The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make representations to the Criminal Cases Review Commission on reviewing the case of James Thompson.
Mike Penning
The Criminal Cases Review Commission is independent, and it would not be appropriate for Ministers or officials to intervene in individual cases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Hurd on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank will be by asset sale or as a going concern.
Anna Soubry
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills’ written Ministerial Statements of 25 June and 15 October make clear that the Government is moving UK Green Investment Bank plc (GIB) into private ownership and repealing the GIB legislation so that, following a sale, GIB can continue to operate as a going concern and be reclassified to the private sector with the freedom to borrow and raise a much greater volume of private capital without affecting public sector debt.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans for portable evidential breath-test machines to be made available for use by the police to tackle drink driving.
Mike Penning
We will type approve Mobile Evidential Breath Test Instruments (MEBTIs) as soon as possible. Type approval is a complex process and relies on the submission by manufacturers of instruments which then perform satisfactorily during testing. The Home Office has no control over these factors.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-11-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what training is provided to HM Revenue and Customs staff to prepare them for handling applications for allowable expenses for ministers of religion; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs staff receive training on handling expenses claims from a range of customers. This includes training and guidance on how to handle claims from specific customer groups and professions, including ministers of religion.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce poverty in (a) Barnsley Central constituency and (b) other former mining communities.
Priti Patel
This Government is tackling poverty through our new Life Chances agenda. This will drive real action which will make the biggest difference to the most disadvantaged children – now and in the future. This approach will ensure that Government action is focused on tackling the root causes of child poverty – worklessness, educational failure, family breakdown, problem debt and addiction.
This Government believes that work is the best route out of poverty and is therefore focused on getting people into employment. With more than two million more people in work than in 2010, and with the number of workless households at a record low, the progress made by this Government has been significant including in Barnsley Central constituency. In the constituency, over the past year, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, or not in work and claiming Universal Credit, fell by 13 per cent.
We do not have specific data on all former mining communities and this information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Spending Review 2015, what plans she has for the funding of the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
Rory Stewart
The Government has committed to providing funding to help secure the National Wildlife Crime Unit until at least the end of March next year. Decisions on funding beyond March will be made as part of consideration of the Department’s Spending Review settlement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that personal information housed on the Government Gateway system is better protected.
Matthew Hancock
The Government takes cyber security very seriously.We have invested more than £860 million in cyber-security and we will continue to do everything in our power to protect organisations and individuals from attacks.Government Gateway has an on-going security programme, and more broadlyCyber security is a Tier 1 risk in the National Strategic Risk Assessment, alongside international terrorism. We urge all online service users to keep their log-in details safe, be suspicious of unsolicited emails and keep their anti-virus software up to date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of implementation of the NICE quality standards for rheumatoid arthritis.
Jane Ellison
Quality standards (QS) are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers what a high quality service should look like in a particular area of care. Whilst providers and commissioners must have regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) QS in planning and delivering services, however they are not mandatory.
The QS for rheumatoid arthritis states that services should be commissioned from and coordinated across all relevant agencies encompassing the rheumatoid arthritis care pathway. A person-centred approach to provision of services is fundamental to delivering high-quality care to adults with rheumatoid arthritis. NHS England continues to champion their use with providers and commissioners.
NHS England is working with patients, the pharmaceutical industry, royal colleges and others to encourage a range of improvements aimed at ensuring that all patients, including those with inflammatory arthritis, get the support they need to get the most from their medicines. The development of the four principles to support medicines optimisation offers a step change to the way we think about medicine use in the NHS. The four guiding patient-centred principles: aim to understand the patient’s experience; evidence-based choice of medicines; make medicines optimisation part of routine practice; ensure medicines use is as safe as possible are applicable to all patients, conditions and disease states.
The medicines optimisation best practice guidance, published in May 2014 is available at:
www.rpharms.com/promoting-pharmacy-pdfs/helping-patients-make-the-most-of-their-medicines.pdf.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2015-10-28.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials of his Department are responsible for work directly relating to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Harriett Baldwin
The Treasury’s business covers matters relating to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in a number of areas such as welfare, spending and pensions. As such it is not possible to give a definitive number of people who are responsible for work directly relating to DWP. The Treasury is appropriately resourced to achieve its strategic objectives in this area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of premium service spousal visa applications were determined on the day of application in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.
James Brokenshire
The proportion of premium service spousal visa applications that received a grant or refusal outcome and were determined on the day of application during 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were (data from 2009 has been included for context):
• In 2009, of 5930 applications, 80% were determined on the day of application
• In 2010, of 6360 applications, 80% were determined on the day of application
• In 2011, of 6855 applications, 74% were determined on the day of application
• In 2012, of 5670 applications, 69% were determined on the day of application
• In 2013, of 6335 applications, 78% were determined on the day of application
• In 2014, of 6725 applications, 91% were determined on the day of application