The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what conclusions he wants the Vienna talks on the Syria crisis to reach.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We hope that the 30 October Vienna meeting is the start of an international process, alongside talks between the Syrian parties, which will lead to transition away from Assad in line with the Geneva communiqué of 2012.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many British Transport Police officers he estimates will be deployed in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19 and (e) 2019-20.
Claire Perry
The British Transport Police currently has 3,046 officers, which is the largest number of officers since the creation of the British Transport Police Authority in 2004. The number of officers in future years will vary in response to operational needs, including specific initiatives such as the introduction of the Night Tube in London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with NATO on monitoring Russian manoeuvres along its borders with NATO member states.
Mr Julian Brazier
NATO constantly monitors and assesses the threats it faces across its borders. The Readiness Action Plan, comprising assurance and adaptation measures, is designed to strengthen NATO’s collective defence posture and crisis management capability and help deter Russia from hostile activity. The UK has recently renewed its call for intelligence to be shared amongst NATO members to deliver situational awareness. We are also encouraging NATO to enhance its capability for monitoring, assessing the effects of, and responding to threatening behaviour. NATO is focussing on being ‘adaptable by design’ so the Alliance is ready to face any new and emerging threats from wherever they come.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting the deployment of ultra-super critical coal fired power stations similar to those planned by China and Germany; and if she will make a statement.
Andrea Leadsom
I have made no such assessment. Any new coal plant must demonstrate carbon capture and storage on at least 300 MW of its proposed generating capacity and comply with the Emissions Performance Standard.
Coal fired power stations without abatement are not consistent with meeting our decarbonisation objectives. This is why the Government has committed to consulting on phasing out unabated coal by 2025 and to restricting the amount of coal generation in 2023.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to prevent reductions in bonuses, shifts and bank holiday pay for employees before the implementation of the national living wage.
Nick Boles
The National Living Wage represents a significant step up for the lowest paid in society. On current forecasts, a full-time minimum wage worker will earn almost £4,200 more per year by 2020 compared to the current minimum wage. It is for individual businesses to decide exactly how to respond to the introduction of the National Living Wage, appropriate to their circumstances. But any changes to contractual pay should be discussed and agreed with workers in advance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the liquidity ladder is not used to advantage counterparties of Euronext to the disadvantage of those of LCH Clearnet.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
I refer the noble Lord to my written answers of 26 April (HL7583, HL7584, HL7585, and HL7586)
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the Lutathera drug was removed from the list of drugs available under the Cancer Drugs Fund.
George Freeman
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (including Luththera) for the treatment of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours was removed from the Cancer Drugs Fund in November 2015 on the grounds that it represented insufficient value for retention within the Fund.
NHS England’s full decision summary is available at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/cancer/cdf/cdf-drug-sum/
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many food inspectors the Food Standards Agency (a) employed in each of the last five years and (b) plans to employ in (i) 2016-17, (ii) 2017-18, (iii) 2018-19 and (iv) 2019-20.
George Eustice
The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom and does not employ food inspectors. Trading Standards and Environmental Health Officers are employed by local authorities. The Food Standards Agency is responsible for meat inspection duties in approved meat premises in England, Scotland and Wales and currently employs 439 Meat Hygiene Inspectors for the purposes of official control inspection activities. Further detail regarding the number of inspectors employed is a matter for the FSA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who was principally responsible for the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster between November 2005 and May 2006.
Sir Patrick McLoughlin
Between November 2005 and May 2006 the role of the Chancellor was vacant. During that period the Duchy was administered by the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council, along with the Duchy Council.
Since I have taken up the role, I have been carrying out a number of duties related to the Duchy, including meetings with Duchy staff, a visit to a Duchy property and various appointments and responsibilities associated with the office.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Care Quality Commission to investigate the project run by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust between December 2014 and February 2015 on the treatment of emergency calls to NHS 111.
Jane Ellison
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and adult social care, advises the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is scheduled for a comprehensive inspection in 2016.
The CQC advises it has attended a recent risk summit conducted by NHS England. The decisions or actions arising from the NHS England risk summit will be one of the factors considered in the timing of any forthcoming CQC inspection.
NHS England undertook an external investigation of the project, the report of which was published by NHS England on 5 November 2015.
We are advised that Monitor is taking action with South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust regarding concerns about the project and the regulator is working with the Trust now to identify the negative impact this project could have had on patients. It is Monitor’s function to undertaken such investigations independently of the Department. Monitor and Departmental officials regularly discuss such issues on a routine basis.
As part of regulatory action, Monitor advises it has asked the trust to carry out a detailed independent review of the impact the project had on patients. Monitor has asked the Trust to do this with the help of an external expert, who the regulator will select. The full details of what the review will look at and how long it will take are being worked on by the trust and Monitor, including consideration of publication of the review findings.