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Tag: 2014

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 17 December 2014 (HL3283), whether they will now state what consideration they have given to introducing or amending legislation to criminalise the purchase of sex in order to protect vulnerable women.

    Lord Bates

    With regard to prostitution, the Government focus is on harm minimisation and I refer to my answer of 17 December 2014 to question HL3283 on this matter.

  • Lord Tyler – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Tyler – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tyler on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so how, recipients of the Winter Fuel Payment may return their payment to the Treasury.

    Lord Freud

    Eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments is based on female State Pension age. The latest estimates we have show that there are currently around 600,000 higher and additional rate taxpayers in Great Britain in 2014/15 who are above the female State Pension age and therefore qualify for Winter Fuel Payments1.

    We ask people who want to return their payment to do so by post so that it can be dealt with securely under existing Departmental financial processes and recorded against their Winter Fuel Payment account. We also ask for a covering letter indicating whether or not they wish us to continue to issue payments in future years.

    Returned payments should be sent to the address on the issuing letter or to the office that pays the claimant’s benefit.

    The latest estimates we have show that treating Winter Fuel Payments as taxable income would bring in around £250 million a year of additional revenue2.

    Notes:

    1. This estimate is based on the 2011/12 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s November 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.

    The estimate uses ONS population projections at mid year 2012 adjusted for financial years.

    The estimate is rounded to the nearest 100,000.

    2. This estimate is based on DWP modelling using HMRC taxpayer data from November 2012 and Winter Fuel Payment caseload data from Winter 2013.

    This takes into account revenue from Basic, Higher and Additional rate taxpayers.

    Winter Fuel Payment rates are assumed to be £200 per year for recipients under 80 and £300 a year for recipients aged 80 and over.

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

    Lord Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to expand the role of the British Transport Police in providing supervision around transport interchanges.

    Baroness Kramer

    The BTP currently polices transport interchanges through hub policing teams. These teams work closely with various partners including the Home Office forces, Network Rail, Transport for London and the train operators to provide a seamless policing model spanning the underground and mainline stations. The aim is to provide a coordinated and focused policing service to keep the general public safe and reduce crime and disorder. There are no plans to expand the role of the British Transport Police (BTP) in providing supervision around transport interchanges.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to stop using VMFAT-501 squadron for pilot training on the F35B aircraft, and, if so, on what date; and where will training for that aircraft be conducted.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    Under current planning assumptions, the UK will stop assigning UK pilots to VMFAT-501 for pilot training on the F-35B from July 2019, when the UK Operational Conversion Unit will begin pilot training at RAF Marham.

  • Paul Burstow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Burstow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Burstow on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health of 13 January 2015, Official Report, HC Deb column 703, on mental health care (pregnant women), if he will publish his Department’s plans and the funding committed for ensuring that every maternity unit has staff specially trained in perinatal mental health skills by 2017; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Improving diagnosis and services for women with pregnancy-related mental health problems is one of the Department’s priorities for maternity care.

    ‘Closing the gap: priorities for essential change in mental health’, published in January 2014, sets out the Government’s plans to ensure new mothers receive better support so that the incidence and impact of perinatal mental health problems can be reduced.

    The Government’s Mandate to Health Education England (HEE) from April 2014 to March 2015 asks HEE to ensure post-registration training in perinatal mental health to ensure that trained specialist mental health staff are available to support mothers in every birthing unit by 2017.

    To meet this mandate commitment, HEE, in conjunction with the Institute of Health Visiting, has developed three e-learning modules specifically covering topics such as perinatal depression and other maternal mental health disorders. The modules have been designed specifically for nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff. HEE is continuing to work to ensure midwives in training have a core training module focusing on perinatal mental health and to develop a continuing professional education framework for the existing maternity and early years workforce in 2015.

    HEE’s 13 Local Education and Training Boards are taking forward the commitment locally to ensure that every maternity unit has staff specially trained in perinatal mental health skills. HEE has advised that information on the funding committed is not collected centrally.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to government officials in Bahrain on the stripping of Bahraini nationality from Bahrainis who are not dual nationals, for allegedly damaging state security.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have raised repeatedly with the Government of Bahrain its decision to withdraw citizenship from 31 individuals in 2012. We encourage the authorities to conduct full and transparent investigations into those accused of crimes and to ensure that individuals are given a right of appeal against citizenship deprivation decisions.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on the implementation of the recommendations which the Government (a) accepted, (b) accepted in principle and (c) accepted and were already underway in its response to the publication entitled, Independent review of the operation of jobseeker’s allowance sanctions, published in July 2014.

    Esther McVey

    We have published our response to the Oakley Report and a copy can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf

    We have accepted all recommendations made by the Oakley Report and we have already implemented a number of improvements. Our response sets out a number of target completion dates for recommendations made by the Oakley Report.

    “

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the long-term health care needs of victims of Operation Protective Edge; what funding and other assistance her Department is giving to address those needs; and over what time period that funding and assistance will be given.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    According to the UN, over 11,000 Palestinians were injured during Operation Protective Edge, including over 3,000 children. The UN further notes that 1,000 of these children will suffer a life-long disability; 6,000 more will have a parent with a long-term disability. The UK is the third largest donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency (£107 million between 2012-15) which provides healthcare to the 70% of the population in Gaza who are Palestinian refugees. In addition to this, the UK pledged a further £20 million at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference which includes support for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for those injured in the conflict. We have already disbursed a quarter of this pledge and the remainder will be released next year.

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which high-speed rail projects are planned to be completed in 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In 2015 we expect the High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Bill for HS2 Phase One to continue its progress through Parliament. We will continue to review and refine proposals for the Phase Two route from West Midlands to Manchester, Leeds and beyond to ensure they bring the best solution in terms of connectivity and economic growth for the regions. Any further announcements and decisions on the Phase Two route are currently expected to be made in 2015 but could come later.

    It is also expected that in 2015 we will commence ground investigation works enabled by the HS2 Preparation Bill (2013).

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when responsibility for the risk of Typhoon mid-air collision was passed from Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group to the Chief of the Air Staff; and for what reason that change was made.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Typhoon mid-air collision risk with commercial air transport was elevated to the Chief of the Air Staff in June 2014 following the conclusion of further risk analysis work conducted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). This analysis concluded that the risk level was unchanged but highlighted the potential for societal concern in the event of a collision.