Category: Speeches

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for a Work Programme prime provider or sub-contractor to propose variations to the claimant commitment agreed with a jobseeker who subsequently embarks on the Work Programme; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    The claimant can ask for their Agreement / Commitment to be changed at any time. Where a Work Programme provider or sub-contractor feels the Agreement / Commitment should be varied, they should ask the claimant to raise this at their next attendance at the Jobcentre.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times the date set for the implementation of the personal independence payment programme has changed since that policy was introduced.

    Mike Penning

    Personal Independence Payment was introduced, as planned, to a limited geographical area from 8 April 2013 for new claimants. As further planned, it was extended nationally from 10 June 2013 for new claimants.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people registered for unemployment benefit in each year from 2008–09 to 2013–14 in (1) the United Kingdom, (2) London as a whole, and (3) each London borough.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the criteria is by which his Department determined the successful bidders for management of the administration of the personal independence payments contracts.

    Mike Penning

    The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment Providers were selected following a fair and open competition.

    Tenders were assessed against a detailed set of criteria which covered key aspects of PIP service delivery. A wide range of areas were assessed but particular weighting was given to bidders’ management of the claimant journey, staff recruitment, delivering assessments by Health Professionals, performance management, estates and overall implementation.

    Providers were selected on the basis of the most economic advantageous tender which overall assessed a combination of qualitative, risk and financial factors to determine the preferred supplier for each contract to be awarded.

  • Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what particular projects under the Department of Health and the Department for Education will be funded in the current spending review period as a result of the allocation of £40 million for specialist domestic and sexual violence services.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    Over the spending review period the £40 million ring-fenced funding for specialist domestic and sexual violence services consists of £28 million
    allocated by the Home Office. This funding is provided directly to local areas not other government departments and is used to support independent domestic violence advisors, independent sexual violence advisers, and Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference co-ordinators. £900,000 a year is used towards the running costs of national help lines for victims of domestic violence and stalking.

    The Ministry of Justice contribution of £12 million is used to fund 78 local rape support schemes.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK is deploying any military assets to assist the NATO patrol over Ukraine.

    Mr Mark Francois

    NATO is not patrolling Ukranian airspace. Therefore, nor is the UK. However, the UK is contributing an E3-D aircraft to the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force flying in NATO airspace and it will be deploying four Typhoon aircraft to enhance the Polish rotation of NATO’s peacetime Baltic Air Policing mission, which polices NATO airspace.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals to make apprentices who earn below earning thresholds eligible for statutory sick pay.

    Mike Penning

    There is no intention to increase the financial burden on business and extend the qualifying rules for Statutory Sick Pay to bring apprentices earning below the lower earnings level into eligibility. An apprentice earning below the lower earnings limit will, in line with other employees on a low income, continue to have access to Employment and Support Allowance.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the 2013 edition of the Highway Code, paragraph 264, what guidance her Department has given to motorway police on enforcement of the requirement that drivers overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles should return to the left-hand lane as soon as they are safely past; what the maximum penalty is for a driver not complying with that requirement; and on how many occasions in the last 24 months (a) warnings have been given to such drivers, (b) enforcement procedures have been instigated against such drivers and (c) such drivers have been prosecuted for related road traffic offences.

    Damian Green

    The Home Office has not issued any guidance and does not hold any information on the enforcement of lane discipline. Enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 8 May 2014, Official Report, column 298W, on Highways Agency, what the (a) criteria and (b) procedures are for considering the extension of the provisions of section 41(3) of the VAT Act 1994 to a new body.

    Mr David Gauke

    Section 41(3) of the VAT Act 1994 applies to Government departments and health authorities. It is governed by a Treasury Direction. Any extension of the provisions is a matter for Treasury Ministers.

  • Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann McKechin on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for which firms his Department has agreed bonus payments as part of the privatisation of Royal Mail; and on what criteria such payments were made.

    Michael Fallon

    No firms have received bonuses in relation to the sale of Royal Mail shares.