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Tag: 2014

  • Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Byles – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Byles on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2014, Official Report, column 595W, on electricity, what assessment he has made of whether the ability of auctions to drive value for money is dependent on market plurality and competition; and if he will make it a formal objective of his Department to ensure that independent generators are able to compete in Contracts for Difference auctions on an equal footing.

    Michael Fallon

    The secondary legislation for the Electricity Market Reform programme contains provisions to move straight to allocation rounds, with competitive auctions setting the price where the demand for CfDs exceeds the available budget.

    DECC analysis shows that the pipeline of projects is strong and can deliver a competitive outcome, whilst the Administrative Strike Price sets a cap to protect consumers.

    More generally, the auction has been designed to encourage participation, and we are introducing the Offtaker of Last Resort (OLR) to support independent renewable generators by providing them with a guaranteed route to market and improving their ability to raise project finance.

    DECC officials have worked closely with developers and other stakeholders on these proposals, and the approach to implementing the OLR is currently being consulted on.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take in response to falls in beef farm gate prices.

    George Eustice

    With supplies of cattle outstripping demand both at home and abroad, domestic prime cattle prices have been under pressure and have fallen throughout 2014. In May, prices were at their lowest level since mid-2012 and 15-20% lower than the peak reached in 2013. The European Commission (EC) Short Term Outlook expects beef prices to remain firm although below the 2013 record highs.

    On 1 July, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Farming, Food and the Marine Environment will be hosting a senior-level beef industry summit with retailers, meat processors and farmers to discuss falling farm gate beef prices and develop strategies for a sustainable British beef sector.

  • Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Robert Flello – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart to support the requests for an investigation into the death of Yonni Steven Caicedo, a television cameraman in Colombia shot dead on 19 February 2014.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I met representatives from six human rights organisations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid as well as Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during my visit to Bogotá last week. I also met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs, heads of the Colombian Government’s major human rights agencies and representatives of the Attorney-General’s office. I set out HM Government concern about the reported rise in attacks against human rights defenders and a lack of sentences for those responsible.

  • Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2014-06-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department plans to give the devolved administrations and local authorities before 2015 on meeting the care and support needs of people currently using the independent living fund.

    Mike Penning

    My Department is committed to working closely with the ILF and other Government Departments to support the work required to enable an effective transfer for ILF users by 30 June 2015.

    The ILF has undertaken a dedicated programme of engagement with local authorities and the devolved administrations; and continues to engage directly with all of those authorities who will be involved in the transfer of user care and support in 2015. This includes a commitment to the Codes of Practice agreed between the ILF and English local authorities, and between the ILF and the devolved administrations.

    Specific proposals for distributing the funding transferred to them in respect of former users of the Independent Living Fund living in Scotland and Wales are a matter for the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

  • Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Anas Sarwar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on increasing the research budget for science to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Government recognises that science and research is vital in driving economic growth. Our ambition is to make the UK the best place in the world to do science and research.

    In 2012, Government expenditure on science and research through the Research Councils and the Higher Education funding bodies was £4.9bn, equal to 0.3% of GDP. In the same year total public spending on science was 0.6% of GDP. Total UK spending on Research & Development was 1.7% of GDP.

    In the recent Spending Review, Government made a long-term commitment to investment in science and research infrastructure: increasing capital investment in real terms to £1.1bn in 2015-16 and growing this in line with inflation each year to 2020-21. We also continued to protect the science resource ring fence in cash terms for financial year 2015-16. On the basis of existing commitments, the Government’s investment in science through the Research Councils and Higher Education funding bodies will be £5.9Bn[1] in 2015-16, an increase in cash terms of 20% since 2012.

    [1] Cash terms including additional spending announced in AS13 and Budget 14

  • Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been paid to converter academies towards pre-opening costs since 2010.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The total pre-opening costs for converter academies from 2010 to the end of March 2014 are £102 million.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what Pearson VUE’s process is for appealing test results and complaints procedure.

    Mr David Laws

    Pearson VUE operates a skills test helpline through which candidates’ queries and complaints are managed. There is no appeals process against test results.

    If a candidate considers that there was a technical or administrative error with the delivery of the test or marking, they are able to raise this either at the test centre at the time of the test or subsequently via the skills test helpline.

    All such requests are considered on a case-by-case basis by Pearson VUE. Where appropriate, Pearson VUE escalates appeals to the Standards and Testing Agency to make the final determination.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on NHS general dental services in North Yorkshire in 2008-09 and in each year since.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The information is not available in the format requested.

    The total amount spent on general dental services and personal dental services contracts by the former North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) for 2008-09 to 2012-13 is shown in the following table:

    General and Personal Dental Services

    £000s

    2008-09

    38,857

    2009-10

    40,632

    2010-11

    41,773

    2011-12

    43,438

    2012-13

    46,694

    Source: NHS Summarisation schedules

    Notes:

    1. General dental services cannot be separately identified in the published figures. The total gross expenditure for general dental service and personal dental service contracts is categorised between either independent contractor led contracts or on salaried led services provided by the PCT.

    2. Contractor led contracts are all primary care dental services commissioned from practitioners or corporate bodies where payments are processed on the PCT’s behalf by the Dental Services division of the NHS Business Services Authority. Salaried led services include the cost of any dental or support staff directly employed by the PCT and personal dental services or PCT dental services that are directly managed by PCTs or commissioned from other National Health Service trusts either within or outside their area.

  • John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources will be transferred from NHS England to clinical commissioning groups following the implementation of the recommendations in Prescribed Specialised Services Commissioning Intentions 2014-15 and 2015-16.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has advised that there have been no changes to the scope of specialised services directly commissioned by NHS England in 2014/15, in order to provide a period of stability following the major changes in 2013/14. There has therefore, been no transfer of resources to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in 2014/15, for any changes in commissioning responsibility.

    The Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services 2013/14 describes the prescribed specialised services and sets out which elements of services are commissioned directly by NHS England, and which elements are commissioned by CCGs.

    The Prescribed Specialised Services Commissioning Intentions 2014-15 and 2015-16 document sets out the firm plans for 2014/15 and the direction for 2015/16. There will be a new set of commissioning intentions for 2015/16 to take account of the new environment and to firm up the plans for next year.

    The development of the commissioning intentions for 2015/16 is included in the work of the specialised commissioning taskforce and will be progressed over the next few months ready for publication in the autumn. The taskforce work streams also include actions relating to the future portfolio of services to be commissioned by NHS England and CCGs, and possible future commissioning models. This work will be further progressed over the summer and will inform the 2015/16 commissioning intentions.

    NHS England advise that it is yet to be determined whether or not there will be changes to the scope of specialised services directly commissioned by NHS England in 2015/16 or whether any additional resources will be transferred between NHS England and CCGs.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received requesting the Government to intervene to require the British Pregnancy Advisory Service to remove advice on its website which alleges that gender-selective abortion is not illegal; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    There has been one request for intervention by the Government to require the British Pregnancy Advisory Service to remove the advice from its web site.