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  • Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the Law Commission’s draft bill on the regulation of health and social care professionals.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department worked closely with the Law Commission on its review of legislation governing regulation of healthcare professionals and after almost three years of review, consultation and development the Law Commission published its recommendations, along with a draft Bill on 2 April 2014.

    This work will help us make sure the system is fit for the future and continues to protect patients. The Department is considering the Law Commission’s proposals with great interest and is working closely with the regulatory bodies and the Professional Standards Authority to inform our response to the Law Commission, which we will publish in due course.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from what date he plans that the refusal of a job on a zero hours contract will be sanctionable by Jobcentre Plus advisers; and if he will provide protection to claimants with caring responsibilities which limit their work availability.

    Esther McVey

    JSA claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs and therefore will not be sanctioned if they do not apply for such jobs.

    Universal Credit means that claimants can accept any offer of work without fear of their benefits or the support they receive from the Jobcentre being negatively affected. They will always be better off in work.

    Under Universal Credit, if a claimant turns down the offer of employment without good reason a sanction can be applied. Claimants always have the opportunity to provide a good reason.

    Claimants who turn down the offer of employment under a zero hours contract because of an exclusivity clause will always be considered to have good reason and no sanction will apply.

    Decision Makers will also consider whether the job was suitable for the claimant taking into account the specifics of the role, the type of work, any agreed restrictions on hours and the claimant’s particular circumstances, including any caring responsibilities.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the additional annual cost at 2014 prices of the further tranche of Intercity Express Programme electric trains for the Intercity East Coast Franchise under the contract signed on 16 April.

    Baroness Kramer

    In April 2014 financial and commercial close was reached for the full fleet of trains for the East Coast Main Line (ECML). The net present value (NPV) of the deal was £2.7bn in 2009 prices.

    It is not possible to disaggregate the different elements of the ECML fleet as the contract was completed for the full fleet. All figures for the Programme are presented in 2009 prices to allow comparison, it is therefore not possible to provide any figures in 2014 prices.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support for the payment of mortgage interest will be available for universal credit recipients in low paid work; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    Under the current system, low paid workers are able to supplement their earnings by claiming support from tax credits. However, tax credits do not make any allowance for mortgage interest payments. Similarly, when Universal Credit replaces the tax credit system, there will be no entitlement to help with mortgage interest during any period in which the claimant is in paid work.

    However the earnings rules are far more generous in Universal Credit. This means that most people, particularly those on low incomes, have a significantly greater incentive to move into work than under the current system.

    The vast majority of people claiming UC will be better off in work: even if they work part-time and even if they receive a low hourly rate of pay. For example, a lone parent receiving the average amount of mortgage interest who takes up a job that pays the national minimum wage will be better off than under the current system if he or she works just 7hours a week.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the lack of planned rail connection between HS1 and HS2 would mean that HS2 could not be designated as part of the TEN-T network.

    Baroness Kramer

    Removal of the HS1 link proposal should not affect the designation of HS2. Commission Regulation EU No 1315/2013 includes the maps which define the TEN-T network. Phase 1 of HS2 is on the TEN-T Core Network as it is expected to be completed before 2030, the target date in the TEN-T Regulation for the Core Network. Phase 2, the ‘Y’ section, is on the Comprehensive Network as it will not be completed until after this date.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants have been referred early to payment group three of the work programme since June 2011; and what proportion of all the referrals to that payment group they account for.

    Esther McVey

    The number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants referred early to the Work Programme under payment group three between June 2011 and December 2013 is 51,440. This equates to 18.5% of the total number referred under this payment group.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-05-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department plans to handle applications for universal credit from people with annual PAYE status.

    Esther McVey

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 17 October 2013, Official Report, Column 863W.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to provide guidance to long-haul transport providers to ensure that the special travel needs of neurofibromatosis sufferers are taken into account.

    Earl Howe

    NHS England commissions neurofibromatosis type two (NF2) services and complex neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) services as part of its remit to deliver specialised services.

    NHS England has published service specifications for both types of neurofibromatosis. These estimate that in England there are 11,267 individuals with NF1 and 862 with NF2.

    The Department does not have specific guidance relating to the special travel needs of neurofibromatosis sufferers. Domestic equality legislation makes it unlawful for transport operators to discriminate against a disabled person simply because they are disabled, treat disabled people less favourably or fail to make reasonable adjustments in the way they provide their services, depending on the type of vehicles and the services they offer to the public.

    Furthermore, an extra level of protection is provided by recently implemented European regulations on passenger rights across all transport modes. These provide a set of rules for the treatment of disabled people and people with reduced mobility.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they provide to schools, colleges and universities about taking into account the additional difficulties that neurofibromatosis sufferers encounter with examinations.

    Lord Nash

    Guidance given to schools and colleges is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation and I have asked its Chief Regulator Glenys Stacey to write directly to Lord Bassam of Brighton. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Lords Library.

    Equality Challenge Unit provides advice for higher education institutions on a range of matters, including reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. More information is available at www.ecu.ac.uk.

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  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to review special educational needs assessments to ensure that the needs of neurofibromatosis sufferers are taken fully into account by education services; and if so, when.

    Lord Nash

    Schools are already required to support children with long term medical conditions, and this would include suffers of neurofibromatosis. Non-statutory guidance is available to schools, “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings”, to help them manage medicines and supporting children with medical needs such as this.

    From September 2014, there will be a new duty, (introduced in the Children and Families Act 2014), on governing bodies of maintained schools (and proprietors of academies) to make arrangements to support pupils at school with medical conditions and to have regard to statutory guidance. The proposed text of the guidance (upon which we have consulted publicly) is available on GOV.UK so that schools can prepare for implementation in the autumn term. It sets out the requirements on schools to support children with medical conditions, which we would expect them to apply to conditions like neurofibromatosis.