The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-05-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidelines his Department issues to its staff on carrying out Genuine Prospect of Work assessments.
Priti Patel
Guidance for Department for Work and Pensions staff responsible for carrying out Genuine Prospect of Work tests can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510008/dmgch0703.pdf
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Médecins Sans Frontières’ rejection of EU funding in Sudan in response to the EU’s policies on migrants attempting to reach Europe.
Baroness Verma
We were disappointed to learn about Médecins Sans Frontières’ rejection of EU funding in Sudan. Sudan is a major source, host and transit country for migration. As such we remain committed to tackling the full range of migration issues in Sudan, including addressing the conflicts and the human rights situation, and supporting regional co-operation and efforts to stop people trafficking and smuggling through the ‘Khartoum Process’. Through DFID, we will deliver support that addresses the root causes of migration, and strengthen the basis for inclusive economic development and increased employment opportunities to encourage Sudanese people to better see their future in Sudan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK Government staff are seconded to or directly assist the UK Special Envoy to Yemen and his team.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
No UK Government staff are seconded to or directly assist the UK Special Envoy to Yemen and his team. Through the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, we are providing £1.05 million to the UN Special Envoy’s office to bolster UN capacity to facilitate the peace process, and are also supporting work to broaden the dialogue to include women and other under-represented groups.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on the likelihood of people’s reemployment of their prior length of absence from work; and what steps the Government is taking to address that matter.
Priti Patel
It is not possible to quantify the exact effect of benefit duration on the likelihood of re-employment as information on the destinations of people leaving benefits is not recorded for all claimants.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision is made to enable young asylum seekers to have legal support and advice on reaching the age of 18.
Lord Bates
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are placed into the care of local authorities and are provided with specialised legal advice and support. If they have an outstanding asylum claim on reaching the age of 18, legal advice will continue to be provided and their social worker will help them to access that support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister’s speech of 11 January 2016, on life chances, what the sources of the £60 million of social investment for drug and alcohol treatment are expected to be.
Mr Rob Wilson
The Government has actively supported the growth of the social investment market over the last five years. This includes through the establishment of Big Society Capital which is investing up to £600m in growing the social investment market, and the Social Investment Tax Relief which is incentivising individual investors to make social investments. Other social investors investing in social impact bonds include charitable trusts and foundations as well as institutional investors and dedicated social impact funds.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she has made an estimate of the difference in value between coal produced in the UK and coal imported from overseas for each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Andrea Leadsom
The table below gives the values of UK coal production and imports for 2010 to 2014. Data for 2015 will be available on 28 July 2016.
|
Coal production (£million) |
Coal imports (£million) |
Difference (£million) |
|
|
2010 |
1,065 |
2,080 |
-1,015 |
|
2011 |
1,175 |
3,050 |
-1,875 |
|
2012 |
990 |
3,315 |
-2,325 |
|
2013 |
535 |
3,235 |
-2,700 |
|
2014 |
450 |
2,235 |
-1,785 |
Source: Tables DUKES 1.4-1.6, Digest of UK Energy Statistics, July 2015, available at:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to encourage GPs to undertake out-of-hours shifts in primary care.
Alistair Burt
The Department and NHS England are committed to addressing the issue of increasing medical indemnity costs for general practitioners (GPs), including those working out of hours.
Increasing costs of indemnity cover associated with out of hours work may discourage GPs from undertaking out-of-hours shifts in primary care.
The Department was represented at a roundtable event held by NHS England on 17 November 2015 to develop a shared understanding of how to address rising medical indemnity costs. A range of stakeholders, including the British Medical Association and Medical Defence Organisations (MDOs), also attended.
On 9 December 2015, NHS England announced a winter indemnity scheme to offset the additional indemnity premium for GPs who wish to work additional sessions for their out-of-hours providers. In addition they have negotiated changes to the products offered by MDOs to bring down costs of indemnity for extended access.
Discussions are ongoing between the Department and NHS England on a long-term solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page two of the minutes of the Office of Rail and Road’s board meeting on 22 September 2015, what the Govia Thameslink class 700 evacuation safety risks are that are referred to in those minutes.
Claire Perry
The evacuation safety risk referred to in the Office of Rail and Road’s Board meeting on 22 September 2015 relates to evacuation from a class 700 new Thameslink train in the Snow Hill Tunnels within the Thameslink core section. The Office of Rail and Road has since confirmed that this is a matter for the London Fire Brigade to consider. Both Network Rail, the infrastructure operator, and Govia Thameslink Railway, the Thameslink train operator, have met with the Fire Brigade to discuss the matter. We understand that the London Fire Brigade is content with the measures that have been put in place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish guidance on the handling of family reunion cases under the Dublin III Regulations including clarifying responsibilities, procedures for unaccompanied children in Calais prior to any transfer, and ensuring that local authorities have sufficient funding and capacity to conduct assessments.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Dublin III Regulation sets out the criteria for determining responsibility for asylum cases and using discretionary powers. The procedures for dealing with an asylum seeker in Calais, including an unaccompanied child, are for the French authorities to determine, in line with their obligations under the Regulation. We are committed to making the Dublin Regulation work effectively and are in ongoing discussions with France, Italy and Greece to ensure that the right processes and resources are in place to enable this. We are also working with other EU Member States, the UNHCR and other non-governmental organisations and local authorities in the UK to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from elsewhere in the EU to the UK.