Blog

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what forecast his Department has made of how much it will spend on the starter homes fund in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Spending Review announced £2.3 billion would be made available to support the delivery of Starter Homes over the Spending Review period. Further details about the use of this funding will be announced shortly.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK police and intelligence staff are based in (a) Europe and (b) Turkey; and if she will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    For national security reasons we do not disclose details of intelligence officers or counter terrorism police deployed or based abroad.

    In respect of wider policing we do not hold details of all overseas deployments by police forces. We only hold details of those deployments which provide assistance to an international organisation, foreign government or police service and therefore require authorisation from the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary under the provisions of Section 26 of the Police Act (1996).

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 14345, if her Department will publish a position proper on the criteria it uses to ensure aid graduation is sustainable.

    Justine Greening

    The Department is currently undertaking a Bilateral Aid Review which will determine the countries that we will provide direct bilateral assistance to over the next five years.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 14345, what steps her Department takes to ensure that aid graduation is sustainable where the Government’s contribution is provided through a multilateral institution.

    Justine Greening

    The Department is currently undertaking a Multilateral Aid Review which will inform our funding decisions and our reform priorities for the multilateral agencies that we work with.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 12730, what steps his Department is taking to improve palliative care for children in England.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England has continued to provide £11 million to children’s palliative care providers through the annual Children’s Hospice and Hospice-at-Home Grant.

    The Department has also provided grant funding to ‘Together for Short Lives’ to support the Transition Taskforce, which is developing improved approaches to providing care and support to young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

    NHS England has led work on behalf of the Government in developing draft currencies for palliative care (for all ages) which are now being tested with provider organisations. The aim is to put funding for children and adult hospices on a more equitable and sustainable footing, by clearly identifying the costs of care, so that it can be commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18232, if he will make it his policy to include the monitoring of the use of public transport and investment in the North East’s bus and rail networks as part of the process of monitoring the North East Devolution Deal.

    James Wharton

    Monitoring arrangements for the North East Devolution Deal are still subject to ongoing discussions, and once agreed will form part of the North East Combined Authority’s Implementation Plan.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a level transition for people moving from tax credits to universal credit in terms of the amount of benefits received; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    We have put transitional protections in place to ensure that people on existing tax credits whose circumstances remain the same do not lose out in cash terms when they are transferred on to Universal Credit.

    We will introduce regulations to give effect to these provisions in due course.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the connectivity of the proposed High Speed 2 station in South Yorkshire to other Sheffield city region train and bus stations.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In March 2012 HS2 Ltd published Options for Phase Two of the High Speed Rail Network setting out the route and station options for Phase Two of HS2.This report sets out the connectivity proposals around the recommended South Yorkshire station at Meadowhall.

    In addition to this local areas are aware of the unique opportunity that HS2 presents to deliver a step change in local growth on and around the route, and have developed plans to capitalise on this. These plans include the creation of integrated proposals for improved local and sub-regional connectivity to HS2.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the options for a transport tunnel connecting Sheffield and Manchester city regions.

    Andrew Jones

    In November, the Secretary of State received the interim report of the Strategic Study into a potential Trans-Pennine Tunnel. This early work has shown that a tunnel is technically feasible, and that there is a clear strategic case for linking the Manchester and Sheffield city regions.

    However further work is needed into the costs and economic benefits of such a tunnel before any judgement can be reached about whether or not it will be value for money. The full report of the study, due in 2016, should address these issues.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on which local authorities have not implemented his Department’s guidelines on the staking of graves in cemeteries.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information.