The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include private sector companies that deliver public services.
Matthew Hancock
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2016-04-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the corrected Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 March (HL6286), what consideration they have given to the impact of technological change on the definition of electrical and electronic equipment specified in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Electrical and electronic equipment in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive is defined as that “which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly" and "equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields” below specified voltages.
Whilst the Directive does provide for certain exclusions, the Government believes that the definition is already sufficiently broad to embrace technological change and computer hardware that incorporates browsers and operating systems.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2016-05-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects a final decision to be made and announced on whether HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis is commissioned.
Jane Ellison
NHS England is in the process of re-considering its decision to remove pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from the specialised commissioning annual prioritisation process. As such, no final decisions have yet been taken by NHS England as to whether or not they will routinely commission PrEP. This process, which is being overseen by NHS England’s Specialised Services Commissioning Committee, is expected to complete by the end of May 2016. Until the outcome of this process is known, NHS England will continue to work with Public Health England and the Department on planning for the proposed £2 million investment in an early implementer test site programme for PrEP. As part of this, NHS England will be exploring how, and where appropriate, a period of further support might be offered to the participants enrolled on the PROUD study. All the PROUD trial participants signed an explicit consent form that made clear that there was no long term commitment to continue providing PrEP beyond the trial.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2016 to Question 40498, on domestic violence: legal aid scheme, which domestic violence support groups, legal representative bodies and colleagues across Government the Department is working with; and on what basis the decision was made to work with those organisations and not others.
Mr Shailesh Vara
We are working with a range of organisations, including Rights of Women, the Law Society, Resolution, and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.
With the guidance of these organisations, and through their associated networks, we have sought to target those with direct experience of how the regulations operate in practice – for victims and practitioners – as we think this is the best way to inform how those regulations may be improved. We have also begun work with the Home Office, as the lead department on domestic violence policy, to better understand the wider context of domestic violence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-09-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the LaingBuisson report into the future of children’s services in Birmingham; and if so, when.
Lord Nash
The Department for Education does intend to publish the LaingBuisson report entitled “The potential for developing the capacity and diversity of children’s social care services in England.” The Department intends to publish the report in due course.
It should be noted that the report considers the potential for developing the capacity and diversity of provision of children’s social care services in England, and is not a report into the future of children’s services in Birmingham.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that Northern Ireland benefits from the Government’s planned expansion of the intelligence agencies.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
I regularly discuss national security issues with Cabinet colleagues.
The National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review published this week, confirm that tackling terrorism in all its forms continues to be one of the Government’s highest priorities.
We will increase funding for counter-terrorism by 30% in real terms over this Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the contribution of the Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy of 3 December 2015, Official Report, column 510, what the purpose was of the two one-off grants paid to MG Alba.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The two one-off grants to MG Alba were provided to support the production of high-quality Gaelic language content, including original drama, and to continue its valued services for Gaelic speakers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Birmingham to Bristol rail line to be electrified.
Claire Perry
Electrification of the railway line between Birmingham and Bristol is one of the schemes under consideration by Network Rail as part of the industry electrification strategy. We expect Network rail to publish a draft strategy for consultation in early 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of super centres on smaller, privately-funded child care businesses located close to them.
Mr Sam Gyimah
There is a duty on local authorities to judge what provision is appropriate to meet local needs in their areas. An overarching statutory framework places a legal duty on local authorities to have arrangements in place to secure sufficient children’s centres to meet local need and to consult where changes are planned to local children’s centre provision.
In deciding what arrangements to make, local authorities must have particular regard to the quality and quantity of early childhood services in the area. Local authorities are best placed to understand local needs and the different ways children and families can be supported locally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-03-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether decisions to close HM Revenue and Customs offices are subject to ministerial approval on a case-by-case basis.
Mr David Gauke
As HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced in November, it is transforming the way it works to be able to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer, meeting the Government’s challenge to all departments to do more with less.
As part of that programme, HMRC plans to bring together its employees in 13 Regional Centres. These will be large, modern offices, equipped with the digital infrastructure and training facilities needed to build a more highly-skilled workforce.
Treasury Ministers are supportive of the objectives of HMRC’s transformation programme. However, HMRC is a non-ministerial department and decisions on where to locate the future Regional Centres are operational ones, which are ultimately approved by its Executive Committee.