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Tag: 2015

  • John Glen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Glen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what methodology his Department uses to model the deadweight assumptions used in assessing the performance of the Work Programme.

    Priti Patel

    The Department’s methodology for calculating the non-intervention level (‘deadweight’) is set out in the National Audit Office’s 2012 report on the Introduction of the Work Programme, in the Detailed Methodology section.

    https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/10121701_methodology.pdf

    “

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to her Statement of 19 November 2015, Official Report, column 807, whether the Northern Ireland Executive can progress its own policies on onshore wind.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Energy is a devolved matter for Northern Ireland. Whilst that means that the Northern Ireland Executive can develop its own policies on onshore wind, it is this government’s position that any policy which results in additional support to onshore wind should not be funded by the GB consumers.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the potential negative effects of restricting dietary sodium intake.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The evidence base relating to dietary sodium intake was extensively reviewed in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) report ‘Salt and Health’, published in 2003. In reviewing the evidence, SACN noted that the greatest benefits were likely to be achieved by taking a population approach to reducing salt intakes rather than through individual targeted advice.

    The SACN continues to monitor average salt intakes through a programme of dietary survey work.

    New voluntary salt reduction targets have been developed for 76 specific food groups that contribute most to people’s salt intakes and major retailers, manufacturers and caterers are working to meet these targets by December 2017.

    The SACN has also reviewed the evidence around the impact of low sodium intakes. It found no basis for changing the existing recommendation for a target reduction in average salt intake to 6 grammes per day for the adult population, equivalent to 2.4 grammes per day of sodium.

    The SACN ‘Salt and Health’ report is attached and can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-salt-and-health-report

    “

  • Tom Brake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons the UK did not support a draft UN resolution calling for an international inquiry into human rights abuses by all parties in the Yemen conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    A Resolution on the Human Rights situation in Yemen was agreed at the last session of the Human Rights Council on 2 October. The UK’s priority was to secure cross-regional agreement on a text that would strengthen human rights in Yemen as we urge all parties to find a solution to the crisis. The Human Rights Council does not have a mandate to call for investigations in to International Humanitarian Law. The consensual UN resolution agreed has tasked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to help Yemen investigate human rights abuses and violations. The UK supports the UN resolution as it reflects the current human rights situation and makes constructive recommendations to strengthen human rights in Yemen.

  • Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Freyberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to take steps to increase the number of vocational pathways in design disciplines, and if so, by how many.

    Lord Nash

    There are a variety of different options available to young people to enable them to gain the skills required to enter design related occupations. 14-16 year olds can study design related GCSEs and government approved technical awards. 16-19 year olds can study design related A Levels and government approved technical certificates or tech levels, which are supported by employers. Options beyond this include higher education or employment, and there are apprenticeships currently available in the field of design.

    We want to go further to reform technical and professional education to develop a world-leading system to deliver the skills that the economy needs. The Productivity Plan, published in July 2015, announced the government’s intention to reform technical and professional education to provide individuals with clear, high-quality routes to employment.

  • Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nick Hurd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Hurd on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of levels of blindness and low vision are classifiable as preventable.

    Alistair Burt

    There is a range of information already available about levels of preventable sight loss. The indicator within the Public Health Outcomes Framework brings this together in a single place. The indicator is made up of four sub-indicators which will measure the crude rates of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, and of the rate of sight loss certifications per 100,000 population. Data has been collected since 1 April 2013.

    Baseline data for 2010/11 was published in November 2012, broken down by local authority and data providing a time series up to 2013/14 has now been published. It is available to search at:

    http://www.phoutcomes.info/public-health-outcomes-framework#gid/1000044/par/E12000004

    “

  • 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 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Right to Rent provision was included in the Immigration Bill before the report from the trial in the West Midlands had been completed.

    Lord Bates

    The Government has always been clear that the Right to Rent scheme would be rolled out across the country after phase one in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The Prime Minister committed to do so in May this year. Home Office Science has carried out an evaluation of phase one. The findings of the evaluation have now been published and are informing implementation of the roll out of the scheme.

    The evaluation was overseen by an expert panel consisting of representatives from landlords and letting agents associations, housing charities, local authorities and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to enable concerns about the operation of the scheme to be taken into account.

    The Home Office evaluation reported on mystery shopping research, conducted by independent contractors. This found that there were no major differences in prospective tenants’ access to accommodation between the Right to Rent phase one area and comparator areas, where the scheme was not running.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of reductions in funding made between 2010 and 2015 on police forces that have been rated as outstanding for efficiency by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.

    Mike Penning

    Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) have found that there is no simple link between funding and efficiency. As the Home Secretary has previously set out, it is often the need to make savings that drives innovation and change for the better.

    In future, we believe that the allocation of core Government funding to the police should be on the basis of relative need, and that is why the Government has committed to replacing the current, outdated arrangements.

    HMIC set out in their latest PEEL inspection report (October 2015), that there remain significant efficiencies to be delivered from ICT, collaboration and improving workforce capability.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 22 October (HL Deb, GC53–4), what response they have received from the government of Bangladesh following the representations they have made about the murder of secularists and upholding rights of freedom of belief set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has been unequivocal in its condemnation of the murder of four secular bloggers in Bangladesh this year, and in calling for the Government of Bangladesh to protect those who face threats to their lives because of the views they have expressed. The Bangladesh authorities continue their investigations to find the perpetrators and a number of arrests have been made. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, visited Bangladesh from 31 August to 9 September. We look forward to his report at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 and we will encourage the government to consider all its recommendations carefully.

  • Iain Stewart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Iain Stewart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Stewart on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contribution the Road Investment Strategy has made to increasing the housing supply.

    Andrew Jones

    The Road Investment Strategy (RIS), announced in December 2014, is the biggest upgrade to England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads in a generation. As part of the RIS, a new £100 million fund dedicated to Growth and Housing was announced. This allows Highways England to help accelerate the progress of key housing and mixed-use sites that have secured planning consent but are not progressing due to the strategic road infrastructure improvements they require.

    In addition, many of the major schemes announced in the RIS support economic and housing growth. These include the A5-M1 Link Road, a new Junction 10a on the A14 at Kettering and the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme. Together, these two A14 schemes support delivery of over 20,000 homes.