Tag: 2015

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if her Department will consult openly on what scheme will succeed ECO and the Green Deal, and in that consultation address the issues of (a) accessibility of funding for community groups, (b) fuel bill levies and (c) quality assurance.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. The Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. The longer-term future of ECO will be part of these discussions around a new, better-integrated policy and we will formally consult on changes to ECO regulations at the appropriate moment. In the meantime we have been and will continue to engage with stakeholders about all aspects of a new policy framework including accessibility of funding for community groups. The Government has also commissioned an independent review led by Peter Bonfield to investigate consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement of energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes and to ensure that the system properly supports and protects consumers.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to offer support to the World Health Organisation to ensure that it is transparent, accountable and better able to respond to emergencies such as the ebola crisis.

    Jane Ellison

    We are working with other relevant Departments across Government, and as members of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board to drive the reform process. We want to ensure that WHO focuses on what it can do best and is better equipped to address the increasingly complex challenges of the 21st Century.

    In response to the Ebola crisis, we have committed up to $10million to the WHO Contingency Fund, to help finance the rapid scaling up of the WHO’s initial response to outbreaks and emergencies with health consequences. We are supporting the establishment of the Global Health Emergency Workforce and are developing plans to establish a United Kingdom rapid response team that would complement this mechanism. Linked to this we are working with WHO to ensure the establishment of a new emergency response platform which will unite and direct all WHO outbreak and emergency response operations within its mandate.

    We are also contributing to the member state driven governance reform process, to support ambitious reform of these aspects; including the establishment of a clear and accountable leadership across all levels of the organisation. As members of the Programme Budget and Administration Committee, we are pressing WHO to improve aspects of compliance controls, transparency and delivery of results.

  • Kevin Barron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevin Barron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Barron on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the role of community pharmacies in keeping people healthy.

    Alistair Burt

    We have long recognised that community pharmacy teams play a vital role in improving people’s health, preventing ill-health and helping to reduce health inequalities. Informed by a growing evidence base, we have enabled community pharmacy to deliver a wide range of public health services. We have actively supported the implementation of Healthy Living Pharmacies, with qualified health champions on site reaching out to, and improving the health of, people in their communities.

    Public Health England (PHE) keeps under review the progress that pharmacy is making on keeping people healthy and is providing system leadership for pharmacy’s public health role and strategic leadership for the acceleration and spread of Healthy Living Pharmacies across the country. PHE’s vision for pharmacy is one in which community pharmacy teams are fully integrated into the local primary care networks, playing an appropriate and pivotal role in improving the health of people in England. PHE has built a strong relationship with the sector, seeking to utilise its unique offering of access, location and an informal environment, with trusted staff that reflect the background of the communities that they serve. PHE is embedding pharmacy in its priority public health programmes such as prevention, early detection and management of blood pressure, NHS Health Checks and smoking cessation.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate the Government has made of the average cost to a claimant, including tribunal fees, time spent on case, travel and communication, and advice and representation, of pursuing an employment tribunal claim for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal.

    Nick Boles

    The Government does not have a breakdown of average costs to a claimant of taking an employment tribunal claim for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their mobility allowance withdrawn requiring them to immediately return their Motability vehicle to the dealer for disposal in each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16; and how many such people have won an appeal against the withdrawal of mobility allowance allowing them to return to a dealer to purchase a second Motability vehicle to aid their mobility.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Motability is an independent registered charity. It is not sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department works closely with Motability and facilitates the transfer of benefit to Motability on behalf of those claimants who have chosen to join the Motability Scheme. The Scheme purchases vehicles which are then leased to Scheme customers. The purchase of the vehicles is funded by the Scheme and there is no cost to the public purse.

    Responsibility for the charity’s policies and operational strategy falls to the Governors and Director of Motability. Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme including collating its own management information. Questions about the number of vehicles returned to Motability and number of vehicles purchased can be sent to: Declan O’Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.

  • MiDavies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    MiDavies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by MiDavies on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce avoidable mortality in hospitals.

    Jane Ellison

    This Government is strongly committed to improving patient safety, including encouraging greater transparency about the performance of hospitals against key indicators for safety.

    We are leading an ambitious programme of work to help trusts understand and act on their own mortality rates: the focus of this work is to support improvement at local level.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-09-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on the introduction of an Islamic bond.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In June last year the UK became the first country outside of the Islamic world to issue sovereign Sukuk, the Islamic equivalent of bonds, cementing Britain’s position as the western hub for Islamic finance.

    The £200 million of Sukuk will mature in 2019. They were sold to investors based in the UK and in the major hubs for Islamic finance around the world.

    The Sukuk received very strong demand, delivering good value for the taxpayer. Orders for the Sukuk totalled around £2.3 billion.

  • David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding his Department provides to support high streets in seaside and coastal towns and villages; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Since 2010 we have committed over £18.53 million of public funding to support high streets, including in coastal towns and villages.

    In 2014 we launched the "Great British High Street" awards which includes a coastal town category.

    Since 2012 the Government’s Coastal Communities Fund has also committed over £91 million to help coastal areas, including support for a range of projects that are contributing to the regeneration of high streets in a number of coastal towns including Blackpool, Chatham, Gravesend and Scarborough.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department began testing the ASRAAM missiles on the F-35B Joint Striker Fighter; and when he expects that missile will be fully integrated into that aircraft.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Integration testing of ASRAAM missiles onto F-35B aircraft commenced in summer 2014 and on current plans will be available in time for first aircraft delivery.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he has had with (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian officials in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    In the last year, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has held three meetings with Israel officials and two meetings with Palestinian officials. He also visited Israel and the OPTs in July 2015. I have also held numerous meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials, and visited the region last October.