The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Pakistan expressing disapproval of the recent decision in that country to prosecute a nine month old child for planning a murder.
Hugh Robertson
This is a matter for the Pakistani authorities. However, I am pleased to hear that charges against the child have now been dismissed by a judge.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Ian Murray on Justice.
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Mr Shailesh Vara
The Ministry of Justice publishes quarterly official statistics on the tribunals which come under it, including Employment Tribunals. These are produced by statisticians in the Analytical Services Division using data produced by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. There are no plans for a review of the statistics at this time.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has offered to countries in West Africa to help tackle the recent outbreak of the deadly form of the Ebola virus.
Lynne Featherstone
DFID continues to closely monitor the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa. DFID has committed $30,000 (£17,908) for infection control training and supplies in Liberia through UNICEF. In Sierra Leone, DFID is supporting Ebola sensitisation efforts in communities and through UNICEF has prepositioned medical supplies to districts on the Liberia and Guinea borders. We are also working with the Government of Sierra Leone on their Ebola Emergency Response Plan to help bridge critical funding gaps.
In addition to our direct support, the UK funds a substantial share of contributions from the European Community Humanitarian Office, which has provided €1.4 million to the region to combat the recent outbreak.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Thomas Docherty on Defence.
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Mr Philip Dunne
The UK remains committed to the Joint Strike Fighter programme, and the next Main Gate investment decision will be made in due course. The UK has already taken delivery of three F-35B aircraft and has one aircraft currently in production. It remains on track to enter service in 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether sickness rates in probation trusts in England and Wales have risen since January 2013.
Jeremy Wright
Information on the average levels of absence due to staff sickness in the Probation trusts is published annually, at national level, in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts: Management Information Addendum.
A link to the latest published report for FY 2012/13 is provided below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225225/mi-addendum.pdf
The NOMS Annual Report and Accounts: Management Information Addendum for FY 2013/14 will be published on 31st July 2014.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Gwynne on Health.
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Jane Ellison
NHS England is currently progressing three commissioning through evaluation (CtE) schemes relating to invasive cardiology. A maximum full year annual budget of £9 million has been allocated, but the period of budget allocation will depend on the final length of the schemes themselves, which will be tailored with the assistance of National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period.
NHS England has allocated funding to each of the schemes based on early estimates of patient numbers and the key evaluative questions to be answered by the end of each scheme. Patient numbers will need to be contained within these parameters.
NHS England is currently assessing a significant number of applications from providers who have expressed an interest in acting as a participating centre in each of the three schemes. Once this process is complete, and the selected centres are confirmed, we will be able to complete contractual arrangements and confirm a ‘go live’ date with each centre. Unfortunately we are therefore unable to give a specific date for patient recruitment to start at this stage.
NHS England expects CtE schemes to typically run for two to three years but the final length of each of the invasive cardiology schemes is not yet finalised as they are being tailored with the assistance of NICE to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period. The length of the schemes may also be influenced by early findings from the evaluation or by the publication of research data exploring similar parameters. The numbers of patients to be seen by each of the schemes is not yet finalised since it will depend on the final tariff negotiated with participating providers, and the length of each scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shaun Woodward on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect changes to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vision testing contract will have on independent optical practices.
Stephen Hammond
As part of the procurement process, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency identified that 2,009 optical practices carried out vision testing services. The new contract means that independent practices are no longer required to carry out on average 20 assessments per year. This equates to around 10 hours of work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for West Ham of 3 February 2014, Official Report, column 100W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, what work his Department would need to undertake in order to assess the potential effects of the under-occupancy penalty on the level of child poverty in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
To assess the impact the Department would need to adapt simulation models and undertake validation work to ensure consistency with published measures of child poverty. This would incur disproportionate cost.
This Government has made good progress in tackling the root causes of child poverty and has recently published the 2014-17 draft child poverty strategy for consultation which outlines the actions we are taking. The latest figures from 2011-12 show that 2.3 million children (17%) are in relative income poverty-down 300,000 since 2009-10. These are the lowest levels since the mid-1980s. The number of children in workless households has fallen by more than 270,000 since 2010, which is key to driving down poverty.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the National Audit Office’s conclusion in its report on personal independence payments: early progress that his Department has increased the risk that the personal independence payment programme will not deliver value for money in the longer term.
Mike Penning
The National Audit’s Office (NAO) report acknowledged that it is too early to make judgements about value for money.
Both the NAO and Office for Budget Responsibility noted that the introduction of Personal Independence Payment is expected to deliver very significant savings for the taxpayer, estimated to be £3bn per year by 2018 as well as delivering fairer outcomes for disabled people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will introduce financial support for individuals who have worked previously but do not qualify for statutory paternity leave and pay because they have recently started in their new position.
Jenny Willott
The Government has no plans to introduce financial support for individuals who do not qualify for statutory paternity leave and pay because they do not have the required length of service.
Paternity leave and pay was considered as part of a broader examination of family-related leave which led to the introduction of Shared Parental Leave and Pay through the Children and Families Act 2014.
It is important to maintain the right balance between the needs of employees to take leave and the needs of employers to have certainty when recruiting and hiring new staff. Paternity leave and pay can be taken immediately from the birth of a child to allow the father to care for the mother and the newborn. This means that unlike annual leave, where the exact dates of the absence can be agreed in advance, paternity leave dates are subject to change.
The 26 week service qualification period allows employers to plan effectively to cover an employee’s absence during the paternity leave period, which would not be possible if the employee had just been recruited.
Unlike paternity leave, maternity leave is a day one right to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and baby. In order to qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, a mother must have 26 weeks qualifying service (the same requirements as for paternity pay). Those mothers who do not have the requisite service for statutory maternity pay may be entitled to Maternity Allowance. This is because the benefit system recognises pregnant women and new mothers have a specific need for protect their own health and safety, and the health of their child, by allowing them to take time off work. There is no equivalent paternity allowance or adoption allowance, as there are not equivalent health and safety reasons to do so.
We have committed to a review of the changes to employment law enacted by the Children and Families Act after 2018.