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Tag: 2015

  • 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    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their mobility allowance withdrawn requiring them to immediately return their Motability vehicle to the dealer for disposal in each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16;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.

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

    Andrew Griffiths – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many families have been assisted by the Family Nurse Partnership in each NHS trust area in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    Information is not available in the format requested. The table shows the number of families actively taking part on the Family Nurse Partnership Programme (FNP) across England in each of the last five calendar years for which information is available.

    The FNP lasts for approximately two and a half years, from early pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. Some people can leave the programme before their child is two for a variety of reasons.

    There are currently over 16,500 FNP places available in England across 135 local authority areas.

    Year (1 January-31 December)

    Number of women active in year

    2010

    5,458

    2011

    6,160

    2012

    8,403

    2013

    9,981

    2014

    11,850

  • Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration she has given to the use of family reunions to facilitate resettlement within the Government’s Syrian refugee programme.

    James Brokenshire

    We recognise that families may be separated because of the nature of conflict and persecution and the speed and manner in which those seeking asylum often flee their country of origin. Our refugee family reunion policy allows immediate family members of a person in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status – that is a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18, who formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin – to reunite with them in the UK.

    The Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme was launched in January 2014 and is the first resettlement programme run by the UK to target support for refugees specifically on the basis of their vulnerability. On 7 September 2015, the Prime Minister announced a significant extension of the scheme, in recognition of the worsening crisis. We intend to resettle 20,000 refugees from Syria’s neighbouring countries over the lifetime of this Parliament.

    The scheme is helping those in the greatest need who cannot be supported effectively in the region by giving them protection and support in the UK. The current criteria for acceptance under the scheme will be expanded to ensure more of those in the greatest need are resettled, together with their family members, in the UK. Where possible, the Government working with UNHCR, aims to resettle all close family members and dependents together.

    Those resettled under the Syrian VPR scheme are eligible to act as sponsors under the family reunion provisions. This means that if their immediate family members are still abroad, and they meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, they will be issued with a visa and the family will be able to reunite in the UK. Any family members who are already in the UK are also eligible to apply under the family reunion provisions.

  • Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2015-09-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) total and (b) average monthly cost has been of the nationally co-ordinated detached duty scheme for prison officers since that scheme’s introduction.

    Andrew Selous

    Using centrally held financial records it is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to determine the costs of the nationally coordinated detached duty scheme.

    Information on the average monthly provision of Band 3 to 5 prison officers received as part of the nationally coordinated detached duty scheme, since November 2013, are shown in the table below. November 2013 was the first full month of the nationally coordinated detached duty scheme.

    Average provision of Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers on detached duty to public sector prisons in England & Wales, November 2013 – June 2015

    Month

    Equivalent Full Time Officers

    Nov 2013

    110

    Dec 2013

    210

    Jan 2014

    210

    Feb 2014

    160

    Mar 2014

    130

    Apr 2014

    210

    May 2014

    160

    Jun 2014

    170

    Jul 2014

    230

    Aug 2014

    240

    Sep 2014

    230

    Oct 2014

    240

    Nov 2014

    230

    Dec 2014

    240

    Jan 2015

    260

    Feb 2015

    230

    Mar 2015

    210

    Apr 2015

    190

    May 2015

    260

    Jun 2015

    270

    All figures in the tables are rounded to the nearest 10, with numbers ending in 5 rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Rounding to 10 accurately depicts the level of certainty that is held with these figures. Values of 5 or fewer are denoted as ‘~’