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Tag: 2014

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the total value of (a) public service contracts and (b) grants that were awarded by local authorities to voluntary sector organisations in the last year for which figures are available.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Monday 30 June 2014]

    Our most recent estimates suggest that local authorities in England gave £1.1 billion in grants to voluntary bodies in 2012-13. A further £23.9 billion was spent on public service contracts, which would include those awarded to both voluntary and private sector bodies (a breakdown between the two is not available). These figures are based on updated methodology and returns, and are not comparative to the previous figures supplied to my hon. Friend.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many transactions were made by each (a) Minister and (b) official in his Department on government procurement cards held by his Department in the last financial year; and what the cost, date and reasons for each such transaction was.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Government Procurement Card transactions over £500 are published on: http://data.gov.uk/dataset/gpc-spend-dfe

    Information on transactions below that level is not held centrally and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monetary thresholds were applied to the cost-per-quality adjusted life year quoted in the evidence submitted as part of his Department’s work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    I refer my Rt. hon. Friend to the answer given on 26 June 2014, Official Report, column 283W.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) mean and (b) median duration to assessment, duration to treatment and duration to departure was in (i) type 1 and (ii) all accident and emergency departments in each month in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The information has been placed in the Library.

  • David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 206, what the terms of reference are of the working group established, who the members of that group are and when that group is first expected to meet; and if she will make a written statement to the House on the conclusion of that group’s work.

    James Brokenshire

    The initial members invited to join the working group are:
    • Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS)
    • Universities UK (UUK)
    • UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)
    • Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
    • Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCEW)
    • Scottish Funding Council
    • National Union of Student (NUS)
    • British Council
    • UCAS
    • Association of Colleges (AoC)
    • Guild HE
    • Russell Group
    • Welsh Assembly Government

    The first working group meeting took place on 7 July.

    The draft terms of reference were discussed at the first meeting and will be
    finalised in discussion with working group partners. Once finalised, a copy
    will be placed in the Library of the House.

    As I stated to the House on 24 June, the Home Office will provide regular
    updates to the House on progress with this work.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ben Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of cases in which compulsory mediation and information meetings would have been appropriate in 2013-14; and what funding is being made available in 2014-15 to provide that service.

    Simon Hughes

    We do not have the data to allow us to assess how many family court applications filed in 2013-14 might have been appropriate for a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) in comparison with the number of MIAMs actually attended. In 2013/14 13,354 couples attended a publicly funded MIAM (that is, where at least one of the parties was legally aided).

    Implementation of the Children and Families Act 2014 on 22 April 2014 means that attendance at a MIAM is now compulsory for the potential applicant.

    Public funding (legal aid) remains in scope for family mediation for those who qualify on means and merits, and the budget for legal aid for mediation is uncapped. In 2013/14, the LAA spent £9m on mediation. If one party is funded the other will be covered for the MIAM as well. Legal help with mediation is also available for the funded party and includes help from a lawyer with applying to the court for a consent order based on the agreement reached in mediation.

  • Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many roads in each local authority area have been closed on (a) one occasion and (b) more than one occasion in the last year.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Information on the number of road closures in each local authority area is not held centrally by the Department for Transport.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department is gathering from local authorities on the number of disabled people who are currently supported to live in their own homes who will move into residential care as a result of changes to the Independent Living Fund; and what support his Department is providing to those people affected.

    Mike Penning

    The potential implications of closing the Independent Living Fund are set out clearly in the Equality Analysis published on 6 March alongside the written Ministerial Statement announcing the closure.

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has held with his counterpart in the British Virgin Islands on tax evasion and avoidance in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Treasury engages in regular discussions with the British Virgin Islands on tax issues, including avoidance and evasion.

    Following the commitments made at the G8 the British Virgin Islands, along with all of the UK’s Overseas Territories with financial centres and the Crown Dependencies have taken significant steps forward on tax transparency putting them at the forefront of this agenda globally.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the variation in average unit retail price of petrol and diesel in Northern Ireland and in the rest of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    No formal assessment has been made of the reasons for the variation in average unit retail prices of petrol and diesel in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

    Retail fuel prices are determined by the demand and supply fundamentals in local areas. Prices will reflect the underlying cost of crude oil, the process to refine it and transport it so that it is available for consumption at the pump.

    Variations in prices are determined by changes in supply and demand factors both for crude oil and for individual products.

    On 5 September 2012, the OFT launched a call for information (CFI) to investigate claims that the UK petrol and diesel sectors are not working well. In their January 2013 report they concluded that:

    “Overall, on the basis of the evidence collected, it appears that competition in the UK road fuels sector is working relatively effectively”.