Tag: 2014

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what ways his Department’s requirements for reassessment of continuing claims for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payment by people with multiple sclerosis reflect the degenerative nature of that condition.

    Priti Patel

    The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) assesses individuals against a set of functional descriptors not specific conditions, as two people with the same condition can be affected in different ways. This does however take account of how fluctuating and degenerative conditions, such multiple sclerosis, affect a claimant’s ability to work.

    A healthcare professional gives advice on when they think a claimants functional capability may have changed sufficiently to trigger a change in the outcome of the WCA. Re-referral dates chosen can be 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 or 36 months depending on when it is considered most appropriate for the claimant to have their next contact with the Department.

    Decisions on claims to Personal Independence Payment are made by case managers and are based on advice received from the assessment providers following an assessment, together with any other evidence received. People with a progressive condition, and who are not expected to live beyond six months, are not required to attend a face-to-face assessment and their claims will always be decided on the basis of the evidence received.

    Claims to Personal Independence Payment are looked at individually, considering the impact on daily living and mobility of the impairment or health condition, rather than solely basing the decision on the impairment or health condition itself. Award durations and reviews are based on an assessment of whether the individual’s functional abilities are likely to deteriorate, improve or stay the same. Reviews ensure that claimants continue to receive the appropriate level of award throughout their claim, including claimants with degenerative conditions who may get a higher award at review to reflect a deterioration in their condition.

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the mandatory criminal courts charge on the number of guilty pleas.

    Lord Faulks

    Section 55 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 places a duty on the Lord Chancellor to carry out a review of the Criminal Courts Charge three years after implementation of the charge. No such assessment has been made to date.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans there are for the appointment of a new Middle East Quartet Representative; and what the timeline is for any such appointment.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    There are no current plans to appoint a new Middle East Quartet Representative. The Office of the Quartet Representative has been renamed the Office of the Quartet. It is now being led by a Head of Mission, supported by a Deputy Head of Mission. The Quartet Principals (EU, US, UN and Russia) are responsible for taking decisions about the structure of the Quartet, including its staffing.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to oppose the UN decision to put Saudi Arabia in charge of a human rights panel, and, if so, what action they will take.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has no locus to oppose the appointment of the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia as Chair of the UN Consultative Group. Saudi Arabia was nominated by the Asian Group. The Council is made up of five ambassadors, serving in their personal capacity, from each of the five regional groups in the UN. The Ambassador has served on the Consultative Group since 1 January 2015. It is standard procedure for the chairmanship of the Group to rotate during the course of the year.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the South East Flexible Ticketing Scheme, and whether there have been any delays to previously announced plans.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    A review of initial proposals to make smart tickets available across the south-east with a target date of end December 2015 has led to a refocused and enhanced programme with a wider geographic scope and an improved technological approach. As part of this, a new South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) central back office, providing critical IT infrastructure and data processing capability, has already undergone testing and, working with industry to establish how best to offer smart ticketing to passengers in the south-east, we have already reached agreement with 5train operators, serving 73% of all rail season ticket holders in the south-east. We are continuing to work with operators to ensure full coverage of services in offering foundations for smart ticketing.

    In addition, though this scheme smart season tickets are already available to customers on Govia Thameslink Railway and c2c. South West Trains and Abellio Greater Anglia plan to introduce smart seasons on their services in January 2016; Southeastern will follow at the end of 2016. The programme is planned to complete in 2018.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information the Government holds on the number of (a) domestic and (b) forest or woodland fires caused by the use of fireworks in each of the last five years.

    Greg Clark

    The figures in the table show that almost 750 fires attended by fire crews were recorded as having fireworks as the cause of ignition in either dwellings, other residential or forest/woodland fires over the past five years. However, the Department collects information on the source of ignition for primary fires only. Primary fires include all fires in buildings, vehicles and outdoor structures or any fire involving casualties, rescues or fires attended by five or more appliances. The definition also includes “woodland/forest/crops” but other similar land types (eg “grassland, pasture, grazing etc”) are considered secondary fires for which this information is not gathered.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect his proposals for a new junior doctors’ contract will have on junior doctors who do not work full time.

    Ben Gummer

    The new Junior Doctors Contract will continue to support those junior doctors who choose to work less than full time. Along with full time trainees, they will benefit from the strengthened controls on hours worked and also will benefit from an increase in base pay. Pay in future will be determined on fair pay principles related to the stage of training that junior doctors have reached. Junior doctors can expect to receive four or five progression pay increases in the course of their training as they progress and take on more responsibility.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what data his Department collects on nuisance calls.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Informaion Commissioner’s Office collects data on nuisance calls and publishes it on its website athttps://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/nuisance-calls-and-messages/.

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  • Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Hertfordshire Constabulary’s reserves have been subject to CIFPA auditing for the 2014-15 financial year.

    Mike Penning

    Hertfordshire Constabulary’s final 2014/15 Statement of Accounts are published on the force website. The accounts have been independently audited and include the force’s level of reserves for 2014/15.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote the use of credit unions in the work of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for West Worcestershire on 2 November 2015 to Question UIN 13524.

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