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Tag: 2015

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she plans to take to raise awareness of the prejudice against transgender people.

    Caroline Dinenage

    M​any transgender people face discrimination in the workplace, as well as in their day-to-day lives. That is why I will publish guidance for employers and service providers on 26 November 2015, to improve knowledge and understanding.

    I want to continue to raise awareness of the issues and discrimination facing many transgender and non-binary people.

    On Transgender Day of Remembrance, 20 November 2015, my department became the first to fly the transgender flag, remembering all those who have lost their lives and faced discrimination.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which trades union groups have received (a) funding and (b) other support from her Department in each of the last five years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID has funded the following trade union groups in the last five years:

    • Ethical Trading Initiative (an alliance of almost 87 companies, trade unions and NGOs) in 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15.
    • Unison in the years 2012/13 and 2013/14.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) start fees, (b) short placement completion fees, (c) long placement completion fees and (d) job outcome fees have been paid to providers of Community Work Placements under the Help to Work scheme since April 2014.

    Priti Patel

    From April 2014 to the end of June 2015 there were 25,340 participants who started a Community Work Placement. These would all have triggered a start fee to the relevant provider.

    The department intends to publish further information on Community Work Placements on the 22 December 2015. This release will cover the number of short placement completion, Long placement completion and Job Outcome fees paid to providers.

  • Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Attorney General, what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the information provided to Parliament on the legal basis for supporting coalition air strikes in Syria.

    Jeremy Wright

    I refer the Hon Member to the oral answer I gave to the Hon Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Alan Brown) earlier today.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what operational assessment has been undertaken of proposals to use the upgraded TPS-77 radar systems at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan as mitigation for planned wind turbine developments.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In respect of the upgrade of the Air Defence radar at Remote Radar Head (RRH) Buchan, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is in contact with the developers who proposed the upgrade as mitigation for their wind farm proposal.

    At RRH Benbecula, the MOD is in contact with the Western Isles Council and developers via the Council’s Working Group. In addition, the MOD provided an Air Defence update at the Aviation Management Board meeting on 5 November 2015 at which Scottish Government, the wind industry and RenewableUK representatives were present.

    The MOD continues to undertake full technical and operational assessments of all site specific Air Defence radar mitigation proposals, including those to the upgraded TPS-77 radar systems at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan. It remains the responsibility of developers to submit site specific mitigation proposals. The MOD will determine whether the impact upon the radar is of a permissible level.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gavin Robinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent clinical assessments his Department has made of the potential medical benefits of cannabis.

    George Freeman

    Cannabis and its preparations are Class B controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Cannabis is also subject to international drug control under UN Conventions. In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to produce, possess, supply, import and export cannabis except under Home Office licence. Apart from the drug Sativex, which is derived from cannabis, the UK does not recognise herbal cannabis as having any medicinal use.

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis in October 2014 that does not recommend Sativex, a cannabis-derived treatment, as a cost effective use of National Health Service resources. NICE’s guideline on multiple sclerosis is published at:

    https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg186/resources/multiple-sclerosis-management-of-multiple-sclerosis-in-primary-and-secondary-care-35109816059077

    “

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2015 to Question 16265, what procedures jobcentre advisers follow when their clients request a referral to a foodbank for the fourth time in any given year.

    Priti Patel

    If a claimant wishes to access the services of a foodbank, Jobcentre Plus can signpost them to an appropriate organisation.

  • Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was deducted from the Northern Ireland Executive’s budget in 2014–15 and 2015–16 due to its failure to implement welfare reforms.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    As a result of the delays in implementing welfare reform in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Northern Ireland Executive’s budget was reduced by £87m in 2014-15 and £114m in 2015-16 to reflect the additional costs to the Exchequer of the existing welfare system.

    As a part of the ‘Fresh Start’ agreement to facilitate the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement, the government committed to returning a proportion of the deduction for 2015-16 when the Assembly gave legislative consent for the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Act 2015. This will be added to the Executive’s allocations in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the career progression of people aged 16 to 24 who have completed an apprenticeship since 2010.

    Nick Boles

    The Department assesses the impact of apprenticeships on career progression in a number of ways including measuring longer term wage and employment outcomes, short term employment outcomes and self-reported impacts. We also measure progression of advanced apprentices to higher education. Where possible the data are broken down by age band. Links to the relevant reports are provided below.

    Wage returns and employment outcomes for Further Education, including apprenticeships are published here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-comparing-labour-market-economic-benefits-from-qualifications-gained

    Experimental data showing the learning and employment outcomes of learners completing further education training between 2010 and 2013 is published here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-further-education-outcome-based-success-measures-experimental-data-2010-to-2013

    Short term employment outcomes and self-reported impacts are published in the Evaluation of apprenticeships: learner survey which is published here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-evaluation-learner-survey-2014

    Progression of advanced apprentices to higher education broken down by year and age band is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/progression-of-apprentices-to-higher-education-second-cohort

    “

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings HM Revenue and Customs held with (a) Leeds and (b) Bradford Council on deciding the location for its regional hub.

    Mr David Gauke

    On 12 November, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the next stage of its ten-year modernisation programme. As part of that, the department demonstrated its long-term commitment to Yorkshire and the Humber by setting out that it would establish a Regional Centre in Leeds.

    A number of factors were considered by HMRC when deciding where to locate its new Regional Centres. In addition to cost, it considered local and national transport links, the local labour market, supply of future workforce and the retention of current staff and skills.

    HMRC modelled the impact of locating the Regional Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber in both Bradford and Leeds. For both scenarios, it took into account the potential loss of jobs for staff expected to be outside of reasonable daily travel (defined as approximately 1 hour from home to work, though dependent on individual circumstances).

    HMRC first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, setting out how and why it is changing. The department is committed to continuing to support all of its employees who are affected by these changes.

    Staff in Yorkshire attended a number of face-to-face events, providing feedback on the potential location of the regional centre. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.

    This transformation programme will ultimately enable HMRC to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. It will generate estate savings of £100 million a year by 2025.