UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2014

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Dominic Cummings has had any email contact with officials, Ministers or Special Advisers in his Department since he resigned his post as a Special Adviser.

    Matthew Hancock

    Mr Cummings is an ex-employee of the Department for Education. It is not uncommon for ex-employees to be in contact with Ministers and the Department. As the Secretary of State for Education explained to the House on Monday 16 June, many people seek to visit and contact the Department for Education to exchange ideas with old friends and colleagues.

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

    Andrew Bridgen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much he estimates will have to be spent protecting the High Speed 2 track on phase 1 and phase 2 against the effects of mining subsidence; and whether that sum is included in the overall projected cost.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    On Phase One there are no specific allowances relating to mining subsidence in the cost estimate as there is no active mining below the route, nor any recorded abandoned mining shown in the publically available records that have been researched. Physical ground investigations and desktop studies of existing of records will be undertaken prior to construction of the railway, and allowances have been made in both the cost estimate and the project contingency for any ground treatments that are identified.

    On Phase Two there is an allowance within the cost estimate for the risks around crossing open cast quarries, mines and landfill sites and the current level of design reflects where appropriate the difficulty of crossing these type of areas.

  • Jim Dobbin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Dobbin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dobbin on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 196584 6 May 2014, Official Report, column 41W, on drinking water, what plans his Department has to test for the levels of tranquillisers and antidepressants in drinking water; and if his Department will conduct a study into levels of psychotropic drugs in UK river and seawater.

    Dan Rogerson

    In 2012, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) published research looking at pharmaceuticals likely to present the worst case scenario in drinking water. Fluoxetine was included in the study, the outcome of which was that these pharmaceuticals presented no concern for public health. The research is part of an ongoing risk assessment which is revisited in the event of new information. The DWI has also responded to the earlier PQ (0019) on this matter.

    Monitoring river water and seawater is driven by requirements under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). As psychotropic drugshave not been identified as harmful chemicals under the WFD they are not routinely monitored, although they may be detected in less-specific investigations.

    The water industry has undertaken collaborative research into chemicals in sewage effluent through the UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) Chemicals Investigation Programme. Some medicines were included in the first Programme of 2010-13, including fluoxetine. A second Chemical Investigations Programme, beginning in 2015, will look at the psychoactive medicines fluoxetine and sertraline in sewage effluent.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients there are of disability living allowance, by parliamentary constituency.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested is already published and can be found at:

    http://83.244.183.180/100pc/dla/ccparlc/ccsex/a_carate_r_ccparlc_c_ccsex_aug13.html

    “

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

    Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the current timetable is for the development of the HIV/STI national clinical audit.

    Jane Ellison

    The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) commissions and manages the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme on behalf of NHS England. The HQIP has asked for expressions of interest from suitable providers who are able to design and complete a one year feasibility study to inform any future national clinical audit of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. The contract for the work will be awarded this summer. NHS England cannot disclose the number of expressions of interest that have been received at this stage as this is commercially sensitive information.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the evidential basis was of his decision to withdraw Government support from Cheshire Employer and Skills Development Limited (CE&SDL); what assessment he made of the performance of CE&SDL in (a) developing (i) work-based learning and (ii) any other skills, (b) encouraging apprenticeships and (c) other respects in the period (A) following its founding and (B) at the time it was required to cease its activities; and what representations his Department received for and against its decision to withdraw support.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government did not withdraw funding from CE&SDL. In 2007, at the request of CE&SDL, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) transferred the contract for skills provision from CE&SDL to a successor legal entity, Total People. CE&SDL continued to operate when the contract was transferred to Total People but did not directly receive any further funding nor did it acquire funding as a subcontractor. It was dissolved as a company in April 2014. The Skills Funding Agency, as the LSC’s successor, continued to fund Total People, and still does so today.

    Both the earliest and latest performance data available demonstrate a mixed picture. Prior to 2007 CE&SDL’s performance was below the national average. After 2007, and the transfer of contact to Total People, performance was stronger and sometimes higher than national average.

    Neither the Government nor the Skills Funding Agency has received any representations about this organisation.

  • 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 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 281W, on food banks, whether (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department plan to visit a food bank in order to assess the contribution of food banks to public health and nutrition.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    There are nocurrent plans for ministers in the Department to visit a food bank, but this does not preclude planned visits in their wider capacities or as constituency MPs. We would consider undertaking an official visit, if an invitation was received.

  • Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 81W, on academies, for what reason bodies which run academy chains are not inspected by Ofsted separately from the individual schools run by the academy chains.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections of schools within chains. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within E-ACT multi-academy trust, and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain. This has shown to be an effective approach and there are no plans to widen Ofsted’s legal powers to include the inspection of head offices.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passport applications from residents of Ashfield constituency received in the last three months were not processed by HM Passport Office in three weeks.

    James Brokenshire

    Her Majesty’s Passport Office does not hold the information in the form requested. The
    cost of providing it from individual applicant data held would be
    disproportionate.

  • Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will establish an Aircraft Noise Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Airports Commission, including the recommendation to create an independent noise authority. The Government will respond to the Interim Report as soon as possible.