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Tag: 2015

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of prisoners are identified as having an alcoholic disorder.

    Ben Gummer

    According to the most recent centrally collected data published in 2013, (the Ministry of Justice Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction data collection of prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in 2005 and 2006 in England and Wales), 32% of male and female prisoners who reported drinking in the four weeks before custody said they drank on a daily basis.

    Prisoners who consumed alcohol at any stage in the four weeks prior to custody consumed a median of 12 units, which is indicative of binge drinking, according to NHS Choices. Using this measure, 63% of prisoners who drank alcohol in the four weeks before custody would be classified as binge drinkers.

    The 2013 report, Gender differences in substance misuse and mental health amongst prisoners Results from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) longitudinal cohort study of prisoners, is available from the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220060/gender-substance-misuse-mental-health-prisoners.pdf

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  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of Solutions for Public Health has been in each of the last three years.

    George Freeman

    NHS England is unable to comment on the overall budgetary position of Solutions for Public Health (SPH). However, NHS England anticipates spending around £485,000 with SPH for the provision of stand-alone clinical evidence reviews in support of its specialised services clinical commissioning policy work plan in 2015/16.

    Equivalent expenditure with SPH in 2014/15 was £285,000 and £190,000 in 2013/14.

  • Chris Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chris Evans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) Representations and Appeals Regulations 2007 to enable the adjudicator to make an order awarding costs and expenses to appellants in successful parking appeals; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Under current regulations the adjudicator may make an order awarding costs and expenses against an enforcement authority where the adjudicator considers that the disputed decision was wholly unreasonable. The adjudicator may also award costs and expenses against either party where that party has acted frivolously or vexatiously or where their conduct in making, pursuing or resisting an appeal was wholly unreasonable. The Government has no plans to change this arrangement.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16286 of 18 November 2015, on the National Crime Agency (NCA), how many of those suspicious activity reports were investigated by the NCA.

    Mike Penning

    Suspicious activity reports (SARs) submitted under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000 are available to officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and to accredited officers in all UK police forces. This allows NCA officers and the police to use SARs for a variety of investigative and intelligence purposes.

    No central record is held relating to the ultimate use of SAR data by these end users and therefore no data is available relating to how many investigations or enforcement actions may have resulted from SARs.

    A report providing an overview of the operation of the SARs regime is published annually on the NCA website, the link to the latest report is below:

    http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/suspicious-activity-reports-sars

  • Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will fund training costs of disabled apprentices aged 18 to 24 in accordance with the recommendations of Creating an inclusive apprenticeship offer, commissioned by the Apprenticeships Unit and published in January 2012.

    Nick Boles

    Apprenticeship training for 16-18 year olds is fully funded by Government to provide an incentive to employers. Government also fully funds apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan). Apprentices aged 19 to 24 without an EHC Plan, who have a learning difficulty and/or disability can be supported through Learning Support.

    Learning Support is provided to help providers to work flexibly and provide support activity to meet the learning needs of their apprentices who have an identified learning difficulty and/or disability. Learning Support also provides funding to meet the cost of reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people with alcohol-related problems who would be affected by the Government’s proposals to withhold sickness benefits from people who refuse treatment.

    Priti Patel

    The Government has commissioned Professor Dame Carol Black to undertake an independent review into how best to support benefit claimants who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, or who are obese, back into work or to remain in work. The review will consider the case for linking benefit entitlements to take up of appropriate treatment or support.

    We will give full consideration to any recommendations made by the Review and, if accepted by the Government, the decision and financial implications would be published in the usual way. The review is due to report in early 2016.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 12011, when the consultation on making property ownership by foreign companies more transparent will begin.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 14 October 2015 to UIN: 12011.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the disparity between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the price farmers are able to achieve when selling livestock.

    George Eustice

    We are part of a single market across Europe and as such we should not dictate what a fair price is for farmers and consumers. We support the farming industry by reducing red tape, funding research to foster innovation, extending the tax averaging period for self-employed farmers and working to open up new export markets.

    In recognition of the difficulties faced by Northern Irish dairy farmers, the UK government pressed for additional money to be paid to Northern Irish dairy producers as part of the support payments. 71% of Northern Irish dairy farmers have now received their payment.

  • Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential benefits to developing countries of the implementation of public registers of beneficial ownership by UK Overseas Territories with financial centres.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK continues to lead the way on beneficial ownership disclosure and to encourage others to do the same. We are having discussions at both Ministerial and official level with the Overseas Territories to emphasise the importance of this agenda. Any system should meet the following criteria: UK and domestic law enforcement and tax authorities must be able to access company beneficial ownership information without restriction, subject to relevant safeguards; these competent authorities should be able to quickly identify all companies that a particular beneficial owner has a stake in, without needing to submit multiple and repeated requests; and companies or their beneficial owners must not be alerted to the fact that an investigation is under way.

  • David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the economy of halving the disability employment gap; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Progress against the disability employment gap is a key factor in progress towards full employment. This is consistent with the Government’s manifesto commitment which said ‘as part of our objective to achieve full employment, we will aim to halve the disability employment gap’. The annual report on progress towards full employment will include an update on the Government’s progress towards halving the disability employment gap.

    Bringing disabled people out of inactivity and into employment increases the productive capacity of the economy. While it is not possible to quantify exactly the economic impact of halving the disability employment gap, it would directly benefit both the individuals affected, through higher employment allowing more people to support themselves and their families, and also the wider economy, by supporting economic growth and the public finances.