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Tag: 2015

  • Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs co-ordinates the Fast Stream scheme for civil servants; and what role the Cabinet Office has in the development for future civil servants.

    Mr David Gauke

    Civil Service Resourcing coordinates the Fast Stream for the Civil Service and manages all Fast Streamers on the central corporate schemes.Civil Service Resourcing is currently hosted by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and reports to the Minister for the Cabinet Office on talent matters.

    161 Fast Streamers currently work in HMRC.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the effect on consumer demand of increases in the price of milk.

    George Eustice

    The National Statistics publication, Family Food 2011, presents estimates of how demand for different types of food (including dairy products) varies with changing food prices and different levels of total expenditure on food.

    These estimates are known as price elasticities and are based on Family Food Survey data from 2001 to 2011. The report notes that foods where demand is less sensitive to changes in price are fish and ‘dairy and eggs’. On average, those paying a one per cent higher price buy 0.4 per cent less.

    A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what timetable he has set for the implementation of the Horserace Betting Right; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reported irregularities in the run-up to the Burmese election.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    There were a number of reported flaws and irregularities in Burma’s elections, such as in the voter list arrangements for observing advance voting and the use of religion in the campaign. We are deeply disappointed that holders of Temporary Residence Cards (of which the Rohingya form the largest single bloc) were disenfranchised from the elections by having their identity documents revoked. Nevertheless, the main opposition parties chose to take part in the elections despite these flaws and irregularities. The UK provided practical assistance to mitigate against the risks we have identified, including £2.6m to provide specialist technical advice to the Union Election Commission. British nationals have also been taking part in the EU Election Observation Mission and we funded the training of 5,000 local observers to deter fraud on the day. It is too early to make a definitive assessment of the technical conduct of the elections, but the initial finding of the EU Election Observation Mission was that they were "well-run and competitive", though with "legal reforms and procedural improvements" remaining. Overall, we continue to judge that the election represents the best chance of democracy the people of Burma have had for over 50 years.

  • Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons targets and breakdown of recruitment by subject for undergraduate trainees were not included in the Initial Teacher Training census 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    In the academic year 2015 to 2016 there were 5,440 first year undergraduate trainees.

    The 2015 to 2016 Teacher Supply Model sets the target for postgraduate trainees and takes account of the number of undergraduate trainees completing a course in 2016 when meeting future teacher requirements. We allocated places for undergraduate courses using criteria as set out in the published guidance.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) contracts and (b) grants have been awarded by the tobacco policy team in his Department in each of the last five years; what the (i) name of the recipient, (ii) purpose of the contract or grant, (iii) financial value, (iv) job title of the lead official overseeing the procurement process was in each such case; and whether ministerial approval was required or given in each such case.

    Jane Ellison

    The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish details of how her Department plans to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme to make the savings announced in the Autumn Statement 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes in the New Year.

  • Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Imran Hussain – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the shortage of doctors and nurses in the NHS.

    Ben Gummer

    The latest monthly workforce statistics for July 2015 which are published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that since May 2010 there are 10,500 more doctors and 5,800 more nurses, midwives and health visiting staff currently employed in the National Health Service in England. This represents increases of 11% and 1.9% respectively.

    The Department has set up Health Education England (HEE) to deliver a better health and healthcare workforce for England. They are responsible for ensuring a secure workforce supply that reflects the needs of local service users, providers and commissioners of healthcare.

    HEE has increased adult nurse training places by 14% over the last two years and is forecasting that more than 23,000 additional nurses will be in place by 2019.

    The Government has maintained the number of undergraduate medical training places at a level sufficient to support continued increase in the medical workforce in England.Where there are shortages in specific specialties, the Department will work with HEE and NHS England to address them for example, through the ten point plan for the general practice workforce.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of multiple myeloma and the risks presented by late diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England’s ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns do not currently include multiple myeloma.

    A number of factors are taken into account when deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the scope to save lives through earlier diagnosis and whether the cancer has a clear early sign or symptom that the general public can act upon should it arise.

    We appreciate that this means that there are a number of cancers, besides Myeloid Leukaemia, that are not covered by ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ specifically. Given this, Public Health England is looking at developing an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms. This work is currently in development, with the help of a number of experts, including clinicians and charities.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of recent trends in the use of legal highs.

    Mike Penning

    The 2014 report of the New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) Review Expert Panel concluded that “after years of stable and declining drug use, the emergence of NPS has been a ‘game changer’”. An accompanying report (New Psychoactive Substances in England: A review of the evidence) used data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) to examine the prevalence of use of NPS. It indicated that mephedrone was the most prevalent NPS, though use among adults aged 16-59 had fallen from 1.3% in 2010/11 to 0.6% in 2013/14 (use of mephedrone stood at 0.5% in 2014/15). Mephedrone was controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in April 2010. According to the 2014/15 CSEW, 0.9% of people aged 16-59 used an NPS in the last year. This was the first year that the CSEW collected data on the use of NPS generally (as opposed to specific substances).

    The Psychoactive Substances Bill currently before Parliament introduces a blanket ban on the trade in psychoactive substances. The Bill will confer significant new powers on the police and other law enforcement agencies to restrict the supply of psychoactive substances.