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  • Dr Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dr Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Paul Monaghan on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for NHS Productivity of 9 July 2015, Official Report, House of Lords, column 286, on proposals for an independent inquiry on the sustainability of the NHS, if he will take steps to ensure that any such inquiry (a) identifies possible consequential effects and (b) does not adversely affect the Scottish block grant.

    Alistair Burt

    There is no plan to launch an independent inquiry into the sustainability of the National Health Service and there will therefore be no consequential effects on the devolved administrations or adverse effects to the Scottish block grant.

    The Government remains committed to the principles of the NHS, enshrined in the NHS Constitution and in working with the NHS in implementing its own plan for the future of the NHS – the Five Year Forward View. By 2020-21, the Government will increase funding for the NHS by £10 billion a year in real terms compared to 2014-15 to support the transformation of services across the country.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress his Department has made on the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    Work on the Strategic Defence and Security Review is progressing well and we expect it to be published by the end of the year. During the course of the review we have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and external experts including Parliamentarians, academics, think tanks, NGOs, industry and international allies. Members of the public also have the opportunity to contribute views via a dedicated page on gov.uk.

  • Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin John Docherty on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 on the activities of charitable bodies during the 2015 general election period.

    John Penrose

    Section 39 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 provides for a post-election review of the operation of the regulatory regime governing third parties at the 2015 General Election.

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts CBE is currently conducting this independent review.

    Ministers must lay a copy of his report before Parliament and publish it by November 2016.

  • Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin John Docherty on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 on the activities of trades unions during the 2015 general election period.

    John Penrose

    Section 39 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 provides for a post-election review of the operation of the regulatory regime governing third parties at the 2015 General Election.

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts CBE is currently conducting this independent review.

    Ministers must lay a copy of his report before Parliament and publish it by November 2016.

  • Robert Flello – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Robert Flello – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he took the decision not to provide funding to trainees to support the cost of gaining a large goods vehicle licence.

    Nick Boles

    There is a longstanding principle, dating back to 2005, which was communicated to the sector in the 2007/08 funding year, that, in general, we do not provide funding for provision that is either an employer or a statutory requirement. Instead, we believe that these costs should be met by employers or individuals themselves.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has reviewed the adequacy of financial support for students with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    Disabled Students’ Allowances are available to help meet the additional costs that a disabled student is obliged to incur, in relation to their study, by virtue of their disability.

    Disabled Students’ Allowances, along with all other types of student support, are reviewed before laying the annual student support regulations.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the number of students with a disability in higher education; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The latest statistics available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that in the academic year 2013/14 there were 1.1 million UK domiciled enrolments at UK Higher Education Institutions, of which 138,670 declared a disability.

    Further information is published on the HESA website and can be located from this web-link https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage employers in London to pay the London Living Wage.

    Nick Boles

    The Government encourages all employers to pay more than the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage where they can afford to. The Low Pay Commission’s remit is to set the National Minimum Wage as high as possible without harming employment prospects.

    According to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates, the National Living Wage will benefit 2.7 million low wage workers by 2020. The increase in April 2016 to £7.20 from the current NMW of £6.70 will mean a 7.5% increase in hourly pay, and a full time worker will earn £910 more per annum compared to today.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations his Department has received about customers without internet access being charged to receive paper bills.

    Nick Boles

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has received a few representations, mainly on behalf of the ‘Keep Me Posted Campaign’, (and nine from hon. Members in 2014 on behalf of their constituents) which have included reference to the desire for paper bills to be supplied free of charge.

  • Ms Angela Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ms Angela Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Angela Eagle on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage the European Commission to have measures approved to support UK steelmakers with their energy costs.

    Anna Soubry

    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills spoke with Competition Commissioner Verstager on Friday 23 October, to raise the issue of state aid clearance for our proposed package of support for energy intensive industries. Further discussions are planned this week, and next month. In addition, my officials have been in regular contact with the European Commission throughout this process, and have met with the Commission’s case handler to help progress clearance of the support package.