The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will consult on setting up a Commissioner for Older People.
Mr Oliver Letwin
There is no current plan for Government to consult on setting up a Commissioner for Older Persons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to implement the recommendation in the report by Human Rights Watch and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, The Blood of People Who Don’t Co-operate, published in November 2015, that the Government should suspend support for security service reform until the other recommendations of that report are complied with.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We believe that UK support to Bahrain’s reform programme is the most constructive way to achieve long-lasting and sustainable reform in Bahrain. While it will take time to see the full results, UK support is having a direct, positive impact on areas of concern. We continue to work with the Government of Bahrain to ensure momentum and progress on its reforms, for the benefit of all Bahrainis. All Foreign and Commonwealth Office programmes that support security reform are carefully considered in line with HMG’s Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance in order to assess and mitigate human rights risks. Our assistance is specially designed to improve human rights standards and strengthen the rule of law in partner countries. These programmes are routinely monitored and evaluated on a quarterly basis to ensure that they are on track for delivery.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the documents provided by Transport for London to Greenpeace in response to a Freedom of Information request in April 2016, what steps his Department is taking to assess the accuracy of the estimate made by Transport for London that £18.4 billion would need to be spent on surface access to Heathrow Airport should that airport be awarded a third runway.
Mr John Hayes
The Airports Commission assessed the surface access requirements of each shortlisted scheme as part of its work in completing its Final Report and Transport for London’s (TfL) views were considered by the Commission as part of this work.
The Government has noted Transport for London’s recent estimates of the surface access costs necessary for the expansion of Heathrow airport and understand that TfL’s figures include the costs of infrastructure schemes which may be needed to cater for wider population and economic growth up to 2040, as well as schemes which would be required to cater for additional airport users.
The Government will consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report, including its examination of the costs of the surface access proposals associated with airport expansion, before taking any decisions on next steps.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-10-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for local authorities to introduce and extend congestion charging for the purposes of traffic management and reduction of air pollution.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Local authorities already have powers to introduce road user charging schemes under the Transport Act 2000, and in general it is for them to determine whether or not they use these powers.
The national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide, published in December last year, set out a range of measures that we are implementing to improve air quality. The plan combines targeted local and national measures, forming part of a wider approach that exploits new and clean technologies, such as electric and ultra-low emission vehicles. As part of the national plan we are requiring five cities (Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton) to implement Clean Air Zones. Other local authorities can introduce Clean Air Zones should they wish to do so using their powers under the Transport Act 2000.
We will consult on a framework for Clean Air Zones later this year which will set out the important principles that need to be consistent from city to city. Setting out the principles in this way will support both those authorities required by Government to implement a Clean Air Zone and those who, after analysing their own situation, consider a Clean Air Zone to be an appropriate measure to bring in.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of how many low and middle income earners save and invest in a save-as-you-earn employee share plan.
Mr David Gauke
The tax-advantaged Save As You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP) limits were significantly increased from April 2014. The increases the Government have made are reasonable, given the average monthly SAYE savings and the value of awards currently made to employees under SIP, and they represent the best use of resources. The Government will continue to keep the SAYE and SIP limits under review.
In addition to increasing the SAYE and SIP limits, the rules of the schemes were substantially reviewed and simplified following the recommendations made by the Office of Tax Simplification in March 2012. Last year, the requirement that these schemes must be approved by HM Revenue and Customs to qualify for favourable tax treatment was replaced by self-certification. Coupled with other changes to simplify some technical aspects of the rules, this will make these schemes more attractive to businesses and employees.
No data is collected and no estimates are made of the income levels of the participants in SAYE schemes.
Permitting private equity backed companies to offer all-employee tax advantaged schemes would be likely to involve significant changes to the rules of the schemes, and there would be a number of other factors to consider carefully, including the increased cost and complexity of any extension.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training his Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps he has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Dinenage
This department has liaised directly with DWP for advice and guidance on applying the Family Test in policy development. Policymakers in this department have been encouraged to attend Family test training on applying the Test and have been made aware of best practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to protect legally privileged communications from surveillance.
Mr John Hayes
The Covert Surveillance and Property Interference Code of Practice, which came into force on 10 December 2014 following approval by Parliament, set out the safeguards in relation to covert surveillance activity under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which is likely or intended to result in the acquisition of knowledge of matters subject to legal privilege.
There are similar safeguards in the existing Interception of Communications and Equipment Interference Codes of Practice which were approved by the House of Lords in December 2015 and the House of Commons earlier this month. The Investigatory Powers Bill and its associated codes of practice will replace the existing codes of practice for the interception of communication and equipment interference and will set out the powers available to public authorities to obtain communications and communication data and the safeguards that will apply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 23676, how much funding has been allocated to the HEE Perinatal Mental Health programme in each year since 2010.
Alistair Burt
Health Education England (HEE) was formed in 2013. For data since 2013, HEE does not have information at this level. HEE has various workforce development programmes managed through its thirteen local offices that might support perinatal mental health, but information on expenditure is not collected to this level of detail.
HEE has a mandate commitment to ensure that trained specialist mental health staff are available to support mothers in every birthing unit by 2017. And a further mandate commitment requires HEE to work with the Royal Colleges to support perinatal mental health training being incorporated into the postgraduate training syllabus for doctors by 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-02-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether a five per cent VAT rate could continue to apply to solar PV and solar thermal within the terms of the EU’s VAT directive and the judgment of the European Court of Justice on that matter.
Mr David Gauke
The Government has recently consulted on this matter, the results of which will be announced shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson’s disease receive personal independence payment at the (a) daily living standard, (b) daily living enhanced, (c) mobility standard and (d) mobility enhanced rate.
Justin Tomlinson
The figures below show numbers of people in Great Britain in receipt of Personal Independence Payment as at 31st January 2016 who have either Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson’s syndrome / Parkinsonism as their main disabling condition.
Parkinson’s disease
|
Daily living |
||||
|
Enhanced |
Standard |
Nil |
||
|
Enhanced |
962 |
85 |
13 |
|
|
Mobility |
Standard |
489 |
307 |
44 |
|
Nil |
329 |
686 |
– |
Source: PIP Computer Systems
Parkinson’s syndrome / Parkinsonism
|
Daily living |
||||
|
Enhanced |
Standard |
Nil |
||
|
Enhanced |
101 |
8 |
– |
|
|
Mobility |
Standard |
56 |
34 |
7 |
|
Nil |
26 |
64 |
– |
Source: PIP Computer Systems