UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the surplus/deficit in the National Insurance Fund is.

    Jane Ellison

    There are two separate National Insurance Funds (NIF) one for Great Britain and a significantly smaller Northern Ireland Fund.

    The balance on the GB NIF as at 31 March 2015 was £20.9bn and the Northern Ireland NIF was £0.5bn. These balance can be found in the accounts which were published on 29 October 2015, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-fund-accounts.

    The NIF accounts for the year ending 31 March 2016 are currently in the process of being audited prior to publication.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any grant application by or award made to Action on Smoking and Health by the Department of Health in the last five years was not considered first by the Voluntary Sector Grants Hub.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    All grants awarded to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the last five years have been awarded under Section 64 powers. There are a range of different circumstances under which it would not be appropriate or represent best value for money to run a competed scheme. The grants awarded to ASH have been assessed as most appropriate for the non-competed route.

    The assessment of any grant application for funding from ASH is undertaken by members of the Tobacco Control policy team. Following this assessment, the Grants Hub makes a decision regarding whether or not to approve the application. These policy assessments contain policy advice to Ministers and so are not made public. Approvals are required from Ministers and from HM Treasury or are subject to a Departmental approval process that has been agreed with HM Treasury.

    To identify relevant representations the Department has received would result in disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the incidence of domestic violence and rape against wives from Asia, and whether in making that assessment they have identified any trend.

    Lord Bates

    This government is committed to tackling violence against women and girls. We want victims to have the confidence to report these crimes, knowing they will get the support they need and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.

    The 2014/15 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that 6.1% of adults aged 16 to 59 experienced any form of domestic abuse in the last year, down from 8.9% in the 2004/05 survey. While the latest estimate is not statistically significantly different from recent years, it is the lowest since these questions were first asked in 2004/05.

    The 2014/15 CSEW also estimates that 0.3% of adults aged 16 to 59 had been a victim of rape (including attempts) in the last year. Due to the low number of respondents to the survey that have been a victim of this crime, it is not possible to say whether this estimate differs from surveys conducted in other years. However, prevalence of less serious sexual assault has fallen from 2.3% in the 2004/05 CSEW to 1.5% in the 2014/15 survey.

    Data from the CSEW cannot be disaggregated by ethnicity, nor by the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to address the mental health needs of people with autism.

    Alistair Burt

    In 2015, new statutory guidance building on the 2010 Autism Strategy, and the 2014 Think Autism update, set out expectations for local authorities and the National Health Service in relation to autism training. It is the responsibility for the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, to ensure newly qualified pharmacists and health visitors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. The Department has worked the Royal College of Nursing, and Skills for Health and Skills for Care, to develop autism training material. Health Education England is also working with the Royal Colleges and other stakeholders to increase awareness and knowledge of autism for NHS health professionals.

    The Department has also provided financial support to the Royal College of General Practitioners’ clinical priorities programme on autism which is undertaking practical work on autism awareness and training for general practitioners (GPs). GPs should be aware of what the local arrangements are for making referrals for autism diagnosis and how to access appropriate post-diagnostic interventions.

    NHS England has commenced a programme to visit clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to identify and share good practice in accessing timely autism diagnosis and post diagnostic support. NHS England with support from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services is to visit a selection of areas to talk to CCGs and local authorities about their Autism Diagnostic Care Pathways. A report on the work will be completed by the end of April 2016.

    We know that people with autism can experience common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, as well as other mental illnesses. Over £400 million has been invested in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies to ensure access to talking therapies for those who need them, including those with autism.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    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, how much her Department has spent on horticultural training in each of the last five years.

    Nick Boles

    It is not possible to give an estimate of how much funding the Department has spent on horticultural training, as the post-16 funding formula does not attribute funding to specific subjects. We fund institutions based on their whole programme content and student profile. Institutions then divide their funding between subjects as they see fit.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the threat posed to minority religious groups with refugee camps Syria within refugee camps; and what steps the Government has taken to protect such groups from persecution.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Assad’s actions have fuelled sectarian violence and his regime is ultimately responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. The UK, as part of the International Syria Support Group, has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination, is fundamental. This means that Syrian minorities will be included and safeguarded as the political process progresses.

    We are supporting non-governmental efforts to promote dialogue between different ethnic and sectarian groups in Syria, as we seek further progress on a political settlement. The UK is working with the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) to intensify their outreach and identification activities in the region; and to encourage and invite all unregistered populations to avail themselves of UNHCR’s assistance and protection services. This includes resettlement where eligible, either by directly approaching UNHCR to register with them or by referral via a third organisation.

    Through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme, the UK is helping some of the most vulnerable refugees based on need. The scheme is open to all eligible persons regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination, and prioritises the most vulnerable.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) median and (b) mean wage is of (i) male and (ii) female employees of (A) his Department, (B) Network Rail, (C) Highways England, (D) HS2 Ltd, (E) the Office of Rail and Road, (F) the DVLA, (G) the Driver Vehicle Standards Authority and (H) the VCA on the latest date for which figures are available.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The median and mean wages levels for male and female employees are as follows:

    Median wage

    Organisation

    Male

    Female

    DfT(c)

    £45,747

    £42,103

    Network Rail

    £33,781

    £32,000

    Highways England

    £24,054

    £27,455

    HS2 Ltd

    £51,552

    £38,928

    Office of Rail and Road

    £58,152

    £40,900

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    £19,155

    £19,155

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

    £25,328

    £25,162

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    £36,565

    £25,758

    Mean wage

    Organisation

    Male

    Female

    DfT(c)

    £51,012

    £45,335

    Network Rail

    £36,789

    £36,073

    Highways England

    £31,608

    £30,974

    HS2 Ltd

    £65,130

    £44,650

    Office of Rail and Road

    £56,597

    £45,445

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    £22,197

    £20,649

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

    £26,108

    £24,826

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    £36,798

    £25,918

    The central Department and its Agencies have historically had differences in mean and median pay levels of male and female staff. In 2014, pay, terms and conditions were modernised, including shortening the lengths of pay ranges. As a result of this, and the 2015 pay strategy, the differences in mean and median pay levels of male and female staff have decreased. The central Department and its Agencies are committed to continuing to reduce the differences over the next few years.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-05-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payment appeals his Department conceded prior to their being heard at the First-Tier Tribunal in the last 12 months.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The requested information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to strengthen the resources available for the development of UK policies towards the UN, the UN Security Council, UN operational agencies, and international financial institutions.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government regularly reviews resources devoted to supporting policy development on key multilateral institutions, including the UN and international financial institutions.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the first F35 Joint Strike Fighters are planned to be operational.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Initial Operating Capability for the UK’s F-35B Lightning aircraft is scheduled for December 2018.

    The most recent US Selected Acquisition Report (SAR 2015) estimates that the production, sustainment and support revenue generated by the global F-35 fleet through the life of the programme will be over one trillion US dollars. The UK manufactures approximately 15% of each F-35 aircraft, however as the F-35 programme is still determining its Global Support Solution footprint, we are not yet in a position to determine the potential revenue for UK industry.

    The programme is expecting to procure over 3,000 aircraft across the F-35 Partner Nations. This will be further supplemented by Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. FMS engagement and future sales projections are managed by, and are a matter for, the US Government.