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Tag: 2014

  • Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will work with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Cabinet Office, the Northamptonshire and South East Midlands LEPs and local authorities to help secure funding for a new junction 10A on the A14 which is required to facilitate the creation of a 60MW renewable energy park and low carbon business park between Burton Latimer and Kettering.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport and the Highways Agency are already working closely through a Strategic Partners Group, which includes the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Homes and Community Agency, local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and private sector developers, on the transport infrastructure proposals – including the provision of a new junction 10A on the A14 – in relation to the East Kettering Development site.

    The Department and the Highways Agency would be happy to work additionally with the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the Cabinet Office on the provision of transport infrastructure in relation to the proposals for an Energy Park and low carbon business at this location.

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate he has made of the number of treatable cavity wall homes in areas prone to flooding treated with inappropriate filling agents.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC does not hold data on the materials that have been used to fill individual cavity walls.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much funding his Department has allocated to the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund for the lifetime of the programme.

    Gregory Barker

    Up to £120 million has been allocated to the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund in 2014-15. A decision on allocating funding for future years has yet to be taken. In the 2013 Autumn Statement, £150m was allocated in each of 15/16 and 16/17 towards energy efficiency in homes.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total amount of fines levied on but uncollected from people found guilty of non-payment of (a) a television licence, (b) vehicle excise duty and (c) council tax was on 1 March 2014.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    It is not possible to identify from Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals systems the value of fines that remain outstanding for specific offences. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost as identifying this would require a manual search of all fine accounts.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what sanctions have been levied by her Department as a result of TPContact failing to achieve and maintain high standards of customer service while providing services for her Department.

    James Brokenshire

    Any failure against the contractual critical service levels may result in
    deductions against their submitted invoices. In the event of continuous and
    unacceptable failures the Department has the ability to terminate the contract.

    The performance of Teleperformance as with all of our contracts is subject to
    close Home Office scrutiny. The governance processes include regular meetings
    at all levels, from local operational teams up to senior official levels, to
    allow in-depth reviews of performance against the service standards set out in
    the contract, and to provide an escalation route to resolve any issues that may
    arise. We also expect suppliers to provide continuous improvement in delivery
    of customer services over the course of the contract, which is also monitored
    through these processes.

    The Department withheld payment of the contractual transitional payment until
    transition was complete in each country where Teleperformance operates. This
    has now been has now been approved for payment in countries where visa
    application centres (VACs) are operational but withheld in locations still to
    be transitioned. Ongoing contractual payments will be subject to the service
    credit process outlined above.

    The data required to judge performance against contractual service standards is
    not yet available. We are not aware of any withdrawn applications linked to
    delays in processing at the identified visa application centres since they took
    over this service. The Home Office is currently collating data on complaints
    for the period since Teleperformance commenced operations and it is not
    available for publication.

    UK Visas & Immigration has worked closely with Teleperformance from the point
    at which contracts were awarded to prepare for live operations, including the
    summer peak. Annual and monthly application volumes and forecast figures for
    2014 were provided to Teleperformance as part of the tender process and local
    discussions have taken place to determine the number of appointment slots
    available. Opening hours have been extended and appointment availability has
    been increased in a number of locations to prepare for the summer period. Where
    VACs are open every day, the availability of appointment slots is continually
    monitored, with further measures being taken if appointments are consistently
    fully booked.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance was given to Jobcentre Plus offices on supporting people internally rather than externally following the recent removal of warm phones.

    Esther McVey

    Jobcentre plus staff continue to fully support vulnerable claimants with benefit claims and job search. All offices are introducing an assisted service when customer access phones are removed.

  • Mark Lazarowicz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Lazarowicz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Lazarowicz on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide training for drivers of heavy goods vehicles to increase awareness of the dangers faced by cyclists.

    Stephen Hammond

    In addition to licence acquisition tests which require drivers to demonstrate knowledge of vulnerable road users, the EU mandated Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requires drivers of heavy goods vehicles to carry out five days of further training in every five year period. Within the confines of the Directive, we would encourage drivers and employers to select the training which best meets their needs, which may be a course on vulnerable road users.

    We welcome initiatives such as ‘Exchanging Places’ events where cyclists and drivers of HGVs and buses get to experience the others’ perspective, and encourage local authorities to consider such activities which can improve road sharing.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, columns 787-8W, on pupil exclusions: autism, how his Department deals with allegations that schools are disregarding the statutory guidance on exclusion in respect of students with autistic disorders.

    Elizabeth Truss

    As part of their legal duties in relation to exclusion, schools must have regard to the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education. Parents approaching the Department with concerns about an exclusion are informed about the formal routes of challenge available to them and directed to sources of free and impartial advice. If the Department identifies that a governing body has acted unlawfully or unreasonably in carrying out its legal duties, and it would be expedient to do so, then the Secretary of State could issue a direction. The Department would also pass to Ofsted any relevant evidence that fell within the inspectorate’s remit.

  • Lord Morrow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Morrow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morrow on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many companies currently providing contracted services to government departments and agencies use zero hours contracts.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by his Department were in each financial year since 2009-10.

    David Mundell

    Other than minor or bespoke purchases, the Scotland Office does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises existing service contracts between suppliers and the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice. Since May 2010, only one contract has been issued directly by the Scotland Office. This was issued to the Royal Mail in 2011/12 for its role in providing candidates’ free mailing in the Scottish Parliament election of 2011, the value of which was just over £6.4 million.