The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the administration costs of the proposed 2015 firefighters’ pension scheme.
Penny Mordaunt
The Firefighters’ Pension Schemes are administered locally by individual fire and rescue authorities. No assessment has been made of the administrative costs of the schemes by this Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games for participation in clay pigeon shooting in each region of the UK.
Mrs Helen Grant
Sport England is investing £1.1 million in British Shooting for 2013-17 to get more people taking part in shooting regularly.
According the Active People Survey, 54,300 people take part in clay pigeon shooting in England at least once a month. This is an increase of 3,800 since 2012. It is the most popular shooting discipline in England.
Table 1 gives a regional breakdown of shooting (all disciplines) participation. Please note – a regional breakdown of figures for specific shooting disciplines is not available due to the relatively small size of the sport.
Table 1:
|
Region |
Monthly Participants (16+) – Oct 2011/12 |
Monthly Participants (16+) – Apr 2013/14 |
Change since 2011/12 |
|
East |
22,800 |
19,400 |
-3,400 |
|
East Midlands |
14,200 |
11,300 |
-2,900 |
|
London* |
– |
– |
– |
|
North East* |
– |
– |
– |
|
North West |
12,000 |
12,700 |
700 |
|
South East |
21,100 |
23,200 |
2,100 |
|
South West |
18,700 |
12,400 |
-6,300 |
|
West Midlands |
10,500 |
14,400 |
3,900 |
|
Yorkshire |
9,700 |
16,900 |
7,200 |
*Data not available for these regions due to the relatively small size of the sport
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many studio colleges that have fallen behind or failed to meet their student recruitment numbers have been given an extension of time to make further progress to achieve the numbers of students set out in their funding agreements; and what the average additional time given to those colleges to recruit enough students to fulfil funding agreement criteria was.
Mr Edward Timpson
Post-opening student recruitment targets are only included in funding agreements for studio schools where there has been concern about potential pupil recruitment prior to the school opening.
Five studio schools have specific termination clauses relating to post-opening student recruitment targets in their funding agreements. One school closed on 31 August 2013 and another is due to close on 31 August 2014 because they did not fulfil the funding agreement criteria in respect of the pupil recruitment target. Neither school was given an extension of time to meet the target. The other three schools have not yet reached the deadlines for their pupil recruitment targets.
The majority of studio schools opening in September 2013 and all those due to open in September 2014 have pre-opening targets for student recruitment included in their funding agreements to ensure that the schools will be financially viable upon opening.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2014, Official Report, column 304W, on the Green Deal Scheme, if he will make it his policy that no household receives more in money back under the Green Deal Home Improvements Fund than the cost of the installation of the energy efficiency measures.
Amber Rudd
The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund rules state that households are not able to receive more money back than the cost of the installation of the energy efficiency measures.
The full rules are set out in the Customer Terms and Conditions which are available at:
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the UK’s performance towards the targets in the Kyoto protocol on emission reduction targets between 2008 and 2012.
Amber Rudd
The UK has a target for the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its emissions by an average 12.5 per cent below base year levels over the five-year period 2008-12.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robin Walker on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made about human rights and the humanitarian situation in Kashmir in the last year.
Mr Hugo Swire
We are aware of allegations of human rights abuses on both sides of the Line of Control in Kashmir. We are clear that such allegations of human rights abuses must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. We regularly raise our concerns through our High Commissions in Islamabad and Delhi as appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Tripoli.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We continue to monitor carefully the ongoing security situation in Tripoli and across Libya. We are deeply concerned at the attacks in and around Tripoli International Airport, and condemn actions which put lives in danger whether in the East or West of the country.
We support the Libyan Government’s call for a ceasefire and urgent dialogue. Violence and the threat of violence are unacceptable, and should not be used to pursue political goals. The situation in which armed groups operate outside government control, and without respect for either Libyan or international law, threatens the stability of the state and Libyan people’s aspirations for a secure and prosperous future.
Our travel advice remains current, and is updated as necessary to reflect the situation on the ground.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The Department checks for duplicate supplier payments as part of the business as usual processes within the finance team. As part of the internal process checks the Department has identified the value of duplicate supplier payments since 2010 as £1,287,260.31.
The proportion of such payments the Department has recovered following these internal checks in each of the last two financial years is as follows:
(i) Payments for 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 – £325,456.94 – of which 100% has been recovered based on the internal processes.
(ii) Payments for 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 – £282,198.56 – of which 100% has been recovered based on the internal processes.
