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Tag: 2014

  • Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide retraining opportunities for (a) former employees of City Link and (b) others who have been made redundant in the parcel delivery sector.

    Esther McVey

    Jobcentre Plus through its Rapid Response Service (RRS) aims to address the effects of redundancies on individuals and the local community by helping those affected move into alternative employment quickly.

    RRS offers a range of support, tailored at a local level to the needs of the individual and the local labour market.

    Former City Link employees, or any other employee who has been made redundant in the parcel delivery sector would be eligible for RRS support and anyone who approaches their local Jobcentre will be advised and directed accordingly.

    In Scotland and Wales, RRS support is delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) and the Welsh Assembly Government (Redundancy Action Scheme), respectively. The Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DELNI) leads support there. Each service is similarly serving the needs of City Link employees based there.

    Both DWP and BIS continue to work with the Administrator Ernst & Young and trade unions to see how we might further assist and support City Link employees in their movement back into employment.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses were ordered by the Financial Services Ombudsman to award consumers fair compensation up to the £100,000 limit in each year from 2001 to 2011.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.

    These questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust and (b) that Trust’s auditors on possible fraud within the Trust.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Trust reported to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) that a theft had occurred. The Trust undertook a full independent review, and the EFA monitored their response. The Department for Education’s most recent discussion with the Trust has been to confirm progress with the recovery of funds and the police investigation.

    The Department has not had recent discussions with the Trust’s auditors. The EFA reviewed the most recent audited accounts in early 2014.

    The Department does not hold a copy of the service level agreement between the Federation Trust and its schools.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) stationery and (b) postage incurred when sending a ministerial reply to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

    Amber Rudd

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s estimate of annual costs incurred for ministerial replies to Hon. Members is (a) £60 for stationery and (b) £5k for postage.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the delivery of the package of assistance pledged by the Prime Minister to the Nigerian government following the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in that country.

    Mark Simmonds

    We continue to provide support to the Nigerian authorities in the search for the Chibok schoolgirls. In addition to the support announced by the Prime Minister, on 12 June we announced a further package of assistance. This package includes training and advice to the Nigerian armed forces; support to the Nigerian government in bringing increased development and prosperity to the North East; a commitment to draw 1 million more children into education in Northern Nigeria by 2020 and £1 million for the UN’s Safe Schools Initiative. We are agreeing the implementation of these measures with the Nigerian authorities and look forward to reviewing progress at a Ministerial meeting in Abuja in September.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) stationery and (b) postage incurred when sending a ministerial reply to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department estimates that in 2013 it spent approximately £3,900 on stationery for ministerial replies to hon. Member correspondence.

    All parliamentary post is delivered by a Departmental messenger, whose duties include, but are not limited to, delivering hon. Member correspondence. Any correspondence for constituency offices would be sent by post, when requested, but the Department does not record how many replies to hon. Members were sent to constituency offices.

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

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the advertising of Optical Express under the services section of the NHS choices website, for what reason his Department concluded that Optical Express does not fall under the excluded advertising categories set out in the NHS Choices terms and conditions for offering cosmetic surgery and procedures including Botox and sunbeds; and what assessment he has made of whether advertising Optical Express services is an appropriate use of NHS funding used to maintain the website.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    NHS Choices does not advertise services on their website. Optical Express is included within the service directory published on NHS Choices on the basis that it is a provider of NHS services.

    NHS Choices has neither sought nor received any payment from Optical Express in return for this inclusion.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has an infant feeding coordinator.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department does not employ an infant feeding co-ordinator, but works collaboratively with the National Infant Feeding Steering Group, which brings together key partners including Public Health England, NHS England and UNICEF UK.

    In December 2013, the Department provided £80,000 to UNICEF for two projects to maintain and develop the National Infant Feeding Network and to promote care and compassion through infant feeding as part of universal midwifery and health visiting services, including those services delivered in neonatal units and children’s centres.

  • Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Murphy on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to ensure that particular attention to the most marginalised and people in vulnerable situations is specifically referenced in the language of the targets and goals in the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Justine Greening

    The UK, through our Troika, have made statements in the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals on the importance of monitoring progress for marginalised groups across the targets and “leaving no one behind” as an overarching principle for the post 2015 framework.

    The final goals and targets in the post-2015 development framework will be subject to international negotiations in the United Nations, in which the UK will play an active role.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the monthly cost is of each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010.

    Simon Hughes

    The Department is committed to disposing of surplus property assets expeditiously and reducing holding costs. The monthly cost of each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010 is detailed below. The majority of these courts were closed as part of the Court Estate Reform Programme (CERP).

    CERP is expected to deliver an estimated £99m resource savings plus £53m from the sale of buildings. Under this Government court buildings that were rarely used or no longer suitable were closed as part of our drive to cut waste. There are temporary costs associated with ensuring unused courts are kept secure and protecting the fabric of each building, as well as property tax rates payable to the local council. When disposing of surplus property assets we will always seek best value for the taxpayer.

    In addition to the courts announced for closure under CERP, the Ministry of Justice has closed and disposed of a number of court buildings as a result of the integration and co-location.

    Table: monthly cost of each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010 as at 30 June 2014

    Court Building

    Average monthly cost 1, 6

    Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ & County Court 2

    £2,893

    Bridgwater Magistrates’ Court 3

    £1,951

    Bridport Magistrates’ Court

    £1,839

    Burton-upon-Trent County Court

    £1,590

    Cirencester Magistrates’ Court

    £1,053

    Coleford Magistrates’ Court

    £1,423

    Dorking Magistrates’ Court

    £4,740

    Epping Magistrates’ Court

    £1,931

    Flint Magistrates’ Court

    £1,945

    Frome Magistrates’ Court

    £869

    Goole Magistrates’ Court 4

    £632

    Haywards Heath (Mid Sussex) Magistrates’ Court

    £7,255

    Honiton Magistrates’ Court

    £1,298

    Houghton Le Spring Magistrates’ Court 5

    £1,794

    Keighley (Bingley) Magistrates’ Court

    £5,171

    Lewes Magistrates’ Court

    £8,456

    Lyndhurst Magistrates’ Court

    £2,557

    Market Drayton Magistrates’ Court

    £3,898

    Oswestry Magistrates’ Court & County Court

    £1,958

    Pontefract Magistrates’ Court

    £4,940

    Rochdale Magistrates’ Court

    £9,974

    Selby Magistrates’ Court

    £6,055

    Sherbourne Magistrates’ Court

    £1,301

    Stoke-on-Trent Magistrates’ Court

    £9,040

    Totnes Magistrates’ Court

    £2,184

    Towcester Magistrates’ Court

    £1,184

    Weston Super Mare Magistrates’ Court

    £488

    Wimborne Magistrates’ Court

    £4,122

    Witham Magistrates’ Court

    £1,502

    Footnotes:

    1. Monthly cost based on financial year data 2013/14. Holding costs include rates, fuel and utilities, facilities management, telephony and other property costs.

    2. Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ Court and County Court building was sold on 11 August 2014

    3. Monthly cost based on financial year data 2012/13 and 2013/14 in order to address rates rebates in 2013/14

    4. Monthly cost based on financial year data 2012/13 and 2013/14 in order to address rates rebates and accounting adjustments made in 2013/14

    5. Monthly costs includes spend for associated office, The Villa.

    6. Costs are not comparable between financial years due to events such as rebates for rates, utilities, facilities management and telephony.