Category: Speeches

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 7 May 2014, Official Report, column 228W, on social security benefits: disability, if he will take steps to reduce the national average waiting times for work capability assessments for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit reassessment.

    Mike Penning

    We are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best possible service for claimants, driving up performance and quality to help reduce waiting times and process claims as quickly as possible. We are continuing to monitor and robustly manage this contract.

    We do not have a target timescale for waiting time for an Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment.

  • Yvonne Fovargue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Yvonne Fovargue – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yvonne Fovargue on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many NATO or EU cyber exercises are planned in 2014; and what the UK’s involvement will be in each such exercise.

    Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any EU cyber exercises planned for this year. With regards to NATO exercises, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for International Security Strategy (Dr Andrew Murrison) on 5 March 2014, (Official Report, column 846W), to the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Nicholas Soames). There are seven NATO wide cyber exercises planned for 2014. Whilst the UK is planning to participate in a NATO cyber exercise during November 2014, the exact nature of the participation is still being finalised.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of mandatory reconsideration periods have exceeded 14 days; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    The Department is collecting information to understand how the introduction of mandatory reconsideration is operating, including completion timescales. However, this data is not sufficiently robust and reliable to make available.

    In the production of new statistics, which all the above would be, the Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet the high quality standards expected. Departmental statisticians need to assure themselves of the quality of administrative data sources before releasing information as Official statistics, and before the exact timing and format of statistics can be confirmed. .

  • Mr Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Mr Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Philip Hollobone on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how many passes for entry into the Commons estate (a) are in issue and (b) were lost in 2013.

    John Thurso

    On 18 March there were some 14,700 Palace of Westminster passes in issue. During 2013, 523 passes were reported lost or stolen.

    When a pass is reported lost or stolen it is deactivated immediately.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he obtained clearance from the European Commission for his Department to retain a golden share in each Community Rehabilitation Company.

    Jeremy Wright

    On 19 September last year the Government launched the competition to find the future owners of the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) who will deliver rehabilitation services in England and Wales. The European Commission does not operate a process whereby Member States are required to seek clearance in order to retain Special Shares in a company, and instead the onus is on individual States to ensure they are operating in accordance with the law. The Department is satisfied that it is in full compliance with European law on retaining a Special Share within each of the new CRCs. The Transforming Rehabilitation competition will continue through 2014 with contracts being awarded and mobilised by 2015.

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of state-funded primary schools have acquired academy status in each local authority.

    Edward Timpson

    A table showing the proportion for each local authority has been placed in the House Library.

  • Stuart Andrew – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stuart Andrew – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart Andrew on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the recommendations of the Leeds Children’s Heart Surgery Services Review, published on 13 March 2014, if he will make it his policy that continuing audits of performance should be conducted at all children’s heart surgery units.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England and the regulators constantly monitor the outcomes at all children’s cardiac centres. This data is provided regularly by the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research. Specialised commissioning is currently reviewing the type of information that it analyses as part of the ongoing new Congenital Heart Disease Review into these services.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure that any foreign company found to have abandoned its pension responsibilities to UK pension holders can be made to refund that pension deficit.

    Steve Webb

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 23 January 2014, Official Report, Column 267W.

  • Mark Hoban – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Hoban – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hoban on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of equalising the tax relief given on employee contributions to pension schemes at 30 per cent.

    Mr David Gauke

    Estimates of the Exchequer effect of equalising the tax relief given on employee contributions to pension schemes at 30 per cent are not available.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kevin Brennan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to offer compensation to initial teacher training applicants who have been wrongly advised that they failed the professional skills test and denied the opportunity to train as teachers.

    David Laws

    The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has written to candidates who were incorrectly notified that they had failed the Professional Skills Tests and provided a helpline number to contact should they wish to discuss their options or seek support.