Tag: 2015

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received from the Welsh Government on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

    Andrea Leadsom

    DECC Ministers and officials have regular contacts with the Welsh Government where matters relating to the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon are discussed. The Department will continue to actively engage with the Welsh Government during the Contract for Difference negotiation.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of alternative currencies for benefits payments.

    Priti Patel

    Customers living abroad and in receipt of payments delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions can have their payments made either:

    • Direct into a UK bank or building society account in sterling; or
    • Direct into an overseas account in the local currency;

    All payments made to overseas customers, whether in sterling or local currency, are subject to fluctuating exchange rates. However, for payments made directly to overseas accounts in the relevant local currency, the Department has negotiated a competitive exchange rate which is more favourable that that available on the open Market.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of high quality urgent care in Brighton and Hove.

    Jane Ellison

    The provision of urgent care is the responsibility of NHS England, which is currently reviewing nationally urgent and emergency care and proposes a fundamental shift in the way urgent and emergency care services are provided, delivering more care closer to home where clinically appropriate.

    The review is now within its implementation phase. A key aspect of this implementation is the establishment of Urgent and Emergency Care Networks (UECNs).

    NHS England has developed a suite of tools and guidance to support implementation of the review, including advice on the role and establishment of UECNs.

    In the hon. Member’s constituency, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) undertook a two-day unannounced inspection of urgent and emergency services at the Royal Sussex County Hospital during June 2015. The CQC published the report of this inspection on 23 October 2015 and rated urgent and emergency services inadequate at this hospital.

    The CQC expect the Trust to regularly report, in a single and standard approach, the improvements in quality to all stakeholders through the risk summit process.

    Following the CQC report publication, the Trust will take the following actions:

    – Changes to the Emergency Department floor;

    – Improving ward processes;

    – Hospital Rapid Discharge Team will review support packages with patients and their family when they first arrive in the Emergency Department; and

    – The opening of additional beds at the Princess Royal Hospital.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Spending Review 2015, what savings and efficiencies he will make from the adult skills budget by 2019-20; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    My Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer published the results of the Spending Review on 25th November. This is a good settlement for FE. Between 2010-11 and 2019-20 government will have doubled spending on apprenticeships in cash terms to £2.5 billion, including income from the new apprenticeship levy and protecting funding for the core adult skills participation budgets in cash terms, at £1.5 billion

    The Government will make £362 million of savings and efficiencies from adult skills funding by 2019-20. We are prioritising funding for participation, with savings being made from supporting budgets. We are also restructuring the sector through locally-led Area Reviews to provide sustainable and high quality provision in the future.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the closure of Goodwood Court medical practice in Hove on patient access to primary care in that town.

    Ben Gummer

    We are advised by NHS England that Goodwood Court Medical Practice in Hove closed in June 2015 after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) took immediate action to remove the practice’s registration with the regulator. This was in order to protect the safety and welfare of patients following the findings of a CQC inspection at the practice.

    NHS England subsequently agreed an interim contract with doctors from the Charter Medical Centre to ensure ongoing care could be provided to affected patients following the closure of the Goodwood Court practice.

    The current arrangements with Charter Medical Centre, for the care of former Goodwood Court patients, are due to come to an end on 31 March 2016.

    NHS England has recently written to patients and local stakeholders asking for their views which will help to inform future care for patients of Goodwood Court.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with education and training providers in (a) Wrexham and (b) Cardiff on future capacity to train HM Revenue and Customs staff.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles that will enable it to deliver more for less. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills it requires to continue its transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC estimates that Liverpool will be home to between 2,800 and 3,100 full time equivalent employees. Consolidation into the Regional Centre is expected to begin in 2019-20. HMRC plans to open the Regional Centre in Cardiff in 2019-20. It is likely that the office at Plas Gororau in Wrexham will close in 2020-21. HMRC will be holding one-to-one discussions with each of its people to discuss the next steps.

  • Pauline Latham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Pauline Latham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pauline Latham on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ensure that any agreement on a central registry of beneficial ownership in Bermuda includes access for the public with legitimate reason.

    James Duddridge

    In March the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and I wrote to the Premier of Bermuda asking him to set out plans and a timetable for the implementation of a central register of company beneficial ownership, or similarly effective system, to meet three criteria, including law enforcement access. Bermuda has had a central registry of company and trust beneficiaries since 1939. It includes all shareholdings above 10% compared to the 25% which is the threshold for the UK’s register. The information is updated in real time and is already shared with law enforcement and tax authorities on request. We remain of the view that a public central register is the best approach to improve company transparency.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many graves in each church yard in each diocese in England were vandalised in 2014.

    Mrs Caroline Spelman

    The information requested is not retained at the national level and would incur a disproportionate cost to produce.

    Wilful damage and theft of monumental stonework causes much emotional and financial distress. The Church is continuing to work with local Dioceses, police, insurers and local communities to improve security and awareness.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Egypt.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its annual Human Rights and Democracy Report on 12 March 2015, which provides an assessment of the situation in Egypt, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/country-case-study-egypt

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of redundancy payments arising from meeting the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 target of reducing civilian staff numbers by 41,000.

    Mark Lancaster

    A number of change programmes are already under way to reduce Ministry of Defence civilian workforce numbers. The remaining savings will be made through new studies that will identify opportunities for more efficient and innovative ways of working.