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Tag: 2015

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) changes in the number of cases of, and deaths from pneumococcal disease (b) the number of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccinations given each year and (c) the cost of delivering that programme of vaccinations on an annual basis since the introduction of PCV in 2006.

    Jane Ellison

    The total number of cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and case fatality ratios (CFR) since 2006 are shown in table 1.

    Table 1. Total cases of IPD and case fatality ratios (CFR).

    Year

    Total cases1

    CFR2 (%)

    2004/05

    6,175

    not available

    2005/06

    6,250

    not available

    2006/07

    5,419

    not available

    2007/08

    5,481

    not available

    2008/09

    5,569

    not available

    2009/10

    5,203

    13.4

    2010/11

    5,265

    13.6

    2011/12

    4,396

    13.7

    2012/13

    4,477

    13.1

    2013/14

    4,032

    11.9

    1Total cases of laboratory confirmed IPD, England and Wales (excluding cases only confirmed by DNA detection and bronchiolar alveolar lavage (BAL) samples).

    2Proportion of cases of IPD that were found to have died within seven days of IPD onset (excluding BAL) ascertained by tracing GP registration records. Data on CFR prior to 2009 are not available.

    The current PCV offered to infants helps protect against 13 of the 95 known pneumococcal serotypes. The incidence of IPD caused by these serotypes has fallen by 90% in children younger than five years since the introduction in 2005 of PCV in the childhood immunisation programme. The vast majority of IPD cases in this age group are now due to non-vaccine pneumococcal serotypes. In addition, although the vaccine is only given to infants and young children, IPD due to the vaccine serotypes has declined in older children and adults through herd protection. Consequently, there has been a 36% decrease in the number of IPD cases across all age groups between 2005/06 (6,250 IPD cases) and 2013/14 (4,032 IPD cases) in England and Wales (Table 1) because of the infant immunisation programme.

    Pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) was introduced in September 2006, with a catch-up campaign for children up to two years of age. The number PCV vaccinations given each year are shown in table 2.

    Table 2. The number of children at 12 months of age vaccinated with primary PCV, and the number of children at 24 years of age who have completed the PCV schedule, by year, in England.

    Financial year

    No. children 12 months vaccinated with primary PCV

    No. children 24 months vaccinated with completed PCV

    2006/07 (Q3&4 only)

    24,823

    51,648

    2007/08

    430,518

    350,049

    2008/09

    570,912

    487,209

    2009/10

    599,786

    561,106

    2010/11

    618,525

    582,614

    2011/12

    641,645

    615,203

    2012/13

    651,933

    636,591

    2013/14

    640,971

    642,023

    2014/15

    617,263

    633,698

    The complete course comprises three doses of PCV vaccine: these are given at two months and four months (the primary doses), and a booster dose at 12-13 months.

    In 2014/15 the NHS incurred approximately £9 million delivering completed courses of PCV and Haemophilus influenzae type b / meningococcal C (Hib/MenC) vaccination. Costs in 2013/14 would have been similar. NHS England does not have details of delivery costs prior to 2013/14. This figure does not include the cost of the vaccine, which is procured centrally by PHE, and is commercially confidential.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what transitional arrangements are in place for women affected by the planned increase in the retirement age for state pension recipients.

    Justin Tomlinson

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 November 2015 to Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North), Question UIN 15476

  • Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of its annual income has been held in reserve by Hertfordshire police in each of the last five years.

    Mike Penning

    It is up to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables to decide how to allocate their resources, including the efficient use of reserves, based on local priorities. The total amount of revenue funding received by each PCC (formerly Police Authorities) and the total amounts of usable reserves, taken from publically available force area accounts are included in the table below. This includes total core Government funding area from the Home Office, Legacy Council Tax Grants and locally raised precept income. It excludes specific grants such as the Innovation Fund and other locally raised income.

