Tag: 2015

  • Margaret Curran – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Margaret Curran – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what safeguards he plans to put in place to ensure the security of Scottish NHS data shared with HM Revenue and Customs.

    Mr David Gauke

    Any taxpayer data held by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is subjected to strict safeguards.

    HMRC take their duty of confidentiality very seriously and cannot disclose any information acquired or held unless specifically provided for by law. All HMRC information is subject to stringent data security controls and unlawful disclosure of taxpayer information is potentially a criminal offence.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women are employed full-time in the Royal Navy.

    Anna Soubry

    As at 1 January 2015, there were 3,060 women employed in the Naval Service.

    This figure represents trained and untrained Regular personnel and those on Full Time Reserve Service, and has been rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals have not met their staffing requirements for registered nurse day hours in each month since May 2010.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The information is not available for the period requested. As part of our drive to make the National Health Service more transparent NHS England introduced mandatory reporting of monthly actual and planned nursing and midwifery staffing levels by hospital wards in May 2014.

    In November 2013 the National Quality Board (NQB) supported by Jane Cummings, the Chief Nursing Officer for England, published guidance on How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time’. The guidance specifies that the skill mix of the workforce should reflect the patient care needs and local requirements, considering the experience and capabilities of the workforce employed. The skill mix should reflect outcome indicators such as incidents of harm, patient experience and staff experience. Each ward has to identify the appropriate knowledge and nursing skill mix required in the team to meet the nursing needs of the ward’s patients, with registered nurses remaining accountable for the overall care and safety of patients.

    NHS trust boards are required to scrutinise exception reports on any variations in actual versus planned, as part of the Board’s responsibility for assuring safe staffing. Reports to Trust Boards must meet the requirements set out in the NQB guidance. Trusts will triangulate the safe staffing fill rate with other indicators for example outcome indicators of safety – levels of harm, staff and patient feedback. Boards must be able to demonstrate to their commissioners that robust systems and processes are in place to assure themselves that the nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability in their organisations is sufficient. These staffing decisions will then be subject to external scrutiny and challenge by commissioners, regulators and the public, and inspection by the Chief Inspector of Hospitals.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received from NHS trusts on difficulties experienced in recruiting breast radiologists.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Secretary of State has not received any representation from National Health Service trusts on difficulties experienced in recruiting breast radiologists.

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any staff of her Department are engaged in considering the effects of drone strikes on civilian populations as part of her Department’s work in the Middle East and North Africa.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    In countries where DFID has humanitarian programmes, we monitor the general humanitarian situation in close communication with partners on the ground.

  • Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Hywel Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants he expects to return to work as a consequence of the revised benefit cap.

    Esther McVey

    This information is not available as the benefit cap has not been revised.

    The latest official statistics show over 55,000 households have been capped to November 2014. In total, on average, 800 households per month have either found work or are no longer claiming housing benefit. Of those no longer capped, 40 per cent or 12,478 households went into work. The actual number of households who have gone into work may be higher; some individuals may go into work but may not be eligible to claim WTC if their earnings are too high or the hours worked do not meet the claim requirements. Further information can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-november-2014

    “

  • David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on the number of people (a) qualified and (b) qualified at level 3 as hairdressers and barbers.

    Nick Boles

    Information on the total number of people in the population with a Hairdressing or Barbering qualification is not held centrally. The Department only holds data on government-funded learners.

    Table 1 shows the number of non-apprenticeship learners who achieved a Hairdressing or Barbering qualification in the 2013/14 academic year, and at what level.

    Table 2 shows the number of learners who achieved an apprenticeship in Hairdressing or Barbering in the 2013/14 academic year, and at what level.

    Table 1. Adult (19+) FE & Skills (excluding Apprenticeships) Achievements by Level; Hairdressing and Barbering (2013/14 Full Year)

    Achievements

    All FE and Skills (excluding apprenticeships)

    33,680

    of which:

    Below Level 2

    8,850

    Level 2

    17,810

    Level 3

    7,650

    Level 4+

    60

    Notes

    1) This table includes Workplace Learning, Community Learning and Education and Training provision (including the Offender Learning and Skills Service) taken at General Further Education Colleges (including Tertiary), Sixth Form Colleges, Special Colleges, Specialist Colleges and External Institutions.

    Table 2. All Age Learner Achievements in the Hairdressing and Barbering Apprenticeship Frameworks, by Level (2013/14 Full Year)

    Intermediate (Level 2)

    Advanced (Level 3)

    Higher (Level 4+)

    Total Achievements

    Barbering

    1,370

    350

    –

    1,710

    Hairdressing

    6,130

    3,450

    –

    9,570

    Notes

    1) Figures represent the number of learners who have achieved an apprenticeship framework, as opposed to the number of framework achievements, in the 2013/14 academic year. Total achievements will therefore differ from those published for frameworks. Framework achievements are published here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/378242/apprenticeships-achievements-by-sase-framework.xls

    “

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2015 to Question 221932, what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies in the offshore drilling sector since the introduction of the Investment Allowance.

    Priti Patel

    The government understands the challenges currently facing the UK oil and gas industry and is following developments in the North Sea closely.

    The Investment Allowance rewards companies investing in the long-term future of the basin – at all stages of the investment life cycle – and we would expect it to significantly reduce the effective tax rate for companies investing in the UK Continental Shelf.

    Work on the design of the new Investment Allowance has been progressing rapidly since December – the government published a consultation document on its proposals on 22 January.

    The government recognises the importance of the industry to local economies and as an employer. The report published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in partnership with Oil and Gas UK and OPITO (the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation) in December, “Fuelling the next generation: A study of the UK upstream oil and gas workforce” highlighted both the sector’s current contribution to employment and its future potential. The government will continue to work closely with industry through the Oil and Gas Industry Council and with the newly-formed Scottish Energy Jobs Taskforce to support jobs in the sector, develop the industry’s skills base and make sure this potential is realised.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of 15 January 2015, Official Report, Public Bill Committee, column 386, when and in what ways part M of the building regulations have been strengthened as a baseline accessibility standard since 2010.

    Stephen Williams

    The statutory guidance in Approved Document M was most recently updated in 2013. The changes in Approved Document M resulted from a rationalisation of guidance supporting Parts M, K and N (Access, Protection from falling, collision and impact and Glazing respectively) to address areas of conflict and overlap to make it easier to comply with requirements. At the same time the guidance on Access Statements in Approved Document M was amended to promote a more proportionate, risk-based approach and guidance relating to Changing Places toilets was strengthened.

    New, improved guidance will be issued as part of the Housing Standards Review and we are also introducing new optional Building Regulations requirements for wheelchair adaptable and accessible housing.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what briefing his Department provided to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on (a) the promotion and sale of arms and military equipment and (b) human rights before his trip to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Tobias Ellwood) to Question 224052.