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Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the family test; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. Thiscould includetraining officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevantevidence, learning materials and best practice.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish details of his proposal to introduce Ofsted-style ratings for clinical commissioning groups’ mental health services.

    Alistair Burt

    My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced that the new Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) assessment framework being developed by NHS England will contain six key clinical areas, including mental health. The framework will be published in March 2016 and will be operational from 1 April 2016.

    An annual assessment of these clinical areas will be moderated by independent panels of experts. Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of MIND, has been appointed panel chair for mental health.

    A first simple assessment of all CCGs in these six areas will be published in June 2016. The formal annual summative assessment of all CCGs for 2016/17 will happen at the end of that financial year and be published in summer 2017. The annual assessment will be based on a four point scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the 1984 Joint Intelligence Committee paper JIC(84)(N)45, entitled Soviet Union: concern about a surprise NATO attack.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    It would not be appropriate to release this report on grounds of National Security.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Government’s immigration policies on the number of international students enrolling in UK universities.

    James Brokenshire

    We have an excellent offer for international students who wish to study at our world-leading institutions and there remains no limit on the number who can do so. As a result, the UK remains the second most popular destination in the world for international higher education students, and our excellent universities continue to attract large volumes of overseas students.

    Annual visa applications from international students to study at British universities are now 17 per cent higher than they were in 2010, with visa applications to our elite Russell Group universities up by 39 per cent since 2010.

    The most recent figures produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency also show a 6 per cent increase in the number of full-time non-EU new enrolments to UK higher education institutions between 2012/13 and 2013/14.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure homes are adequately heated over the winter and protect against deaths due to the cold weather.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are supporting older and vulnerable people to keep warm through support including the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Home Discount. Over 1.6 million measures have been installed in around 1.3 million households through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) alone.

    This year, over 2 million households will get help under the Warm Home Discount scheme– including an automatic electricity bill discount of £140 for over 1.3 million of the poorest pensioners. In winter 2014/15, Winter Fuel Payments were made to around 12.5million older people in around 9 million households. The Cold Weather Plan, published by Public Health England, helps to raise awareness of the harm to health from cold, and provides guidance on how to prepare for and respond to cold weather.

    The Government has also provided around £3 million to fund the creation of the ‘Big Energy Saving Network’ which focuses on helping consumers understand tariffs and switching options as well as how they could benefit from energy efficiency programmes available to them. As we approach winter, my officials will continue to maximise awareness of the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS –contact number 0300 123 1234), which also provides a referral service for ECO Affordable Warmth.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of aid to Syria to strengthening the moderate opposition’s capacity to provide governance and basic services.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. This makes us the second largest bilateral donor. Of this total, the UK has allocated £561 million to support vulnerable people inside Syria to date.

    By the end of June 2015, UK support inside Syria had provided over 15.1 million food rations; access to clean water for over 1.6 million people (peak month); 2 million medical consultations; more than 4 million relief packages; and there have been over 6.9 million instances when people benefited from sanitation and hygiene activities. We are also helping those who feel safe to do so to stay in Syria by building their ability to cope, helping the moderate opposition to provide governance and essential services, and supporting the provision of education and jobs.

    The UK will continue to punch above its weight in supporting the reconstruction of Syria. That is why, on 26 November, the Prime Minister signalled that the UK will commit at least £1 billion to Syria’s reconstruction in the longer term.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the need for increased quarrying capacity to meet the stone demand for new house building.

    Brandon Lewis

    The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that mineral planning authorities should plan for a steady and adequate supply of minerals (aggregates), for example stone which is used in construction. All mineral planning authorities in England are members of one of the nine Aggregate Working Parties. These Parties publish annual reports which provide survey data on the extraction, sales, supply and forecast demand for aggregates in their area.

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the budget is for prison libraries in (a) total and (b) each prison in 2015; and what the cost was in each of the last five years.

    Andrew Selous

    All prisons in England and Wales have a library. NOMS has been responsible for funding prison library services in England from April 2011.

    The total NOMS allocated budget for prison libraries in 2015/16 in England was £7,592,414

    The attached table shows both the provider and allocated library budget for each prison in England since 2010. NOMS is not responsible for funding library services in prisons in Wales as this is a devolved function of the Welsh Government so data is not included. Privately managed prison contracts put in place since 2011 have identified levels of funding for libraries and so are included in the table. The table does not include library provision at privately managed prisons whose contracts were awarded before 2011 as this was part of the overall included contract price and so it is not possible to extract a specific cost element to this part of the contract. This equates to 10 prisons.

    On 8 September 2015 the Secretary of State announced a review of the quality of education in prisons, chaired by Dame Sally Coates, which will report later in the year.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department has recently received about wildlife mortality caused by lead poisoning resulting from the use of lead ammunition in sports shooting.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

    The Food Standards Agency has produced advice on the consumption of lead shot game which can be accessed at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/advice-to-frequent-eaters-of-game-shot-with-lead.

    “

  • Robert Flello – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations have been made to his Department on fraud involving the tax status of lorry drivers.

    Andrew Jones

    The Road Haulage Association has made my Department aware of concerns about widespread fraud involving the tax status of lorry drivers. The Road Haulage Association has raised these concerns directly with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.