Tag: 2014

  • Biography information for Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Robert Halfon on Health.

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    Norman Lamb

    The Care Act will require local authorities to ensure all assessors are appropriately trained to carry out assessments. This builds on the statutory guidance Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives which followed the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy for England, and which required autism awareness training to be available to all staff working in health and social care and specialist training for those in key roles that have a direct impact on access to services for adults with autism. The Department is currently consulting on the regulations and statutory guidance that will support the implementation of the Care Act, and we will remind local authorities through this of this requirement in Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives.

    Due to the complexities of assessing people who are deafblind, regulations under the Care Act will require their assessments to be carried out by a specialist assessor. One of the questions in the consultation document is whether specialist assessors should be required to carry out the assessment of people with other conditions, such as autism, and to explain why this should be the case. Based on the evidence we receive through the consultation we will consider if this requirement should be extended to other conditions.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the (a) highest bonus, (b) number of bonuses and (c) average bonus is that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority plans to pay to employees in 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    No decisions have been taken yet on bonus payments for 2014. Bonus payments will be based on a review by the NDA’s Remuneration Committee of performance against targets across the year, with input from internal and external auditors, and from the Chief Executive. This process will not conclude until June The outcome will be reported in the NDA’s annual report and accounts.

  • Biography information for Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Biography information for Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Caroline Lucas on Home Office.

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    Karen Bradley

    To date 50 refugees have arrived in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons
    Relocation scheme (VPR). We will continue to bring groups here on a regular
    basis, and envisage that several hundred people will be helped over the next three
    years. The VPR scheme does not form part of the UN quota but runs in parallel
    with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR) own Syria
    Humanitarian Admission Programme. The Government has been clear that this is a
    crisis of international proportions and needs a fitting response from the
    international community. The UNHCR is best placed to comment on the policies of
    other countries regarding Syrian refugees. With 2.9 million refugees now in Syria’s
    neighbouring countries, we continue to believe that prioritising humanitarian aid is
    the best way to ensure that the UK’s help has the greatest impact.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of consumer confidence in the authenticity of British food.

    George Eustice

    Defra has not recently carried out its own assessment of consumer confidence in the authenticity of British food. However in 2013 consumer research carried out by both IGD and Mintel showed an increase in consumer trust in British food.

    The IGD ShopperVista survey carried out in March 2013 found that shoppers are now nearly one and a half times more likely to buy British food than they were six years ago, with younger shoppers and families driving this growth. The Mintel report on Consumer Trust in Food, published in June 2013, found that the factor most encouraging consumer trust in food was the use of British ingredients (48%), with product origin on packaging also seen as a key factor (43%).

    The Government is committed to clear and consistent labelling to help consumers make informed decisions about the food that they buy. On 13 December 2013, the European Commission adopted an Implementing Regulation setting out the detailed rules for mandatory country of origin labelling for fresh and frozen, unprocessed, pre-packed pork, poultry, sheep and goat meat. The rules come into force on 1 April 2015. Defra is reviewing with the UK food industry the current industry principles for meat labelled as ‘British’, with a view to re-launching and reinforcing them alongside the new European mandatory labelling requirement.

  • Biography information for Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Biography information for Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Rehman Chishti on Business, Innovation and Skills.

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    Jenny Willott

    Our main labour market policy to improve the position of the low paid is the National Minimum Wage. We have asked the Low Pay Commission to review and recommend minimum wage rates for 2015 that maximise wages without damaging employment.

    We have also increased the focus on compliance and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in order to ensure that those entitled to it, receive it.

    In addition to the National Minimum Wage we are raising the personal tax allowance so that people take home more of what they earn.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department’s biodiversity offsetting schemes, what spatial constraints will be placed on the location of such schemes.

    Dan Rogerson

    Defra is currently considering its policy options on offsetting which include what spatial constraints there might be on the location of offsets.

    These considerations are being made in light of feedback and evidence from several sources. These include our public consultation on biodiversity offsetting in England, the Environmental Audit Committee’s report and evidence from the six offsetting pilots.

  • Biography information for Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Biography information for Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Henry Smith on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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    Mark Simmonds

    In my answer in the House on 17 June I spoke about the key factors that the Government will consider in coming to a policy decision on resettlement of the Territory – value for the UK taxpayer, long-term contingent liabilities, and defence requirements of Diego Garcia to the UK and our allies. This consideration will clearly be driven by the report on the feasibility of resettlement by the independent consultants, which will provide us with a factual analysis of the practicalities that any resettlement might involve, including the economic sustainability of a resettled population, and its environmental impact, and of course the views of Chagossians themselves about what they want to see from our policy. We look forward to the final report which is expected by January 2015.

  • Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Guy Opperman on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he has made any assessment of the appointment of former Senator Daniel Filmus as head of the Malvinas Secretariat in Argentina.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We do not judge that Mr Filmus’ appointment marks a significant change in Argentina’s policy towards the Falkland Islanders. Rather we understand that Mr Filmus is accountable to Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, who retains overall responsibility for Falklands policy within the Argentine Foreign Ministry.

  • Biography information for Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Biography information for Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Christopher Chope on Work and Pensions.

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    Mike Penning

    Further to my letter of 4 June Ms E Stewart’s assessment was completed on 16 June and a decision made on 23 June. Ms Stewart will be notified of this decision on 24 June.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to increase or lower the level of fees in the employment tribunal system.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Lord Chancellor is committed to reviewing the impact of the introduction of fees in the employment tribunals system. The Ministry of Justice is currently finalising arrangements for the timing and scope of this review, to enable the impacts to be properly assessed, and we will be making an announcement in due course.