Tag: 2015

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to take steps to encourage financial services firms to publicise their gender diversity figures.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Our ambition is to eliminate gender pay gap within a generation. That is why we will require larger employers, including those in the finance sector, to publish information showing the differences between men and women’s pay and bonuses.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.125 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether the cap on housing benefit for single claimants under 35 will apply to those in receipt of disability benefits.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The existing exemptions that already apply to private rented sector tenants aged less than 35 will be carefully considered prior to implementing the cap for similar tenants living in the social rented sector.

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what due diligence was undertaken by his Department prior to the purchase of the Redcar coke ovens and blast furnace.

    Anna Soubry

    The purchase of the Redcar coke ovens and blast furnace was a commercial transaction between SSI and Tata Steel, both privately owned companies.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust followed its own procedures correctly in appointing the Chairman of the Trust to hear a right of appeal from nine BME members of staff against the decision of Henrietta Hill QC.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) is monitoring and working closely with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust to support the Trust to address these issues.

    We are advised by the TDA that the Trust’s Race Equality Workforce Engagement Strategy involves multiple work streams led by area specific engagement groups to address specific issues and challenges across all areas and levels of the Trust. It was launched at the joint Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Network and Trust conference in October 2014.

    A programme board was established and the first meeting was in February 2015. Programme board meetings are co-chaired by the Chief Executive and the Chair of the BME Network in order to provide oversight, performance management and governance of the race equality action plans developed by the various engagement groups.

    We are assured by the TDA that the Trust followed procedures correctly in appointing the Chairman of the Trust to hear a right of appeal from nine BME members of staff against the decision of Henrietta Hill QC.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent providing structured education courses to people living with diabetes in the last year for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    We do not hold the information requested.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many passport interview offices there were in each year since adults applying for the first time for a passport were required to attend a personal interview.

    Lord Bates

    The table below shows the maximum number of interview locations available in each year. The introduction of passport interview offices on 3rd party sites reflects the move to sharing interview locations with 3rd parties, mainly Local Authorities, where previously HM Passport Office had its own site.

    Calendar Year

    Maximum number of passport interview offices

    Maximum number of passport interview offices on 3rd party site

    Total maximum number

    2008

    67

    0

    67

    2009

    67

    0

    67

    2010

    65

    0

    65

    2011

    55

    0

    55

    2012

    23

    11

    34

    2013

    22

    11

    33

    2014

    22

    11

    33

    2015

    22

    11

    33

  • Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits to the UK of implementation of the EU Hazardous Waste Directive.

    Rory Stewart

    The EU Hazardous Waste Directive was repealed on the introduction of the revised Waste Framework Directive in 2008.

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October to Questions 13685 and 14733. An assessment of the costs and benefits of the revised Waste Framework Directive in England and Wales was carried out when laying the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 which transposed the Directive. The assessment was published and is still available on the Legislation.gov website. This is the most up to date assessment of the impacts of the Waste Framework Directive and contains a year-by-year breakdown of the expected costs. As waste is a devolved issue, the Devolved Administrations carried out and published their own impact assessments, which are similarly available online.

  • Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many manned and unmanned sorties have been flown by the RAF this year in support of operations in the Middle East.

    Earl Howe

    The RAF has flown 1,490 manned and 828 unmanned sorties in support of operations in the Middle East from 1 January 2015 to 30 November 2015. These sorties were carried out by ISR aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, Tornado GR4s and Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems.

    These numbers do not include the routine air-bridge that operates twice weekly from the UK to the Middle East to support deployment of personnel and equipment.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of women with perinatal mental health problems had access to specialist counselling in the last year for which figures are available.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not currently collected.

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is working on the implementation of a new Mental Health Services Dataset which will seek to increase the amount of data available about mental health. The exact reporting which will result from this is still being determined, but perinatal mental health has been identified as a key policy area where more data is required in order to understand the current issues with the services being provided to women in the perinatal period.

    In terms of reporting that will come out of the dataset, this is likely to include reports on:

    – how many referrals to mental health services identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral;

    – how many women are identified as being on a perinatal pathway when they come into contact with mental health services;

    – whether women who are admitted with mental health problems are admitted to an appropriate unit; and

    – the kind of care which is provided to women in the perinatal period by community mental health services.

    We expect that some initial data on perinatal mental health will be available between June and September next year. This will be basic information, such as the number of referrals to mental health services that identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral, and we expect data volumes to be low in the first instance. We will use this initial information to refine how data on perinatal mental health is collected going forward.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs offices in Dundee are closing before those in the rest of the UK.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. 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 they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