Tag: 2014

  • Sarah Newton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Newton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Newton on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual cost to the public purse is of processing applications for free social care in England.

    Norman Lamb

    Access to State financial support for adult social care in England is means-tested and is not generally provided free of charge. In this way, individuals are expected to pay towards the cost of their care and support based on what they can afford.

    Adults with less than £23,250 in capital can seek help with the cost of social care from their local authority. Local authorities carry out a financial assessment to decide what an individual can afford to pay. Local authorities must take account of an individual’s capital assets and income, including income from Benefits and the State Pension.

    Information on the cost to local authorities of carrying out financial assessments is not collected centrally.

    In its 2011 report, the independent Palliative Care Funding Review recommended the provision of free social care at the end of life. A series of palliative care funding pilots were established to test the review’s recommendations, and these completed their work in March 2014. NHS England is currently analysing the financial data collected from the pilots. Once this analysis has been completed, a decision will be made on the issue of free social care at the end of life, taking into account this analysis and wider policy and financial considerations.

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) accommodation provision, (b) employment programmes and (c) other resettlement provision has been made for Syrian refugees who come to the UK as part of the resettlement deal.

    James Brokenshire

    The first beneficiaries of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR)
    scheme arrived in the UK on 25 March. This is the result of excellent
    co-operation with UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration and local
    authority services, which has allowed us to identify vulnerable individuals in
    need of evacuation and ensure that the support they need is in place in the
    UK. These support packages are tailored on a case by case basis to ensure that
    specific requirements for those relocated under the scheme are met and include
    health, education and integration support.

    Those admitted under the VPR scheme will be granted five years’ Humanitarian
    Protection, with all the rights and benefits that go with that status. This
    includes access to public funds, access to the labour market and the
    possibility of family reunion. If the situation in Syria stabilises, they may
    choose to return home. However, at the end of the five years, if they have not
    been able to return to Syria, they may be eligible to apply for settlement in
    the UK.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of changes in the number of Moroccan troops along the Berm in Western Sahara from the levels specified in the 1991 agreement.

    Hugh Robertson

    In its 2014 report to the UN Security Council, the UN peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara (MINURSO) recorded that the estimated number of troops along the Berm has not recently changed. It also states that this number is believed to exceed the provisions of the 1991 agreement.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, column 209W, on the Computer Misuse Act 1990, how his Department measures compliance with the Government’s cyber security strategy when rehabilitating and managing offenders convicted under the Computer Misuse Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    Public protection is the first priority in offender management and it is rehabilitation that best secures this in the long-term. Those working with offenders may routinely assess risk and progress of sentenced offenders under supervision in the community or custody. These assessments will in turn inform offender management decisions regarding the interventions offered or controls applied to an individual.

    Progress against the Government’s wider Cyber Security Strategy was published in December 2013.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 27 January 2014, Official Report, column 387W, on electoral register, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of gathering and holding information on the proportion of attainers who are registered to vote; and what assessment he has made of the usefulness of such information for improving the introduction of individual electoral registration.

    Greg Clark

    The Government has made no such estimate or assessment.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of work capability assessments appeals that were found in favour of the claimant heard by January 2014, were awarded zero points at the initial decision; and what proportion of such decisions were awarded to (a) the WRAG and (b) the Support Group.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested for all Work Capability Assessments is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the written statement by the Minister for Universities and Science of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on Higher Education: student support, what revisions he plans to make to the draft statutory guidance, Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    There has been close liaison between the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills throughout the passage of the Children and Families Act 2014. As a result, no changes will need to be made to the draft statutory guidance, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) a bat, (b) a dormouse, (c) a crested newt and (d) an owl survey has been carried out at Defence Infrastructure Organisation site Ashchurch; what the result of each such survey was; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    A baseline ecological survey was undertaken at Ashchurch in 2008 and updated in 2012. Following this survey no detailed assessments were undertaken for owls, as there have been no sightings or evidence of protected birds, or dormice, due to no suitable habitat being identified.

    Further detailed studies have been carried out for both crested newts and bats. Results of these surveys showed there was no evidence of crested newts and little evidence of bat activity across Ashchurch. However, one building had a small bat roost and there was a possibility of a bat roost in a second building.

  • Michael Dugher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Michael Dugher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish in full the scope of the Cabinet Secretary’s review of the release of correspondence between Ministers relating to prevention of extremism.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Cabinet Secretary will respond to the hon. Member on this matter shortly. I will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 510W, on Electoral Register: young people, what steps his Department has taken to circulate the Rock Enrol! resources to (a) hon. Members, (b) members of the European Parliament, (c) members of the Scottish Parliament, members of the Legislative Assembly and Assembly members, (d) local councillors, (e) schools, colleges and universities and (f) local education authorities.

    Greg Clark

    The government has made available £4.2 million funding to all 363 local authorities (LAs) and valuation joint boards (VJBs) in Great Britain. The Government has written to Electoral Registration Officers and encouraged them to use this funding to support the delivery of Rock Enrol! in their area. Officials will continue to work closely with LA/VJBs in order to monitor and measure the outcomes.

    The Government is supportive of organisations that promote democratic engagement such as Bite the Ballot and welcomes lessons from their experiences.The Rock Enrol! learning resource is freely available on the gov.uk and Times Education Supplement websites amongst others. The Government is also working with a range of organisations, including the Association of Citizenship Teachers, to promote the use of Rock Enrol!

    For details of the Electoral Commission’s registration activities I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by the Hon. Member for South West Devon on 22 January 2014, Official Report, column 209W [183573].