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Tag: 2015

  • Nigel Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nigel Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints the Pensions Regulator has received in each year since 2010.

    Steve Webb

    The Pensions Regulator publishes all its complaints statistics in its Annual Report and Accounts.

    The figures for each year from 2010 are contained in the table.

    Category

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Stage 1

    20

    24

    18

    16

    Stage 2

    5

    3

    5

    5

    Notes:

    1. A Stage 1 complaint is a first tier complaint which receives a response from the Corporate Secretary.

    2. Stage 2 is where the complainant is not satisfied with the first response and requests a review of the complaint by the Chairman.

    3. Further information about the Pensions Regulator’s complaints process can be found at http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/about-us/how-to-make-a-complaint.aspx

    4. The Pensions Regulator’s Accounts are published at

    http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/about-us/annual-reports.aspx

    “

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support exports of UK textile manufacturing.

    Matthew Hancock

    UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) provides a wide range of help to businesses in all sectors – including textile manufacturers – that are seeking to export. UKTI will also continue to work with textile trade associations in organising trade missions and taking textile manufacturers to trade shows and other events around the world as it has done over the past year.

  • Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of population growth on local government finance needs.

    Kris Hopkins

    Parliament approved the Local Government Finance Report for 2015-16 on 10 February 2015. The settlement is fair to all; councils with the highest needs have higher spending power per household than those with lower needs.

    The focus of the settlement has deliberately changed away from keeping authorities dependent on grant, to providing them with the tools they need to grow their economies. As a result, although we took into account relative needs when setting the baseline for the new system, we have frozen this to maximise the incentive effect. All councils can benefit from the incentives for growth we have put in place – the New Homes Bonus and business rates retention.

    For example Newham’s retained income from Business Rates in 2013-14 was just under £7 million above its baseline funding level; and the authority’s own forecasts suggest it will be over £10 million above its baseline funding level in 2014-15. In addition Newham’s housing stock has increased by over 8,000 units over the period of the New Homes bonus scheme, providing a further £28 million of funding to the Borough in the years to 2015-16.

  • Nigel Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nigel Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people serving in the Army Reserve left in each year since 2010.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The available data on outflow from the Territorial Army (TA) for Financial Year (FY) 2011-12 was provided in an answer given by the then Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Andrew Robathan) on 26 June 2012, (Official Report, column 196-197W) to the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr Davies). The outflow from the TA in FY 2011-12 (excluding the Officer Training Corps) was 5,720.

    Since then, outflow from the Army Reserves was 4,620 in FY 2012-13 and 3,430 in FY 2013-14.

    The year end total for FY 2014-15 will be released in the Quarterly Personnel Report which will be published in May 2015. The outflow from the Army Reserve for the first three quarters of FY 2014-15 was 2,710.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the role of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office representatives regularly discuss MINURSO with their international counterparts, most recently in New York in January 2015. The UK supports the UN-led efforts to reach a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on introducing a resolution condemning Bahrain’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK remains actively engaged with the United Nations Human Rights Council on Bahrain and we will continue to work closely with other member states and to align ourselves with statements which accurately reflect the situation on the ground. The UK is playing a key role in implementing reforms in Bahrain.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rushanara Ali – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public health grant was awarded to Tower Hamlets in each year from 2005-06 to 2013-14.

    Jane Ellison

    Tower Hamlets, in line with other local authorities, has only been in receipt of a public health ring fenced grant since 1 April 2013. In 2013/14 Tower Hamlets received a grant of £31,382,000.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) patients and (b) patients with life-limiting conditions have (i) been assessed by each specialised augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provider and (ii) had equipment provided by each specialised AAC provider in each month since 1 October 2014.

    Norman Lamb

    NHS England has advised that information concerning the number of patients either waiting for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) equipment assessment or who have had an AAC assessment (and subsequently had equipment provided) received is not collected centrally.

    Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning AAC aids for patients with complex disability whose needs require specialised assessment.

    For 2014/15 NHS England identified an additional £22.5 million for AAC and environmental controls (devices which manage functions or appliances in a particular environment, usually the home) and the identification of providers was completed last August last year. The 13 AAC providers selected are currently recruiting the additional specialist therapy staff needed to deliver this service many now have new staff now in post or due to start in the next few months.

    All 13 of the providers have confirmed that they are accepting referrals and multi-disciplinary assessments are being offered to patients. Priority is being given to patients who have a life limiting condition and every effort is being made to clear any backlog of patients waiting for assessments and to improve waiting times.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the North West Amublance Service on ambulance cover and ambulance waiting times in (a) Preston and (b) the North West in 2014.

    Jane Ellison

    My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State chaired a teleconference with the heads of all regional ambulance services, including the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, on 12 October 2014 to discuss their contingency plans ahead of industrial action the following week.

  • Sarah Teather – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been referred to her Department by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for resettlement in the UK through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme to date.

    James Brokenshire

    As of 31 December 2014, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had referred 260 people for consideration under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons
    Relocation (VPR) scheme. This data has not previously been published, is based on management information only, and has not therefore been subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications.

    In the same period to 31 December, as already published through the quarterly release of Home Office statistics, 143 people had arrived in the UK under the VPR scheme.