Tag: 2014

  • Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2015 to Question 219653, what the budget is for the advertising campaign to promote a greater take-up of superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    For the areas to be covered by the Government’s phase 1 Superfast Broadband Programme, we estimate that up to a further £120m will be generated for investment in further coverage for every 10 percentage point increase on the programme’s 20% take-up baseline. The quicker people take up services in the areas delivered with public funding, the quicker funding is returned for reinvestment by the supplier; we therefore launched an £8 million national marketing campaign to raise awareness. The budget for the campaign was based on evidence of previous government campaigns to reach the optimum amount of our target audience.

  • Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Barclay on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 2.3 of the report of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Tackling Radicalisation and Extremism, published in December 2013, which organisations have received support and advice to exclude extremists; and what funding for that purpose each such organisation has received.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office works alongside local partners and organisations in a range of sectors to challenge and disrupt extremism. There are Prevent programmes in place in all key sectors, including, local government, health, education,
    prisons, youth justice, immigration and charities.

    We do not comment on the funding arrangements for individual organisations.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his Department’s policy to seek to recover VAT on bitcoin transactions.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the Rt. hon gentleman to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) brief on this topic.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many individuals or small and medium-sized enterprises contracting with, or providing consultancy services to, Government departments have been paid daily fees greater than £100 in the last five years.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The information is not held centrally.

    As a result of this Government’s commercial reforms, by limiting expenditure on marketing and advertising, consultants and temporary agency staff, we have saved the taxpayer £870m in 2010-11; £1bn in 2011-12; £1.9bn in 2012-13; and £2bn in 2013-14 – all against a 2009-10 baseline.

  • Chris Skidmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Skidmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Skidmore on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the per capita spend on NHS services was in Kingswood constituency in (a) 2010 and (b) 2015.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following table.

    South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) programme allocations and per capita funding for 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16.

    Financial year

    Programme allocation (£ million)

    Funded £ per head of population

    2013/14

    239

    921

    2014/15

    249

    946

    2015/16

    263

    997

    Source: South Gloucestershire CCG

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to promote freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK is a strong and leading supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We continue to raise a range of human rights issues with the Saudi authorities including the right to freedom of expression. Earlier this month we raised freedom of expression at a senior level with the Saudi authorities.

  • George Hollingbery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    George Hollingbery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Hollingbery on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2015 to Question 219112, what management measures will be examined in the review of domestic management measures for bass.

    George Eustice

    The current review of the domestic management measures for bass should be completed within the next few weeks. Aligned with work at European level to reverse the steep decline in bass stocks, the high-level review will focus principally on the need for any change to our current domestic management measures, such as the catch limits on commercial fishing for bass, minimum landing size for bass and protection of bass nursery areas. Where it is identified that action is required, this work will be further developed and, where national legislation may be required, will follow the usual legislative process. We will seek the views of key stakeholders on the way forward. Any proposed national legislation will be subject to public consultation involving stakeholders, other government departments and interested parties. The relevant documentation to support the new legislation will be made publically available, where not already published.

  • Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Munn on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for continuous positive airways pressure therapy for those diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea.

    Jane Ellison

    Local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for assessing the needs of their local populations and for commissioning services to meet those needs. For patients with obstructive sleep apnoea, NHS England expects CCGs to take into account the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when deciding what services should be made available.

    NICE has published technology appraisal guidance which recommends the use of continuous positive airway pressure as a treatment option for adults with moderate or severe symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome, where certain criteria are met.

    NICE has been commissioned to develop a quality standard on sleep disordered breathing and will in due course consider which conditions will be covered under the scope of the quality standard and the need for associated clinical guidance.

    There are currently no special provisions for people with sleep apnoea who drive for a living, but this will be considered as part of the guideline.

    Individuals diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea and who are waiting for continuous positive airways pressure therapy are prioritised according to clinical need.

    We do not collect information centrally on the time people wait between diagnosis and treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea. The Referral to Treatment operational standards state that 90% admitted and 95% of non-admitted patients should start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral. In order to sustain delivery of these standards, 92% of patients who have not yet started treatment should have been waiting no more than 18 weeks. Whilst individual National Health Service organisations are monitored on their performance in this area, obstructive sleep apnoea is not separately identified.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much public expenditure was allocated from her Department to Unilever in each financial year from 2009-10; and how much public expenditure is allocated to that company for 2015-16.

    Justine Greening

    No resources have been allocated to Unilever.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total funds provided by Government for (a) corporate welfare grants and support schemes and (b) tax forgone.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government offers a wide range of financial support to business through different grants and tax reliefs. For example the Regional Growth Fund has so far committed £2.6 billion of support to over 400 awards which are expected to deliver £16 billion of private sector investment and 573,000 jobs.

    Overall Government grants and reliefs serve to support UK businesses to invest and grow, generating jobs and economic growth. Business investment has grown 26% since early 2010, there are more people in work now than ever before, and the IMF have forecast the UK as having the fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2014.