Tag: 2015

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on consumer choice represented by the European Commission’s plans to bring forward the setting of maximum premitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements through the food supplements directive.

    Jane Ellison

    No discussions have yet taken place with Commissioner Andriukaitis. The new European Commission has not announced any renewed plans to implement Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive and the Government has not recently made an assessment of potential effects of maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals, either on consumer choice, or on British businesses. Our advice to United Kingdom manufacturers on safe daily dose levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements is based on the report of the UK’s Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. The industry has supported the use of these levels and the report is also used by some other member states as advice for safe upper levels.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential cost to businesses of prohibiting the use of strong encryption; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office have received a number of representations from members of the
    public on encryption. This Government supports the use of encryption, which
    helps keep personal data and intellectual property safe. It is also vital that
    the security and intelligence agencies can access unencrypted data to prevent
    threats to our national security, when it is necessary and proportionate to do
    so. We will continue to engage with industry regarding these issues.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of use of force resulted in (a) minor and (b) serious injuries in each private prison in England and Wales in each year since 2010.

    Andrew Selous

    Unfortunately it has not been possible to fully extract the relevant data with regards to this question in the given timeframe. I will write to the Hon. Member when I am able to provide a response.

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the change in real terms of the cost of travelling by (a) private car, (b) bus, (c) train and (d) domestic air flight between (i) 2000 and 2010 and (ii) 2010 and 2014.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport published statistics on travel costs, based on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the Transport Statistics Great Britain compendium.

    Data from the independent ONS suggests that:

    (i) Between 2000 and 2010 the real cost of motoring, including the purchase of a vehicle, declined by 8%, bus and coach fares increased by 20% and rail fares increased by 15% in real terms.

    (ii) Between 2010 and 2014 the real cost of motoring, including the purchase of a vehicle, decreased by 5%, bus and coach fares increased by 2% and rail fares increased by 6% in real terms.

    (iii) The costs of travelling by air are not available from ONS data. However information is available based on fare data from the Civil Aviation Authority. The real cost of the average UK one-way air fare, including taxes and charges, covering domestic flights from 2000 to 2010 declined by 41% and from 2010 to 2013 declined by 4%, reflecting a range of factors including increased competition between airlines. Estimates for 2014 are not yet available.

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of former jobseeker’s allowance claimants moving into work from the Work Programme in Merseyside, Halton, Cumbria and Lancashire contract area started work on a zero-hours contract in the last 12 months.

    Esther McVey

    Information published by the Office for National Statistics suggests zero-hours contracts make up a small part of the overall labour market, accounting for about 2-4% of all people in work.

    Jobseekers claiming Jobseekers Allowance are not required to apply for zero-hours contract vacancies, they will not be sanctioned as a result of not applying. UC claimants who refuse to accept a zero hours contract job offer, without good reason, can be subject to a sanction as UC automatically adjusts benefit payments depending on the number of hours a person works – whatever the type of contract. However a UC claimant will not be sanctioned for refusing to take a zero hours contract with an exclusivity clause. UC is about enabling people to make a smooth transition back into work and off benefits.

    Work Programme providers are not required to submit job start information until they claim a job outcome; only then are they requested to input a job start date which helps secure the validity of the job outcome payment. The type of employment is not a condition for a job outcome payment, although they must be working enough hours to leave benefit and therefore trigger the job outcome payment.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February to Question 222929, if he will make an assessment of the effect on the market for Cloud services of refunding VAT for contracted-out-services but not for Cloud services.

    Mr David Gauke

    No estimate is planned. When determining eligibility for VAT refunds, it is the nature of the IT contract rather than how it is delivered, that counts.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the advertising budget is for the Troops for Teachers campaign; and how much his Department has spent on (a) television, (b) newspaper, (c) online, (d) radio and (e) other forms of advertising using the phrase Troops for Teachers since January 2012.

    Anna Soubry

    The Troops to Teachers programme was formally announced in June 2013. The overall marketing spend to 31 December 2014 was £117,796.

    The table below details the breakdown of the specific marketing and advertising expenditure.

    Type of Advertising

    Expenditure

    Incurred £

    Television

    0

    Newspaper

    17,036

    Online

    3,600

    Radio

    0*

    Other forms of advertising (this includes marketing materials and design; development of website and promotional video)

    97,160

    * The MOD did not incur any costs for the feature on British Forces Broadcasting Service.

  • Dan Byles – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Byles – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Byles on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many wind turbines have been deployed in each county within the 100-500kW feed-in tariff to date.

    Amber Rudd

    Information on regional breakdown of FIT deployment is published quarterly, including a break down by technology and Local Authority area here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/sub-regional-feed-in-tariffs-confirmed-on-the-cfr-statistics.

    “

  • David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees has been published online: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/62632/Consolidated_Guidance_November_2011.pdf

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

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many of the pilots in the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund are not yet fully operational.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    NHS England has advised that all 20 of the pilots in wave one of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund are delivering improved access to general practice, including additional appointments on evenings and weekends. In addition, some of the pilots continue to work on further improvements that will benefit patients such as the development of healthcare apps.