The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with private bus operators on Clause 21 of the Bus Services Bill.
Andrew Jones
The Secretary of State recently met with the Confederation of Passenger Transport and private bus operators to discuss the Bus Services Bill, which included discussion of Clause 21.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-10-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many students received loans from the Student Loans Company for the fees for equivalent level qualifications at degree or sub-degree level in engineering, technology and computer science in 2015–16.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The first release of statistics covering English tuition fee loans to part-time students in the academic year 2015/16 will be on 30 November 2016 in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-10-29.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HM Revenue and Customs spent on (a) IT systems and (b) cyber-security in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14, (v) 2014-15 and (vi) 2015-16 to date.
Mr David Gauke
Reference to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spending on IT systems can be found within its Annual Report and Accounts, under the Chief Digital and Information Officer Group. For the 2014/15 Annual Report and Accounts, this is on page 145.
HMRC’s spending on cyber security work is incorporated within the headline IT expenditure figure.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the police has taken to tackle suspected boiler-room operations in the City of London.
Mike Penning
The City of London Police leads Operation Broadway, which is a multi-agency response to boiler room frauds operating in the City of London. Operation Broadway makes use of intelligence from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and the collective powers of its agencies to identify and tackle boiler rooms. Operation Broadway responses to boiler rooms focus on disruption and displacement and a number of differing tactical operations will be used. Operation Broadway also features in social media campaigns to raise public awareness of boiler room fraud.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-01-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contingency planning his Department is undertaking to prepare for the possibility of a leave vote in the forthcoming referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.
Mr David Gauke
The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the United Kingdom – so we can get a better deal for our country and secure our future. We are confident that the right agreement can be reached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regulations there are on the ratio of staff to patients in care homes.
Ben Gummer
There are no regulations setting out staff to residents ratio’s in care homes, however all providers of regulated activities have to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and follow a set of fundamental standards of safety and quality below which care should never fall.
One of the fundamental standards relates to staffing and requires that a provider must have sufficient numbers of suitability qualified, competent, skilled and experienced persons in order to meet the requirements of residents.
The CQC has a wide range of enforcement powers that it can use if the provider is not does not meet the fundamental standards.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the savings to the public purse of the proposed reduction of child benefits paid overseas.
Damian Hinds
The Government’s new settlement means that EU nationals whose children live abroad will ultimately receive Child Benefit at a rate that reflects the conditions – including the standard of living and child benefit paid – of the country where their child lives. This will restore fairness to the system.
Savings relating to the indexation of Child Benefit will be confirmed once the rates have been finalised.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.7 of his Department’s response to the consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of personal independence payments, published in March 2016, if he will publish the equality analysis referred to in that paragraph.
Justin Tomlinson
As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to PIP will not be going ahead.
We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether there are any circumstances under which a devolution deal with a combined authority will be undertaken without an elected mayor being proposed.
James Wharton
The Government is open to discussing any devolution proposals that include strong, accountable governance arrangements. But we have been clear—the most ambitious, far-reaching powers and responsibilities will be offered only to those areas that provide a directly-elected, single point of accountability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of how many men who have sex with men will receive the HPV vaccination as part of the proposed pilot.
Jane Ellison
It is estimated that up to 40,000 men who have sex with men (MSM) who attend genitourinary medicine (GUM) and HIV clinics will be offered the human papillomavirus vaccination.
There has been a positive response from those invited to participate, and confidence that the pilot will include a good geographical spread of providers, including those with the highest populations of MSM, as well as in rural areas with smaller MSM populations. Public Health England is currently completing the selection of the GUM and HIV clinics that will take part in the pilot.