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Tag: 2015

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

    “

  • Heidi Allen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Heidi Allen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Allen on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children who are refused admission to a state funded faith school on the grounds of differing faith or belief; and if she will work with schools and faith groups to facilitate inclusive admission policies in all state funded schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The department does not collect data on the reasons why individual applicants are refused a place to particular schools.

    It is for the relevant admission authority of a school designated with a religious character to decide whether or not to adopt faith-based oversubscription criteria. Not all schools with a faith designation choose to allocate places by faith. Some choose to allocate only a proportion of their places on the basis of faith. Where they have places available, schools with a faith designation must admit all children who apply, without reference to faith.

    The government is committed to ensuring that new faith-designated academies and free schools provide additional places not just for pupils of their own faith, but also for other local children regardless of their faith. New provision academies and free schools with a faith designation must give priority to at least 50 per cent of their intake without reference to faith, where they are oversubscribed.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11489, when the Chief Data Officer will be appointed.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Data Steering Group has been established, chaired by the National Statistician, John Pullinger, which brings together leading experts to advise government on the strategic direction of the new Government Data Programme. Notes of these meetings will be made available on the Government Data Programme blog page on GOV.UK in due course.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure that her Department’s policy on the management of bovine TB in non-bovine farmed animals does not have a detrimental impact on species kept by zoos.

    George Eustice

    On 28 August 2015 Defra issued a call for views on TB controls for non-bovine species, including companion and zoo animals. The call for views closed on 20 November 2015 and responses including those from the professional zoo community are being considered. Any proposals for regulatory changes flowing from the exercise would be subject to consultation in the normal manner.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in devolved administrations on the merger of income tax and national insurance.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Scotland Bill introduces significant new powers for the Scottish Government to set income tax rates and thresholds. As recommended by the Smith Commission, National Insurance remains a UK wide contributory system.

    The Government is committed to simplifying the tax system. We have asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to look at alignment of income tax and National Insurance. The terms of reference for the OTS review can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ots-review-of-income-tax-and-national-insurance-tor. The focus is on looking to simplifying the underlying rules in the way the two charges operate which remain a reserved matter.

    “

  • 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 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of provision of mental health services for children who have been abused.

    Alistair Burt

    This Government is committed to delivering the vision set out in Future in mind and is driving forward the transformation of children and young people’s mental health services.

    This transformation programme, backed by additional investment of £1.4 billion allocated over the next five years, will deliver a step change in the way children and young people’s mental health services are commissioned and delivered.

    All clinical commissioning groups, working closely with their partners, were asked to develop and submit Local Transformation Plans (LTPs) to transform their local offer for children and young people’s mental health. Plans must cover the whole spectrum of services from prevention to intervention for emerging or existing mental health problems and address the full spectrum of need, including children who have been abused and/or exploited. LTPs should also demonstrate that services have been designed with children and young people and their families, and meet the needs of their local population of children.

    LTPs, covering all local areas, were submitted in October 2015 and are currently being assured by NHS England’s regional teams.

  • Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there was in the number of firefighter posts in Kent Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

    Greg Clark

    Information on the number of full time equivalent firefighter posts for each fire and rescue service and for each year, together with greater detail, is available in the Department’s Fire and Rescue Operational Statistics publication (Table 2 for full time equivalent posts) at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-and-rescue-authorities-operational-statistics

    “

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Better Care Fund in reducing delayed discharges from hospitals.

    Alistair Burt

    The Better Care Fund (BCF) aims to incentivise the National Health Service and local government to work more closely together at a local level to provide a joined up health and care service for their local population. Integrating health and social care will take time. Delayed transfers of care per 100,000 (DTOC) is included as a metric for the BCF as it is one of a number of ways to measure the effectiveness of joint working among local partners.

    The results for Q4 2014-15 and Q1 2015-16 data collections can be found on the NHS England website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/part-rel/transformation-fund/bcf-plan/

    The latest data was published on 26 November 2015.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the uptake of outdoor recreational activities by (a) children, (b) adults and (c) pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government recognises the importance of encouraging more people to take up outdoor recreation. Through Sport England we are investing in a range of outdoor activities for people of all ages.Adults make 2.85 billion visits to the outdoors each year; 568 million visits are with children. The Government is set to present a new sport strategy, which willconsider the role of outdoor recreation in getting the nation active.

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the definition of Designated Individual referred to in paragraph 53 of the Guide to Powers and Safeguards published in the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, CM 9152, of November 2015, will include parliamentarians.

    Mr John Hayes

    A Designated Person is an individual within a public authority who authorises a request for communications data and is independent of the investigation for which the authorisation is sought. They must apply additional considerations to an authorisation to access communications data in respect of sensitive professions which include Parliamentarians. This is set out in paragraph 51 of the Guide to the Powers and Safeguards in the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.