The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 9 October 2015 on the cumulative effect on working families of his reforms to tax credits and benefits.
Damian Hinds
I have replied to the hon member.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made in achieving seven day services in the NHS which provides the same consultant assessment, diagnostic tests and consultant led interventions for patients seven days a week for (a) 50 per cent of the population by 2018 and (b) 100 per cent of the population by 2020.
Ben Gummer
The Government has set out that hospitals will achieve more seven day services by delivering four priority clinical standards developed by the NHS Services, Seven Days a Week Forum. NHS England will work with the National Health Service and NHS Improvement to support the NHS to meet the four clinical standards and realise the benefits of seven day services for patients.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness of the self-exclusion pilot schemes introduced by bookmakers in Medway and Glasgow.
Tracey Crouch
Evaluation into the effectiveness of the self-exclusion pilot schemes introduced by bookmakers in Medway and Glasgow is being carried out by the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB). From April 2016 all bookmakers will have to offer self exclusion schemes as part of a condition of their licence andlessons from these pilot schemes will feed into the final model adopted by the bookmaking sector. The Gambling Commission will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this new licence condition and the Government will take an active interest in the schemes effectiveness.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations her Department has made for the increased level of aid required in Calais when winter sets in.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office is in regular discussions with French counterparts at ministerial and official level on all aspects of the migrant situation in Calais. The French Government is responsible for the care of migrants in Calais, including support over the winter. However, both governments are committed to finding a sustainable solution to the situation in Calais. One aspect of the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August, committed the UK to providing a £3.6 million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help support a range of work to manage the migrant population in Calais, in particular to provide support and facilities elsewhere in France. Additionally, the UK has provided £530,000 (€750,000) to fund a project to identify those in the camps at risk of trafficking and exploitation, to transfer them to places of safety; and to provide them with appropriate support within the French system.
The UK and French Governments are unified in their response to the migratory phenomenon and both governments recognise the importance of close partnership and collaboration to reach a long-term solution. This is a global challenge, and we will also work together to ensure that other EU states, as well as source and transit countries outside Europe, are doing everything they ought to be to stop people making these dangerous journeys in the first place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Jenrick on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary school aged pupils living in the Newark area travel out of that area to attend secondary schools in (a) Tuxford, (b) Southwell, (c) Bingham, (d) Nottingham and (e) Lincolnshire.
Nick Gibb
The Department for Education publishes figures for the number of pupils who attend school in a local authority separate to that in which they reside. This information can be found at GOV.UK[1].
The department does not, however, hold data on the movements of pupils between areas smaller than local authorities.
Movements of pupils are a factor when considering the availability of school places.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015 – the cross border movement matrix tables have figures for each combination of home and school local authority.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has for her Department’s Future Fit Programme in each year between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
Mr Nick Hurd
The Future Fit initiative (2013-15) was an internal process to shape DFID’s response to climate change and resource scarcity in its development investments. Building on the lessons learnt through Future Fit, as set out in the new ODA strategy for the 2015 Spending Review DFID will have a greater focus on climate-smart development – particularly through investments in infrastructure, agriculture, cities, water and sanitation and health.
Through the International Climate Fund to date, the UK has helped over 15 million people cope with the effects of climate change and given 2.6 million people access to clean energy. The Prime Minister recently announced that over the next five years the UK’s climate funding will increase by at least 50%.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2015 to Question 14012, what estimate her Department has made of the number of signatories to the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
Rory Stewart
The Waste and Resources Action Programme manages four voluntary agreements which support collaborative action to increase resource efficiency and reduce waste. The number of signatories to each agreement is currently as follows:
Courtauld Commitment 3
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Sustainability Action Plan
Hospitality and Food Service Agreement
Sustainable Clothing Action Plan
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the amount of EU funds spent in Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.
Mr Ben Wallace
Regional allocations of EU funding are set over seven-year periods, for example, the previous period ran from 2007-2013.
The information requested can be found in the financing plans for the respective programmes funded by the EU. Some information on these can be found at:
www.dfpni.gov.uk/articles/european-structural-and-investment-fund-programmes-northern-ireland and www.dardni.gov.uk.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on whether cluster munitions have been used in Yemen.
Mr Philip Hammond
We are aware of recent reports that the Saudi-led coalition, as well as the Houthis, may have used cluster munitions in Yemen. We note that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not yet a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but have encouraged it to accede to the Convention. We have raised these allegations with the Saudi Arabian Government, stressing that all parties to the conflict should act in accordance with international Humanitarian Law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to develop (a) a hydrogen vehicle refuelling network and (b) an electric vehicle network.
Andrew Jones
The Government recognises that having joined up refuelling and charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for the mass take up of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles together with battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
In October last year, the previous Government announced £11m for the Hydrogen for Transport Advancement Programme to support the roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) and associated refuelling infrastructure. In March 2015 the successful bidders for funding to support an initial network of 12 hydrogen refuelling stations were announced – a significant first step towards the initial national network of 65 identified by the joint Government-industry UKH2Mobility project.
We are helping both motorists and local authorities with the upfront cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle chargepoints with grant funding through our Electric Vehicle Homecharge and On Street Residential Schemes. As well as this, the Government is currently refreshing its strategy on how best to support the development of the wider public charging network which is now benefitting from significant levels of private sector investment. The UK now has one of the best rapid charging networks in Europe and £15m was committed in the 2014 Autumn Statement for Highways England to ensure drivers are never more than 20 miles from a chargepoint on the Strategic Road Network.