The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what monitoring his Department carries out on changes in the number of people on jobseeker’s allowance registered as having a mental health condition; and what change there has been in such numbers since 2010.
Priti Patel
JSA claimants do not have to declare a mental health condition, therefore the information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claimants on jobseeker’s allowance have registered as having a mental health condition.
Priti Patel
JSA claimants do not have to declare a mental health condition, therefore the information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department has taken to embed the Family Test into its policy making.
Caroline Dinenage
Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of his Department’s expected underspend against Departmental Expenditure Limits in 2015-16; what his Department’s forecast is of total Annually Managed Expenditure in 2015-16; and what that forecast was at the time of the (a) Summer Budget 2015 and (b) March Budget 2015.
Alun Cairns
As recommended by the Treasury, Departments are encouraged to maintain a reserve. The Wales Office maintains a reserve of around 5% of its annual Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL), which represents our forecast underspend. This underspend can increase or decrease if planned expenditure is higher or lower than expected. In 2015-16, our DEL is £4.432m which includes the Departmental reserve of £0.222m. Our forecast of Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) is £-0.020m.
The reserve stated above was also our forecast underspend at the time of the summer budget in 2015. The Department does not forecast underspends for the following financial year at the March budget. Each March, the Wales Office focuses on completing the financial transactions and processes of that current financial year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department spent on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising (i) in 2014-15 prices and (ii) as a proportion of his Department’s expenditure in each year since 2010-11.
Alun Cairns
The Wales Office spend on (a) temporary staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising as a proportion of Wales Office expenditure in each year since 2010-11 is shown in the table attached.
The numbers shown are actual spend as published in the Wales Office Departmental Annual Report and Accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which legal advisers and barristers have been used by (a) HS2 Ltd and (b) his Department on matters relating to High Speed 2 since the start of the project; and how much each such adviser or barrister (i) has been paid and (ii) is owed.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Since the start of the High Speed 2 project, High Speed Two (HS2) Limited and the Department for Transport have used two types of external legal advisers – solicitors (including parliamentary agents) and barristers.
High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has appointed solicitors Eversheds LLP in relation to property & planning and general commercial work, and Herbert Smith Freehills in relation to construction. High Speed Two (HS2) Limited has indicated to the Department that to date it has paid £2,202,410.59 to Eversheds LLP and £763,064.07 to Herbert Smith Freehills. Both figures exclude VAT.
The Department has appointed a joint team of solicitors/parliamentary agents from Winckworth Sherwood and Eversheds LLP to provide support in relation to Phase One of the High Speed 2 project. To date, it has paid £4,019,170.18 to Winckworth Sherwood and £3,022,492.30 to Eversheds. These fees are correct up to the end of September 2015 and are exclusive of VAT.
The Department has previously, or continues to, instruct the following barristers to support the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill: Tim Mould QC, James Strachan QC, Lisa Busch, Richard Wald, John Jolliffe, Jacqueline Lean and Richard Turney. Each barrister is remunerated at government hourly rates agreed with the Attorney General. The current spend to date on these barristers in relation to the Bill is £1,404,978.96 and is exclusive of VAT.
Since approximately 2010, the Department has also instructed a number of barristers on other HS2 work. These barristers will have been remunerated at government hourly rates agreed with the Attorney General, but unfortunately it would involve disproportionate cost for the Department to provide precise figures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which companies have expressed an interest in bidding for the seven engineering contracts announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on his recent visit to China.
Mr Robert Goodwill
I am not able to disclose the identities of companies who may have expressed interest in the HS2 Phase One Main Works Civils Contracts since that procurement process is ongoing at the present time and this information is commercially sensitive.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people work on High Speed 2 in (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd; and what the (i) grade, (ii) salary and (iii) location is of each such person.
Mr Robert Goodwill
With regards to part (a), (i) and (ii) of the question, the High Speed Rail headcount for permanent full time equivalents (FTEs) currently in post in the Department is shown in the attached table 1. The salaries shown are average DfT Central salaries. All staff are located in Great Minister House in London.
With regards to part (b), (i), (ii) and (iii) of the question, the HS2 Ltd headcount for permanent full time equivalents (FTEs) currently in post is shown in the attached table 2. Table 2 also shows the split between staff based in London and in Birmingham, with salaries at each grade shown as averages.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of aircraft on nitrous dioxide levels in Greater London.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Air quality emission levels by mode are only compiled at a national level by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. Its estimates are updated annually. Emissions from road vehicles are by far the greatest source of nitrous dioxide levels in Greater London.
The main impact of aviation on ground local air quality relates to emissions during the landing and take-off phase up to about 3000 feet. Above this height the oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter which can cause respiratory problems get dispersed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to lay the Office for Road and Rail’s first Highways England Monitor before the House when it is complete.
Andrew Jones
In accordance with the Infrastructure Act, all reports published by the Office for Rail and Road in relation to their Highways Monitor function will be laid in the House before being released to the public. The first annual report will be laid in the House in summer 2016.