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Tag: 2014

  • Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen the rights of people with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department is currently preparing its response to the consultation ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’. The consultation sought views on a range of issues, including possible legislation to strengthen the rights of people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions. It expects to publish the response during the autumn.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend VAT relief to NHS pharmacies.

    Mr David Gauke

    NHS grant funding takes account of all costs incurred by pharmacies, including VAT.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to meet with his Argentinian counterpart following the recent presidential election in that country; and if he will reaffirm to the new Argentinian administration British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    As my hon.Friend will be aware, Argentina held an inconclusive first round of Presidential elections on Sunday. A second round is due to take place on 22 November. The Government would prefer a more constructive bilateral relationship with Argentina, however, we shall not renege on our commitment to the self-determination of the Falkland Islanders.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his current estimate is of when the (a) electrification and (b) improvement of the Midland mainline will be completed (i) in Northamptonshire and (ii) for the whole line.

    Claire Perry

    Electrification of the line should be completed north from Bedford to Ketteringand Corby in Northamptonshire by 2019 and the whole line north from Kettering to Leicester / Derby/ Nottingham & Sheffield by 2023.

    Network Rail is proposing that line speed and capacity improvement works forming the remainder of the improvement works to the line will be co-ordinated with electrification in order to minimise disruption to passengers on the route.

    Sir Peter Hendy has been asked to review Network Rail’s enhancement portfolio, so that works may be delivered over a more realistic timeframe. When we receive his report, expected later in the autumn, we will be able to announce more about the programme for the capacity and line speed works planned for the Midland Mainline.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of efficiency savings arising from her Department’s digital strategies in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

    Nick Gibb

    As a result of cross government digital and technology strategies, £1.7 billion was saved in 2014-15. This sum was audited against a 2009-10 baseline.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with chief constables about the prevalence of rural crime and the measures they are taking to counter it.

    Mike Penning

    Police reform is working and crime has fallen by more than a quarter over the last five years, according to the Independent Crime Survey for England and Wales. This means less victims of crime in rural areas as well as urban areas. Overall, people in rural areas are less likely to be the victim of household crime as those in urban areas, according to the Crime Survey. In addition, the 2014 Commercial Victimisation Survey found that crime against the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector was considerably lower than crime against the other sectors surveyed, the wholesale and retail sector and the accommodation and food sector.

    The election of Police and Crime Commissioners has given communities – including those in rural areas – a strong voice in determining how police resources are allocated to tackle the crimes that matter most to them. I see this through the work the National Rural Crime Network, which is funded by the Police Innovation Fund, is leading to ensure police forces respond to crime in rural areas, as well as specific activity being taken by police forces across England and Wales

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential change in the levels of fraud if the funding of insolvency litigation is changed under the provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

    Dominic Raab

    An Impact Assessment was published when the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 received Royal Assent.

    The Ministry of Justice is in the process of considering the way forward in relation to the application to insolvency litigation of the no win no fee reforms in Part 2 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households in the UK have been fitted with satellite broadband as part of the Government’s broadband rollout.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government has provided £780 million to support the roll-out of superfast broadband to 95 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK. In addition, the Government is supportingseven pilot projects exploring options for delivering superfast broadband services to the hardest to reach parts of the UK. Through these pilots, satellite broadband has been provided to 327 premises to date. Customers are being connected every day, so this figure is subject to constant change.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has contributed to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (a) since the creation of that fund and (b) in each of the last five years.

    Grant Shapps

    The UK remains a strong and active supporter of the Global Fund and has pledged a contribution of up to £1 billion between 2014 and 2016 for the Global Fund’s 4th replenishment, subject to a 10% donor share cap. As part of this, in 2015-16 the UK has contributed £100m.

    The 5th replenishment, for 2017-2019, has not been launched yet, so the UK contribution has not yet been determined.

    The UK has contributed £2.05bn to the Global Fund since its inception. From a standing start in 2002, the UK’s unwavering support has enabled the Global Fund to keep 8.1 million people alive with HIV therapy, distribute 548 million mosquito nets, detect and treat 13.2 million cases on TB, and has contributed to a decline of one third in the number of people dying from the three diseases since 2002 in Global Fund countries.

    The UK has contributed: £128m in 2011/12; £128m in 2012/13; £543m in 2013/14; £285m in 2014/15, and; £100m 2015/16. This totals £1.184bn over the 5-year period.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2015 to Question 12252, what plans his Department has to increase the nutritional content of meals served to the prison population.

    Andrew Selous

    Meals offered to prisoners are nutritious, balanced, varied and in line with government recommendations on eating a healthy diet.

    Last year, National Offender Management Service developed a model of cyclical four week menus, working closely withtheir food suppliers and nutritional technologists. As part of this process, a dietary and nutritional specialist was commissioned to review, analyse and make recommendations on the overall balance and nutritional content of the menus. These recommendations were incorporated and the menus are available to Prison Catering Teams.

    Prisons are also encouraged to seek nutritional advice on any changes to menus to ensure they meet national standards.