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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Simon Kirby on Communities and Local Government.

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Brandon Lewis

The council tax referendum principles are proposed annually by the Government and subject to the approval of the House of Commons. We are open to representations on the principles for 2015-16 and how local residents can continue to be protected from unwanted council tax rises.

A further council tax freeze offer is available for local authorities in 2015-16, and we would encourage all local authorities, including Brighton and Hove, to take up that opportunity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Jonathan Djanogly on Transport.

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Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department’s estimates of vehicle flows give the average number of vehicles per mile of the A14 on an average day of the year. Figures for the last three years are in the table below.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Grahame Morris on Home Office.

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Norman Baker

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, any procedures
applied to animals for a scientific purpose which may cause pain, suffering,
distress or lasting harm require licence authorities. For a project to be
authorised, it must be assessed by a Home Office inspector and a harm-benefit
analysis performed.

The harm-benefit analysis considers the likely harms which may be experienced
by the animals as a consequence of the project, and compares these with the
benefits which may result and the likelihood of their delivery. A judgement is
made as to whether the likely harms are justified by the likely benefits.

The normally recommended age for separating puppies from their mothers is about
eight weeks. Therefore, a requirement for puppies to be separated from their
mothers at four weeks of age for a scientific purpose would be deemed to
require project licence authority. In such cases, Home Office Inspectors take
into account the distress caused to young puppies by such early separation as
part of the harm-benefit analysis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski on Health.

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Jane Ellison

The Department has recently issued a range of guidance which will help clinicians to comply with the requirements of the Abortion Act, including their obligations with regard to the completion of HSA4 forms.

Incorrectly filled in HSA4 forms are returned to the terminating practitioner by the Department of Health until such information is corrected. We are working with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to take forward their recommendations on tackling under-reporting of abortions for fetal abnormality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Smith on Health.

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Dr Daniel Poulter

The following table provides the annual population of student midwives from 2011-12 to 2013-14. The table includes students enrolled on the degree and 18 month diploma courses.

Source: multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Henry Smith on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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Mark Simmonds

In my answer in the House on 17 June I spoke about the key factors that the Government will consider in coming to a policy decision on resettlement of the Territory – value for the UK taxpayer, long-term contingent liabilities, and defence requirements of Diego Garcia to the UK and our allies. This consideration will clearly be driven by the report on the feasibility of resettlement by the independent consultants, which will provide us with a factual analysis of the practicalities that any resettlement might involve, including the economic sustainability of a resettled population, and its environmental impact, and of course the views of Chagossians themselves about what they want to see from our policy. We look forward to the final report which is expected by January 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on Work and Pensions.

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Mike Penning

The information is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Coaker on Defence.

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Anna Soubry

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, (Official Report, column 364W) to the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green).

Reservists are treated exactly the same as regulars in terms of operational training and support while mobilised, including access to the same welfare support and medical treatment through the Defence Medical Services (DMS). They are retained in service and will receive treatment and rehabilitation until they are medically assessed as having reached a steady state of fitness, at which point they will be demobilised. If they have continuing healthcare needs following demobilisation, they will be taken through a transition from military to NHS care. Reservists who are medically discharged as a result of injuries sustained during deployment are also entitled to resettlement training and to the same range of services available to regular veterans. Where service is the only or main cause of injury or illness, members or former members of the reserve forces may qualify for awards under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

The level and quality of post-operational support provided to injured mobilised reservists is exactly the same as that provided to regulars, with full access to all the facilities and expertise provided under the Army Recovery Capability, and it is a level of support of which the Army and the Ministry of Defence are extremely proud.

Following the Reserves 2020 White Paper, which proposed improvements to occupational health provision to ensure consistent access to these services for all reservists, the MOD committed to extending DMS occupational health provision to non-mobilised reservists. Rehabilitation services are also being extended to members of the reserve forces who are injured during reserve training. This is in addition to the procedure in place since 2006, whereby reservists can obtain DMS mental health treatment through the Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme. Implementation of the new measures started in April 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Stephen O’Brien on Transport.

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Stephen Hammond

I can inform my Rt Hon Friend that the documents have been placed in the Libraries of the House.