The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department has taken to implement the family test; and if she will make a statement.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The Family Test policy does not apply to DFID’s work as foreign policy is outside of the scope of the Test.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the National Funding Formula on (a) schools, (b) teachers and (c) pupils in Liverpool.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The government is committed to meeting our manifesto pledge to make school funding fairer. At the Spending Review we announced our intention to deliver this by introducing a National Funding Formula in 2017, so that the money we provide for schools is fairly matched to need. As we develop our plans we will consider the effect of the formula on all schools, and we will make sure change is introduced at a pace that is manageable for the sector. We will set out our detailed proposals and consult extensively in the new year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the evidential basis is for the Prime Minister’s statement to the press of 21 October 2015 that Hinkley Point nuclear power station will produce reliable and affordable electricity.
Andrea Leadsom
Nuclear power is a proven technology which can provide large quantities of electricity continuously, reliably and predictably. Our analysis suggests Hinkley Point C will be cost-competitive with the other technologies that can be deployed at scale in the 2020s and that it will help provide affordable base load power to complement other low-carbon sources that we need to decarbonise the power sector by 2050.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department takes to ensure that UK funding to Nigeria reaches the people most in need.
Mr Nick Hurd
To ensure UK aid reaches the most vulnerable recipients, leaving no one behind, we work with implementing partners who have a strong track record of prioritising assistance to those most in need. DFID independently monitors all its programmes and aid impact is also reviewed by The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to deal with overcrowding on Bolton’s commuter trains.
Andrew Jones
Northern Rail is required to use all of its train fleet (allowing for maintenance) at peak times and best match capacity to passenger demand across the franchise. It is for Northern to allocate rolling stock to best fit expected passenger numbers on a day-to-day basis. As you may be aware, we have increased Northern’s train fleet this year, including the introduction of 20 refreshed four coach electric trains in the year to December 2015.
In the longer term, unlike the last Northern franchise let under the previous Labour administration in 2004 which included limited plans to invest in services or meet demand, the next Northern Franchise will see the removal of the existing Pacer trains, the ordering at least 120 new-build carriages, the modernising of every train operating on the Northern franchise, more frequent services on many routes on the Northern franchise, and will be providing more services for commuters, during off-peak times and on Sundays. The electrification of Manchester to Preston via Bolton route, for which preparatory work began this year, will also provide the opportunity for greater capacity electric powered trains to provide services for Bolton commuters. By the end of 2019, services into central Manchester will have seen a 49% increase in passenger-carrying capacity during the morning peak compared to five years earlier, and this will help ease the crowding affecting your constituents.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses were employed in each Agenda for Change band in the latest month for which figures are available.
Ben Gummer
The latest information about the number of nurses employed in each Agenda for Change band is in the attached table.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the document Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, if he will publish his Department’s analysis that links reform of the welfare system to increasing the UK’s productivity.
Priti Patel
The Paper, Fixing the Foundations: creating a more prosperous economy focuses not on the link between welfare reforms and productivity but instead on how ‘a productive economy must make the most of its labour force and effectively mobilise people into jobs’.
The UK is making the most of its labour force and is mobilising people into jobs. The latest figures show that the employment rate rose this quarter to a new record high of 73.7%. There are now a record 31.2 million people in work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to collect information centrally on how many people diagnosed with a mental health condition receive a custodial sentence.
Alistair Burt
The Department does not collect such data centrally.
Health and wellbeing needs assessments (HNAs) provide information on the estimated prevalence of mental illness in individual prisons. All prisons are required to produce HNAs, and the Department will discuss with NHS England the potential to publish information on prison health at a national level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents have received a sanction for failure to comply with conditions for receipt of benefits because suitable childcare was not available to enable them to comply.
Priti Patel
The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to allocate enough funding to cover predicted changes in the cost of cancer care beyond treatment.
Jane Ellison
The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July this year. It identified improving support for people living with and beyond cancer, and improving long-term quality of life as high priorities.
NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Taskforce report. A cross-system Cancer Transformation Board, chaired by the new National Cancer Director, Cally Palmer, will be established to oversee implementation of the strategy, and will have its first meeting in early 2016. The Transformation Board will formulate more detailed plans for implementation of the report’s recommendations based on the final outcome of the spending review. More details will be available in early 2016.