For completeness, in the financial year 2010-11 the value of such payments was £510,599.10 of which 99.7% was recovered, and in financial year 2011-12 the value of such payments was £169,005.71 of which 98.6% was recovered.
Further investigations are taking place into duplicate payments made as part of a Spend Recovery Audit that the Department has commissioned externally and we will seek to recover any further duplicates identified as part of this exercise.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on (a) the current waiting time following referral for a first appointment at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic (GIC), (b) how many people are currently receiving treatment at that clinic and how long the average wait is between appointments; what assessment his Department has made of how many patients Charing Cross GIC can treat in a year according to best practice guidelines and within existing resources; what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NHS England on the steps necessary to increase provision of services for trans people; and if he will make a statement.
Norman Lamb
We are advised by NHS England that there are currently seven gender identity clinics (GICs) in England and three providers of gender reassignment surgery. The nearest GIC to Brighton and Hove is located in London. These GIC clinics have considerable experience of delivering this highly specialised service and are able to accept referrals from all over the United Kingdom. At present there are no plans to undertake a procurement exercise to increase the number of providers.
NHS England report that waiting times for pre-surgical assessment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust one of the three NHS England commissioned providers of gender surgery are currently running at around 12 months, compared to 10 months in 2013-14. The increase in waiting times is due to the increase in demand for the service nationally that has seen referrals increase from 195 in 2011-12 to 300 in 2013-14.
Individual patient waits vary according to the needs of the patient. Currently, the average wait for surgery is just under a year from the point at which funding is confirmed.
Information from the website of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust shows that there are currently 279 patients approved for this surgery and that it carried out 178 male to female gender reassignment operations in 2013-14.
Following a change in staffing, Imperial appointed a new gender reassignment surgeon who will start performing gender reassignment surgeries in September 2014. As a temporary measure, the trust is referring a small number of patients who have waited longer than others to a private provider under a sub-contracting arrangement with that provider, Imperial retain responsibility for managing all patient pathways.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has published an update of the position on its website, which can be viewed at the following link:
www.imperial.nhs.uk/aboutus/news/news_044629
The trust is also sending this information directly to patients.
These issues have not been the subject of discussions between Ministers and the Chief Executive of NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Evans on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many regulated procedures conducted in Wales under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involved (a) mice, (b) rats, (c) guinea pigs, (d) hamsters, (e) rabbits, (f) horses and other equids, (g) sheep, (h) pigs, (i) birds, (j) amphibians, (k) reptiles, (l) fish, (m) cats, (n) dogs, (o) New World primates and (p) Old World primates in 2013; and how many such procedures involved (i) genetically modified animals and (ii) animals with harmful genetic defects.
Norman Baker
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the number of regulated procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA):
(a) 36,010 involved mice, of which:
(i) 18,886 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) 7,206 involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(b) 3,345 involved rats, of which:
(i) 10 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(c) 24 involved guinea pigs, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(d) none involved hamsters
(e) 3 involved rabbits, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(f) none involved horses and other equids
(g) 396 involved sheep, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(h) none involved pigs
(i) 643 involved birds, of which
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(j) 165 involved amphibians, of which
(i) 9 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(k) none involved reptiles
(l) 11,927 involved fish, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(m) none involved cats
(n) none involved dogs
(o) none involved new world primates
(p) none involved old world primates
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the proportion of regulated procedures under ASPA in different types of designated establishment:
(a) 2.8% (1,462) were performed in public health laboratories
(b) 96.7% (50,826) were performed in universities and medical schools
(c) none were performed in NHS hospitals
(d) none were performed in Government Departments
(e) none were performed in other public bodies
(f) none were performed in non-profit making organisations
(g) 0.5% (251) were performed in commercial organisations
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the proportion of regulated procedures under ASPA:
(a) all (52,539) were carried out for fundamental and applied studies other than toxicity.
(b) none were carried out for toxicity tests or other safety and efficacy evaluation.
In 2013 in Wales, regarding the number of animals used in regulated procedures under ASPA:
(a) 18,707 genetically modified animals were used
(b) 7,206 animals with a harmful genetic defect were used
During 2013 in Wales, 59.3% (31,202) of regulated procedures under ASPA were undertaken without anaesthesia.
During 2013 in Wales, 51,576 animals were used in regulated procedures under ASPA.
During 2013 in Wales, 52,539 regulated procedures under ASPA were conducted