    Hertfordshire Police Authority/PCC reserves

    Year

    Reserves £m

    Total revenue funding £m

    Reserves as % of government grant+precept

    31 Mar 2011

    19.4

    197.4

    9.8%

    31 Mar 2012

    24.9

    191.5

    13.0%

    31 Mar 2013

    28.0

    189.7

    14.8%

    31 Mar 2014

    36.7

    185.2

    19.8%

    31 Mar 2015

    47.9

    181.1

    26.5%

    Lancashire Police Authority/PCC reserves

    Year

    Reserves £m

    Total revenue funding £m

    Reserves as % of government grant+precept

    31 Mar 2011

    20.1

    285.6

    7.0%

    31 Mar 2012

    26.3

    273.5

    9.6%

    31 Mar 2013

    27.5

    273.5

    10.1%

    31 Mar 2014

    35.8

    266.0

    13.4%

    31 Mar 2015

    49.3

    258.9

    19.1%

    Thames Valley Police Authority/PCC reserves

    Year

    Reserves £m

    Total revenue funding £m

    Reserves as % of government grant+precept

    31 Mar 2011

    41.1

    395.0

    10.4%

    31 Mar 2012

    48.2

    383.4

    12.6%

    31 Mar 2013

    45.8

    382.2

    12.0%

    31 Mar 2014

    49.1

    375.9

    13.1%

    31 Mar 2015

    51.4

    369.7

    13.9%

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the monthly sales figures for (1) e-cigarettes, and (2) tobacco products, in prison shops in the past year.

    Lord Faulks

    For prisons in England and Wales monthly sales (number of units sold[1]) for the period December 2014 to November 2015 were as follows:

    TOBACCO & CIGARETTES

    SUNDRIES[2]

    E CIGARETTE

    DECEMBER 2014

    318,300

    252,500

    310

    JANUARY 2015

    352,500

    284,200

    140

    FEBURARY 2015

    283,600

    228,300

    80

    MARCH 2015

    291,700

    228,400

    20

    APRIL 2015

    344,100

    282,500

    40

    MAY 2015

    290,800

    230,100

    60

    JUNE 2015

    286,000

    216,000

    60

    JULY 2015

    350,400

    268,400

    40

    AUGUST 2015

    286,900

    220,400

    6,500

    SEPTEMBER 2015

    280,200

    219,100

    5,600

    OCTOBER 2015

    344,200

    268,700

    3,000

    NOVEMBER 2015

    278,400

    220,200

    1,500

    It should be noted that some of the variation in monthly sales is due to months having four weekly accounting periods and other months having five.

    From December 2014 to mid-August 2015 e-cigarettes were only available in prisons in Wales plus the three Public Sector Prison establishments in England, (Eastwood Park, Stocken, and Preston) hence the relatively low sales. From 17 August 2015 all public sector establishments offered an e-cigarette on their Local Product List (prison shop form). The decrease in e-cigarette sales since August is thought to be due to an initial peak in sales when these products were first introduced.

    [1] Rounded to the nearest 100, or nearest 10 when sales are less than 1,000.

    [2] Sundries include, for example, rolling papers, lighters, matches, filter tips and rolling machines.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of cascading Class 319 rolling stock to Southern’s Coastway Stopping services once the full fleet of Class 700 trains are in operation on the Thameslink routes.

    Claire Perry

    The Government remains determined to provide better, more comfortable journeys for passengers. However, it is for the relevant train operator to determine the type and quantity of rolling stock that is deployed on a particular route. When cascaded stock is available, it is for the operator to decide whether to bid for them.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2015, which found that women are being paid the average wage men earned in 2006.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that the gender pay gap in the UK remains the lowest on record.

    There are now also more women on FTSE Boards and running businesses than ever before, and this year the UK was ranked as the best place in Europe for female entrepreneurs.

    I am proud of our achievements, but recognise there is still more we must do. This is why the government is introducing new regulations that will require larger employers to publish their gender pay gap information. This will encourage companies to take action and drive change on this important issue.

  • 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 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 13246, what payment is given to libraries to partner with the Department on digital inclusion.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not make any direct payments to libraries in relation to partnering on the delivery of digital inclusion.

    DWP is working with Local Authorities through ‘Universal Support’ to build claimants’ digital capability. Libraries are one potential route for delivering this support, where deemed appropriate by our Local Authority partners.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the amount of the revenue element of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund in (1) 2014–15, and (2) 2015–16.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    In 2014-15, £64.9m revenue funding was provided through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. A further £64.5m was provided in 2015-16.

  • Lord Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of recent reports about VAT fraud by online traders operating from abroad, whether they plan to pursue (1) Amazon, and (2) eBay, for any UK VAT that has been evaded by traders using those online marketplaces; and if not, why not.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is actively targeting operational and intelligence activity to tackle this issue. However, HMRC is unable to give details of its plans in respect of any individual taxpayer because of taxpayer confidentiality.

  • Lord Chidgey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Chidgey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which countries the short wave radio transmission of BBC World Service programmes has been jammed in each year from 1999 to 2014.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The BBC World Service has advised that short wave radio transmission has been jammed in the following countries: 2004 to present – Uzbekistan 2010 – China (Mandarin) 2012 to 2013 – Iran 2013 to present –China, which has also affected parts of India, Bhutan and Bangladesh