The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to define the term, fit and proper, for the licensing of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport currently provides Best Practice Guidance to assist with the fit and proper person test, which is the responsibility of local authorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the Competition and Markets Authority to report on its investigation on suspected anti-competitive practices in the pharmaceutical sector.
George Freeman
The Department is already referring cases to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). To strengthen our work in this area we are considering putting measures in place to routinely and systematically monitor significant price increases of generic medicines and take action where appropriate, including the possible referral of suspected excessive pricing to the CMA, while taking into account the potential impact of any such action on the availability of medicines.
The CMA is currently conducting a number of investigations into anti-competitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry. It imposed fines totalling £45 million in one case (currently subject to appeal at the Competition Appeal Tribunal), and expects to reach a final decision by late summer in another. It opened two more cases in March and April 2016 in which it expects to decide in late summer whether there are grounds to take each investigation further.
The CMA is also considering evidence of other potential cases of anti-competitive practices in the sector, and may well open further investigations in the coming months.
The CMA is independent of Ministers and we cannot interfere in either the substance or the procedures of its decision-making.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 1.10 of his Department’s paper, Inflected blood: Government Response to Consultation on Reform of Financial and Other Support, published in July 2016, whether survey respondents were asked whether they were infected with both HIV and hepatitis C.
Nicola Blackwood
Responses to the consultation were provided on a voluntary basis and none of the questions asked were compulsory. Consultation respondents were asked in separate questions to indicate if they had hepatitis C and/or HIV, from infected National Health Service supplied blood/blood products. Whilst respondents were not asked specifically whether they had stage 1 or stage 2 hepatitis C, many voluntarily offered this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects NHS England to publish the first and second quarter figures for Cancer Drugs Fund notifications and individual Cancer Drugs Fund requests for 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.
George Freeman
The information for the first quarter of 2015-16 was published on NHS England’s website on 10 November 2015 and is available at:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/
Information for the second quarter is currently being finalised and NHS England expects to publish this in the near future.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how UK citizens living in the UK can apply for a visa for relatives living in Yemen.
James Brokenshire
UK citizens can submit visa applications on behalf of relatives living overseas via the following website – www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/home/welcome.
The applicant would then need to travel to their nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) to verify the information provided and progress their application to the next stage.
There are no VACs in Yemen; guidance for applying for a UK visa from Yemen can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yemen-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-yemen
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new entrants there were for religious education initial teacher training courses in each of the last five years.
Nick Gibb
The numbers of new entrants to religious education initial teacher training (ITT) courses in England, and the target levels, for each of the last five years are as shown in Table 1 below.
The numbers of people achieving qualified teacher status (QTS) in religious studies in each of the last five years are as shown in Table 2 below.
Table 1: New entrants to Religious Education ITT courses.
|
Year |
Postgraduate ITT new entrants |
Postgraduate ITT target |
Percentage of the postgraduate target achieved |
Undergraduate ITT new entrants |
|
2011/12 |
463 |
446 |
104% |
15 |
|
2012/13 |
471 |
439 |
107% |
12 |
|
2013/14 |
367 |
450 |
82% |
12 |
|
2014/15 |
386 |
537 |
72% |
8 |
|
2015/16 |
411 |
650 |
63% |
14 |
Table 2: Final year religious education trainees obtaining QTS awards.
|
Year |
Postgraduate |
Undergraduate |
||||||
|
Number awarded QTS |
Number not awarded QTS |
Total |
Percentage awarded QTS |
Number awarded QTS |
Number not awarded QTS |
Total |
Percentage awarded QTS |
|
|
2009/10 |
755 |
96 |
851 |
89% |
12 |
2 |
14 |
86% |
|
2010/11 |
762 |
78 |
840 |
91% |
19 |
2 |
21 |
90% |
|
2011/12 |
464 |
71 |
535 |
87% |
17 |
7 |
24 |
71% |
|
2012/13 |
419 |
65 |
484 |
87% |
25 |
5 |
30 |
83% |
|
2013/14 |
321 |
23 |
344 |
93% |
12 |
0 |
12 |
100% |
Further information is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-teacher-training
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-02-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice or guidance, if any, they propose to provide to schools, in particular to religiously selective schools, regarding compliance with the School Admissions Code, in the light of the findings of the report An Unholy Mess, published by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year, that a significant number of schools are failing to comply with the Code in various ways.
Lord Nash
The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the School Admissions Code which will both respond to concerns from parents and to the findings in the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.
Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.
When constructing faith-based oversubscription criteria, including deciding how membership or practice of the faith will be determined, admission authorities must have regard to the guidance of their relevant religious authority, and their arrangements must comply with the statutory School Admissions Code. They must consult with their religious authority when proposing any changes to their admission arrangements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2016 to Question 26564, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that schools in conflict zones are protected from being attacked or occupied for military purposes.
James Duddridge
The UK is committed to the proper implementation of International Humanitarian Law. We comply fully with our obligations under it, including rules prohibiting civilian objects from being attacked. The UK also works closely with other states and the Red Cross Movement to promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law. We urge all states and non-state actors engaged in armed conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law and to act in accordance with their obligations under it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the development of a new railway station at Horden; and when that development is expected to be completed.
Andrew Jones
Horden Station is currently being worked on by Durham City Council and is in the advanced stages of the design phase of development. The outcome of this phase will give direction to the funding requirements and delivery plans going forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the Health and Work Innovation Fund his Department plans to allocate to programmes for people with arthritis.
Justin Tomlinson
At the spending review, the Work and Health Unit secured £115m of funding, including at least £40m for a Work and Health innovation fund.
The Work and Health Innovation Fund will trial new ways to help working age disabled people and people with health conditions get in, stay in, and return to work as well as benefit from improved health outcomes. This will include support for people with musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis.