The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Carer’s Allowance claimants have a claim linked to a Personal Independence Payments daily living award.
Baroness Altmann
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with multiple sclerosis have scored a minimum of half their points for (1) standard rate, and (2) enhanced rate, of Personal Independence Payments daily living through aids and appliances descriptors.
Baroness Altmann
For Multiple Sclerosis:
3,500 individuals were awarded Standard Daily Living, of which 3,050 (87%) scored at least half of their daily living points from aids and appliance descriptors.
3,110 individuals were awarded Enhanced Daily Living, of which 790 (25%) scored at least half of their daily living points from aids and appliance descriptors.
These figures relate to PIP normal rules awards made during the period April 2013 to 30th September 2015.
DWP are currently running a consultation to seek views on the way that aids and appliances are taken into account when determining entitlement to the daily living component of PIP. The department wants to make sure that the policy on this is meeting the intent of focusing support on those with the greatest needs and is keen to hear views from all interested parties, especially disabled people and disability organisations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what case material was examined as part of the review of 105 Personal Independence Payments (PIP) claims referenced in the DWP’s consultation on PIP aids and appliances (Cm 9171).
Baroness Altmann
DWP are currently running a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided to help meet the costs of disability faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. The department is keen to hear views from all interested parties, especially disabled people and disability organisations.
As part of the consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of PIP, the Department reviewed a sample of 105 cases where claimants scored all, or the majority, of their points from aids and appliances. These were randomly selected.
DWP doctors, who reviewed these cases, looked at all the relevant information held on departmental systems relating to each case. This included the application form, the results of any face-to-face assessment and any additional supporting evidence provided by the claimant.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Hellfire missiles were fired (1) in training, and (2) on operations, in each year from 2008 to 2015, and what platforms they were mounted on.
Earl Howe
Hellfire missiles are used by RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems and Army Air Corps Apache helicopters.
For the Reaper Force, the Air Vehicles have been continuously deployed on Operations over the requested timescale. Consequently, there have been no missile rounds fired in Training from RAF Reaper. The following table details Hellfire missile firings from RAF Reaper on Operations in Afghanistan
(2008-14) Iraq (2014-15) and Syria (2015).
|
Year (Jan-Dec) |
UK Reaper Hellfire rounds fired on Operations |
|
2008 |
16 |
|
2009 |
32 |
|
2010 |
58 |
|
2011 |
100 |
|
2012 |
104 |
|
2013 |
94 |
|
2014 |
93 |
|
2015 |
258 |
For the Apache Force the following table details Hellfire missile rounds fired by Financial Year from Apache Helicopters in Training.
|
Year (Jan-Dec) |
UK Apache Hellfire consumption in Training |
|
Apr 07 – Mar 08 |
14 |
|
Apr 08 – Mar 09 |
18 |
|
Apr 09 – Mar 10 |
32 |
|
Apr 10 – Apr 11 |
48 |
|
Apr 11 – Mar 12 |
26 |
|
Apr 12 – Mar 13 |
37 |
|
Apr 13 – Mar 14 |
16 |
|
Apr 14 – Mar 15 |
29 |
The Apache Force have fired a total 1578 Hellfire missiles on Operations in Afghanistan (FY 07-08 to 14-15) and Libya (FY11-12). However, the nature of the records held means that this total number cannot be accurately broken down by Financial Year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of HM Armed Forces are currently serving in Afghanistan; how many are female, and what roles they are fulfilling.
Earl Howe
As of 18 January 2016, there were 458 members of HM Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan under Operation TORAL. Routine movements and minor changes in requirements mean that this number will vary over time. The UK’s commitment to Operation TORAL nevertheless remains in line with the figure of around 450 personnel announced by the Defence Secretary in his statement of 27 October 2015 ( Ref: UK Military Support to Afghanistan:Written statement – HCWS273).
Out of the 458 personnel, 33 are female. There are 10 UK female officers and 23 other ranks. These personnel undertake a wide range of roles including: medical, force protection, mentors, police, logistics, communications, human resources and administration, and engineering and technical support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Young of Old Scone on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an environmental assessment has been made of the impact of the likely withdrawal of the landfill operators from the Landfill Communities Fund scheme as a result of the proposed removal of the provision for contributing third parties on the environment and projects funded through that scheme, and if so, what environmental impact has been assessed; and what measures the Government are planning to put in place to counteract that impact.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Since its introduction in 1996, the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) has contributed over £1.4 billion to community projects in areas near a local landfill site or other qualifying site and the Government acknowledges the positive impact of this funding for communities. However, as the LCF is a tax credit scheme, it reduces the Government’s tax revenues and we therefore have a responsibility to seek value for money for the taxpayer. This is a particular concern given the need to reduce the deficit and return the public finances to a sustainable path.
Despite difficult decisions on spending, the Government has decided to retain and reform the LCF. The aim of these reforms is to encourage money to get to communities more quickly. The LCF will provide £39.3 million of additional funding in 2016-17 alone. We also hope more unspent funds, which this year totalled £118 million, will reach projects as soon as possible.
The Government is committed to providing the best value for communities, and over the next five years £20 million of the additional Landfill Tax revenues will be used by the Environment Agency to address waste crime, which can be a danger to both human health and the environment.
The government has received representations on the LCF reforms. We are taking views into consideration and our priority is to ensure that the LCF operates effectively and encourages money to be spent in the communities that need it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Verma on 10 December 2015 (HLWS370) concerning plans to tackle violence against women and girls overseas, whether the plans will be financed through the overseas aid budget or by separate financial provisions, and what measures will be put in place to ensure that the finance provided is used exclusively to assist the victims of violence.
Baroness Verma
The UK Government is proud of the leadership role that it is taking to tackle violence against women and girls at home and overseas, including domestic violence, sexual violence, FGM and child, early and forced marriage. Plans outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement to address violence against women and girls overseas are financed through the overseas aid budget. This covers a range of interventions, all of which are necessary, to eliminate violence against women and girls. It includes the essential activities providing support to survivors of violence; programming to actively prevent violence; research to test and understand what works to stop violence in different contexts, and efforts to strengthen the international system to deliver results at scale.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the financial aid commitments made by them to foreign countries at the Paris Climate Summit will be met from the overseas aid budget, or from which other sources; and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the funds provided are used exclusively for the purpose intended.
Baroness Verma
The Government will provide £5.8 billion over the next five years to support developing countries using the UK’s International Climate Fund (ICF), which is channeled through DFID, the Department of Energy & Climate Change, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. All ICF support is Official Development Assistance (ODA). The UK is proud to be a 0.7% donor and is promoting climate smart development across the aid portfolio.
We have rigorous programme design processes and robust monitoring and evaluation arrangements for ODA spending, including the ICF. We also use independently reviewed methodologies and key performance indicators to track impact and the value for money of ICF interventions. The Independent Commission on Aid Impact gave the ICF a positive assessment in December 2014, saying it was well on the way to achieving its ambitious objectives.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Faulks on 10 December 2015 (HLWS380), whether they will continue to oppose common EU standards relating to online hate speech and insist that such a matter is for decision by the Member States.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Yes. This is a decision for individual member states.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-01-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether charities in receipt of donations from the Government, or other public institutions and bodies financed wholly or partly by taxpayers, will be debarred from campaigning in the EU referendum.
Lord Bridges of Headley
Under charity law, political activity by charities is subject to strict rules. In addition, there is a prohibition, in the 28 days ending with the referendum, on certain publications relating to the referendum by bodies whose expenses are met wholly or mainly out of public funds.