organic matter content, soil loss and the extent and severity of soil compaction; and if so, what data are available.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The 2007 Countryside Survey measured changes in soil organic matter content of soils in Great Britain. It also measured bulk density and a number of other physical and chemical characteristics of soil. A new baseline survey for soil carbon was carried out in 2009 as part of the EU Land Cover and Land Use Statistics (LUCAS) exercise. The 2015 LUCAS soil samples are currently being analysed.

Defra does not routinely monitor national rates of soil loss (erosion), but we are funding research to pilot a national soil erosion monitoring framework for monitoring soil erosion in England and Wales.

Defra also funded a survey of soil compaction levels in grasslands in England and Wales in 2011.

No formal assessment has been made of the sufficiency of the baseline data from which to measure changes in soil quality.

The Government recognises that soil is essential for underpinning a range of benefits, including food production, but also biodiversity, carbon storage and flood protection.

While the future direction of soils policy will be considered as part of the development of the 25 year plans for Food and Farming, and Environment, government is already taking action to improve soil quality.

This includes new rules underpinning cross compliance which anyone claiming Common Agricultural Policy payments must comply with. The rules require a minimum level of soil cover, prevention of erosion and measures to protect the organic matter levels of soil. The new rules take an outcome based approach, instead of the previous paper-based system, thereby focussing on environmental improvements while reducing burdens for farmers. The Government will continue to monitor the implementation of the new rules.

No single body or institution has responsibility for measuring and analysing soils in the UK. Soil testing is carried out by a mix of commercial laboratories and Public Analyst labs. Typically laboratories are accredited and adhere to British Standards on testing procedures. However, there are no regulations governing soil testing procedures themselves.

There are existing soil maps for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which use different soil classifications. There are currently no plans to produce a new UK soil map, and we have not explored options for private sector investment.

01/01/2023

Glyn Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Glyn Davies on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were admitted to hospital for catheter-associated urinary tract infections in each of the last five years; and what the cost was of treating those people.

Jane Ellison

The Department does not hold information on the number of people admitted to hospital for a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, urinary tract infection or urinary incontinence.

The following table shows a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

YEAR	FAEs
2010-11	215
2011-12	294
2012-13	447
2013-14	641
2014-15	942

The following table shows a count of FAEs in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of urinary incontinence in England.

Year	FAEs
2010-11	27,797
2011-12	26,751
2012-13	24,938
2013-14	23,498
2014-15	20,969

The following table shows a count of FAEs in the last five years with a primary diagnosis of urinary tract infection in England

YEAR	FAEs
2010-11	168,581
2011-12	174,818
2012-13	184,924
2013-14	187,594
2014-15	195,282

Source: Hospital episode statistics (HES), Health and social care information centre

Notes:

A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period.

The primary diagnosis provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.

The costs to the National Health Service of treating people with urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence is not available centrally.

Such information as is available is from reference costs, which are the average unit costs of providing defined services to patients. Reference costs for acute care are published by Healthcare Resource Group (HRG), which are standard groupings of similar treatments that use similar resources. For example, costs relating to kidney or urinary tract interventions are assigned to the same HRGs.

Table: Estimated total costs of kidney or urinary tract interventions and urinary incontinence or other urinary problems reported by NHS trusts and foundation trusts, 2010-11 to 2014-15 (£ millions)

	Kidney or urinary tract interventions	Urinary incontinence or other urinary problems
2010-11	370.5	28.2
2011-12	398.9	28.1
2012-13	432.4	27.8
2013-14	464.8	28.3
2014-15	506.5	27.6

Source: Reference costs, Department of Health

01/01/2023