Tag: 2014

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has carried out of the adequacy of parking capacity across local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Local authorities have the power and responsibility to provide adequate parking provision in their area. They are best placed to understand and ensure the parking needs of their local communities are met. It would be inappropriate for Central Government to intervene in this matter. Communities now have the opportunity to challenge local authorities’ parking policies if they think provision is inadequate. This is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-challenge-parking-policies.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of UK slaughterhouses were inspected in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    All approved slaughterhouses are inspected every day they operate. Slaughterhouses are also audited a minimum of once every 12 months, with a greater frequency of audits where deficiencies have been identified during previous audits.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-10-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have provided any advice to (1) the Palestinian authorities, and (2) the government of Israel, regarding the peace plan or the two-state solution.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK has made clear in conversations with the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government that the best way to achieve a just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians is through negotiations. However, in order to achieve this, there must be an environment conductive to peace. That is why since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, urging them to use their influence to de-escalate the tensions.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues in the Cabinet Office on the removal from the Ministerial Code of a reference to Ministers having a duty to comply with the law including international law and treaty obligations and to uphold the administration of justice.

    Jeremy Wright

    Information relating to internal discussion and advice is not normally disclosed.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding his Department has made available to research the causes of child death in each of the last five financial years.

    George Freeman

    The information requested is not available. The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Department’s Policy Research Programme (PRP). Spend on research funded directly by the NIHR is categorised by Health Research Classification System (HRCS) health categories. There are no HRCS health sub-categories, and no category or sub-category for causes of child death.

    The PRP is investing £7.9 million from April 2010 to December 2017 in the Policy Research Unit in Maternal Health and Care, which is based in the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford. The investment is funding a programme of research that includes research on infant deaths.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals.

    Jane Ellison

    The sale in the European Union of meat and milk from cloned animals is subject to risk assessment under the EU Novel Foods Regulation. These Regulations are currently being revised and have been discussed at a European Council Working Group level, where the Food Standards Agency represents the United Kingdom. The European Parliament has now voted in favour of maintaining the risk assessment of products from cloned animals under the Novel Food Regulations, and the Council is expected to be asked for its formal view shortly.

    The European Commission has put forward separate and more specific proposals on the cloning of farm animals and the food derived from them. The discussions on these proposals have yet to gain momentum.

    There is currently no authorisation for any meat or milk from cloned animals to be in the UK food chain.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of Syrian refugee (a) adults and (b) children in Calais who plan to enter the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    The management of the migrant camps in Calais is the responsibility of the French Government.

    The French Government has recently stated that there are approximately 6,000 migrants living in makeshift camps in the Calais area. The UK Government is unable to accurately estimate the breakdown of the nationalities and ages of the various migrants that are currently residing in Calais.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which of the articles contained in the European Convention on Human Rights his Department plans to omit in a future British Bill of Rights.

    Dominic Raab

    This Government will fully consult on our proposals this session before introducing legislation for a Bill of Rights. Further details will be announced this Autum.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to reduce barriers to small and medium sized enterprises supplying new products to the Highways Agency.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England has set up an Engagement Council to ensure all highways suppliers, wherever they sit within the supply chain network, can have a voice and show leadership in identifying waste (cost, time and quality) and improvement to deliver better value.

    Engagement Council

    • Membership extends to all highway suppliers wherever they sit in the supply chain for Highways England contracts
    • Prime route for collaboration
    • Promotes innovation and improvement

    Other ways which Highways England encourages SME involvements in its supply chain are:

    • The use of Constructionline – a case study recently published by Constructionline recognises the benefits it brings to removing barriers through our Meet the Buyer events which allow us to directly engage with SMEs. This helps to identify potential tendering opportunities and give advice on the tendering process.
    • Contract clauses – A standard contract clause included in our Model Contract documents to encourage the use of SMEs by our Tier 1 suppliers.
    • Project Bank Accounts (PBA) – Highways England promotes the use of these on all contracts (unless there is a compelling reason not to do so) benefitting suppliers from a significant acceleration in payment of their monthly invoices.

    Current PBA data at August 2015

    • 48 PBAs in operation for live schemes.
    • PBA total declared contract value of £4.66bn as of August 2015.
    • In the first quarter of 2015/16 27% of the overall scheme spend is with SMEs. This data however is only based on those SMEs included in the PBAs and does not take account of spend with SMEs in the extended supply chain which could significantly increase this %.

    Highways England is currently developing an SME mentorship scheme alongside key industry associations as well as the larger contractors operating on the network. The scheme will allow SMEs the chance to develop their capability and help to create an environment which removes barriers to market allowing them to operate effectively. Health & Safety, innovation and leadership will be key elements of the scheme.

  • Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Buck on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will request from Maximus a report on (a) the number of employment support allowance claimants in the City of Westminster who have been sent a letter mandating them to attend a Work Programme interview that includes incorrect email contact details and (b) the steps taken since that error was identified to ensure that it is remedied.

    Priti Patel

    Of the overall total number of Initial Appointment letters sent out during the period 16/10/2013 – 19/08/2015 there are 169 customers with a Westminster postcode that could have had these letters sent to them with the incorrect Maximus e-mail address.

    Maximus have confirmed that the letter in question was originally created on 16/10/2013 for customers referred from City of Westminster. Customers affected will be those referred to Work Programme who have a Westminster postcode only.

    Maximus became aware of this letter containing an error via a customer complaint on 18/08/2015 and had resolved the issue by 19/08/2015 there is therefore no need to publish a report. Maximus has also set up an email address so that any customer responses sent to the incorrect address will be forwarded to the correct email address from 19/08/2015. Maximus are confident that they have remedied this unfortunate mistake.