The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants aged 18 to 24 years have home addresses in each region of the UK; and what proportion of all young people in each such region that figure represents.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2014-06-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times the Crown Prosecution Service has made a charging decision not to proceed on the use of sections 4(1), 4(2), and 4(3) of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 in each of the past five years where the victim was under 18 at the time of commission of the offence.
Lord Wallace of Tankerness
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold figures centrally for the number of cases where a decision was made not to proceed under sections 4(1), 4(2), and 4(3) of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.), including cases where the victim was under 18 at the time of commission of the offence. To obtain such information would require a manual examination of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawson on 2014-06-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many full-time equivalent general practitioners have been employed by the National Health Service in each of the last five years.
Earl Howe
General Practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors who hold contracts with NHS England to provide primary healthcare services for the National Health Service.
The annual National Health Service General and Personal Medical Services workforce census, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, shows the numbers of GPs working in the NHS in England at 30 September each year. The numbers of full-time equivalent GPs working in the NHS in England from 2009 to 2013 are shown in the following table. The latest available statistics are as at 30 September 2013 and were published on 25 March 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff in Sheffield are employed at the headquarters of the British Business Bank.
Matthew Hancock
A total of 86 people are currently working on British Business Bank programmes, of which 44 work in the Sheffield headquarters. They are employed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and their employment will transfer to the British Business Bank plc once EU state aid approval has been obtained for that institution, which is expected to happen later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the level of broadband coverage in (a) the UK and (b) other major European nations.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Ofcom’s European Broadband Scorecard (http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/telecoms-research/bbresearch/scorecard-14) stated in figure 8 that the percentages of households in areas served by broadband were:
|
Standard broadband |
Mobile broadband |
Superfast broadband |
|
|
United Kingdom |
95-100% |
95-100% |
70-75% |
|
France |
95-100% |
95-100% |
20-25% |
|
Germany |
95-100% |
90-95% |
65-70% |
|
Spain |
95-100% |
95-100% |
60-65% |
|
Italy |
95-100% |
95-100% |
10-15% |
Ofcom also publishes comparative information in its International Communications Market Report (http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr13/international/)
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the introduction of further low emission zones outside London to reduce the levels of nitrogen dioxide air pollution in ambient air.
Dan Rogerson
The Government has funded a number of local authorities outside London to investigate the feasibility of low emission zones (LEZs) within their areas, through the annual Air Quality Grant Scheme targeted at reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and accelerating compliance with EU limit values.
This ongoing support is focused on addressing barriers and looking for practical options for putting in place NO2-related LEZs and similar measures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Denham on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers who have provided the necessary medical evidence are waiting to have their driving licence restored following temporary suspension for medical reasons.
Stephen Hammond
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not temporarily suspend driving licences. Drivers may have their licence revoked or choose to surrender their licence voluntarily if their medical condition affects their fitness to drive.
Customers applying in these circumstances are not easily identifiable. An estimate based on information available suggests around 9,000 applicants who have produced the necessary medical evidence are awaiting assessment. Once a decision has been made to re-issue the licence this is done immediately.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will retract his request to government departments to end check-off payroll deductions for trades union subscriptions.
Mr Francis Maude
Departments are required to recover the cost of check off.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East during Cabinet Office Orals on 25 June 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 302W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish his assessment of the workability of the protocol agreed between his Department and the Fire Brigades Union on recall to duty in the event of a major incident or national disaster.
Brandon Lewis
The levels of crewing available for each authority, whether or not during periods of strike action, are dependent upon a number of factors. These include the duty system being worked locally, availability of on-call firefighters and, during strike periods, local contingency arrangements, which are the responsibility of each fire and rescue authority. The Department collects details of appliance availability from local fire and rescue authorities on a confidential basis. The arrangements for business continuity planning during strike action are kept under review by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.
The principles of the recall to duty protocol, published as National Joint Council for Fire and Rescue Services Circular NJC/09/13, were agreed between the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, the Fire Brigades Union and the National Employers. Appendix 1 applies to fire and rescue authorities in England and makes clear that the Chief Fire Officers are responsible for arrangements locally, in accordance with their service’s major incident policies. I am confident that should there be a major disaster, striking firefighters would return to work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department gave to the Memorials Grant Scheme in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs Helen Grant
DCMS has given the amounts set out from the Memorial Grant Scheme in each of the last 10 years:
|
Year |
Funding MGS (£) |
|
2013/14 |
529,000 |
|
2012/13 |
269,000 |
|
2011/12 |
334,000 |
|
2010/11 |
229,000 |
|
2009/10 |
230,000 |
|
2008/09 |
391,000 |
|
2007/08 |
854,000 |
|
2006/07 |
714,000 |
|
2005/06 |
130,000 |
|
2004/05 |
N/A |