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Tag: 2015

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent a similar incident to the airstrikes in Afghanistan which killed Medecins Sans Frontieres doctors occurring in future.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    It is essential that there is a rigorous process to determine the circumstances surrounding the airstrike on the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) trauma centre in Kunduz in order to prevent something like this occurring again. We await the conclusions of the investigations currently being undertaken by NATO and by the governments of the United States and Afghanistan, and any lessons that these offer.

  • Dr Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dr Poulter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Poulter on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which meetings on the proposed new junior doctor and consultant contracts organised by his Department or NHS employers were attended by representatives from Health Education England.

    Ben Gummer

    Health Education England (HEE) was not formally represented in negotiations: the two parties to the negotiations were employers (from each of the four United Kingdom countries) and the British Medical Association.

    A Director of Postgraduate Hospital Training and a Director of Postgraduate GP Education were involved in negotiations, and remain involved with the development of a new contract. Whilst they are employees of HEE, their role has been to provide educational advice to the management side (employers) as representatives of the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans (UK) and the Committee of General Practice Education Directors (UK). They have attended a range of meetings in that capacity, including the management side meetings and the negotiating meetings that took place roughly every fortnight from October 2013 to October 2014.

    Representatives from HEE also attended other meetings where there were updates on contract reform, including NHS Employers’ quarterly Medical Workforce Forum; and other less formal meetings at which contract reform was discussed, including regular update meetings with the hon. Member, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department.

  • Caroline Spelman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Spelman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Spelman on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the findings of the follow-up audit of reports made under Rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001.

    James Brokenshire

    Stephen Shaw CBE, the former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales, has completed the review into the welfare of vulnerable immigration detainees which the Home Secretary asked him to conduct, and has recently submitted his report to Ministers at the Home Office and Department of Health. His findings are being carefully considered. The report will be published by laying it before Parliament, alongside the Government’s response to the recommendations. The Government intends to publish the Rule 35 audit alongside publication of Stephen Shaw’s report.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what indicators are used by the Government and local authorities to assess the effectiveness of initiatives funded by the Prevent strategy.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government has developed a comprehensive approach to assessing the effectiveness of the initiatives funded by the Prevent strategy, including output measures as well as an increased focus on impact and outcomes.

  • Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Ms Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she has had discussions with Volkswagen and Renault car manufacturers regarding the recall of cars in Northern Ireland aged one to five years for refitting new computer and brake systems; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Northern Ireland Office Ministers have had no discussions with Volkswagen and Renault car manufacturers regarding the recall of cars in Northern Ireland.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the provision of bike racks on buses on the number of people using public transport.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government is keen to promote cycling, and I am aware that bike racks on buses are commonplace in some countries. Whilst we have not conducted any assessments on their role in increasing overall bus patronage, I would encourage bus operators to consider fitting such equipment where it is safe and legal to do so.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have been affected by the benefit cap at any point since September 2013, and are no longer affected, are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) the support component of employment support allowance.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Earl Attlee – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Earl Attlee – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Earl Attlee on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much expenditure this financial year has been saved or postponed by not implementing enhancements originally planned in order to accommodate heavy recovery vehicles for the Army Reserve Centre at Mitcham Road, Croydon.

    Earl Howe

    Infrastructure developments related to the relocation of 150 Recovery Company, part of 103 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, to the Army Reserve Centre in Croydon have not progressed past the initial assessment phase. Therefore, no detailed plans have been developed nor funds allocated. The unit continues to deliver its required outputs including training with heavy recovery vehicles.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 17 July (HL558), what assessment they have made of the impact of the declining number of professionally trained teachers in primary schools on the reading, writing and numerical attainment of children at 11 years of age; and whether they intend to take steps to reverse the decline in teachers who are professionally trained.

    Lord Nash

    Between 2010 and 2014, the full-time equivalent (FTE) number of teachers in primary schools in England has increased by 19,100 (from 196,400 FTEs to 215,500 FTEs). This represents an increase of 9.7% compared with 2010.

    The full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers in primary schools in England has increased over the same period by 17,100 FTEs – from 192,500 FTEs in 2010 to 209,600 FTEs in 2014.

    The proportion of children in England achieving level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics has continued to rise over recent years; from 75% in 2013 to 80% in 2015.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the years 2015 to 2025, what is (1) the planned expenditure on (a) rail, and (b) road, improvements in the north of England, and (2) the planned annual budget for economic activity provided to the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As outlined in the existing Road Investment Strategy, announced in 2014, the total investment in major schemes on the strategic road network in the North (taken to be the North West, North East and Yorkshire) between April 2015 and March 2021 is expected to be about £2.9 billion. Construction of some of these schemes will continue beyond 2021 so the overall spend is expected to be £4.8 billion. Over £2.5 billion has also been committed to local transport projects and improvements to 2021. In addition, substantial amounts of funding have been allocated to road maintenance on both the strategic and local road networks in the north.

    The Government has ambitious plans for rail which is why Network Rail has been allocated a record £38 billionfor the period from 2014-2019. The Secretary of State for Transport has asked Sir Peter Hendy, as the new chair of Network Rail, to report to him this autumn with a proposal for re-planning the Control Period 5 enhancements in a way that is efficient, deliverable and affordable. Until that work is complete, the spending profile in any given year is not available.

    The Government will update its plans following the Spending Review, which will conclude on 25 November 2015.