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Tag: 2015

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to monitor sustained employment through the Work Based Sector Employment scheme beyond 13 week follow-up enquiries to employers.

    Priti Patel

    Official statistics record starts to sector-based work academy pre-employment training only. The Department does not collate information on outcomes, nor the number of benefit claimants finding work through a sector-based work academy placement. There are no current plans to do so.

    Official statistics are available on GOV.UK at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-contract-april-2012-to-may-2015

    “

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    George Eustice

    In financial years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 this data was not held centrally. Providing an estimate would be at a disproportionate cost. In 2013-14 Defra and its Executive Agencies spent £199,639 and in 2014-15 £103,977 on external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts.

  • Lord Rooker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Rooker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 22 July (HL1237), whether the consultation in respect of the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 includes the devolved administrations.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    In June this year the Government held an informal consultation in order to seek views on possible additions to the exemptions currently allowed under the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 from the requirement to fortify flour with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamine. The exemptions that were envisaged would allow more efficient and streamlined manufacturing operations for foods produced for export as well as for the home market, without compromising the public health benefits which accrue from fortification. A range of interested parties were consulted including millers, flour users, retailers, fortificant manufacturers and health professionals.

    The options proposed in the consultation would allow millers to produce unfortified flour in England when used as a secondary ingredient which undergoes further processing, or is used in relatively small quantities in products. This approach was welcomed by most consultees and the Government is now considering how to take this forward.

    The Department of Health and Public Health England has considered the proposals and concluded that it is unlikely that an exemption from fortification for flour used in such products will have a nutritionally significant impact on the intakes of calcium, iron, thiamine or niacin.

    The changes proposed would apply to England only since food legislation is a devolved matter. The devolved administrations are aware of these proposals but have not yet made any decisions on whether to introduce similar changes.

    Respondents to the consultation also asked for some additional flexibility around the point at which the fortificants are added to flour. At the moment flour must be fortified at the mill and the four fortificants are added as a premix at the end of the milling process. Many businesses which manufacture foods both for the home market and for export requested the flexibility to be able to add the fortificants at the bakery stage. They highlighted that the requirement for separate storage and handling for, both fortified and unfortified flour (which is used for exported products) was creating significant manufacturing complexities. That resulted in a more restricted product range and is having an adverse effect on their export potential and their ability to diversify into new global markets. The Government is currently considering this.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the (a) reduction in cases of and deaths from human pappillomavirus (HPV) as a result of the introduction of the HPV vaccine to the UK schedule in 2008, (b) number of HPV vaccinations administered in each year since that programme began and (c) cost of delivering that programme in each year since 2008.

    Jane Ellison

    HPV vaccination will eventually prevent hundreds of deaths due to cervical cancer every year. Public Health England (PHE) expect the major benefit of the vaccination programme, i.e. a decrease in cervical cancer, which peaks in women between 25 and 50; will be seen in some years’ time.

    Table 1: Number of HPV vaccine doses given for the academic years 2008/09 to 2013/14.

    Academic Year

    Total doses given

    2008/09 -2010/111 (routine and catch-up cohorts*)

    5,319,058$

    2011/122 (routine only)

    784,831

    2012/133 (routine only)

    766,832

    2013/144 (routine only)

    762,038

    2014/15 (routine only)

    Not available

    *Routine cohort are school Yr8 females (aged 12-13 years) in academic years 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11) and catch-up cohorts are females born between 1/9/1990 and 31/8/1995. $ Data for 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 are combined as these years had both routine and catch-up cohorts targeted and include some ‘mop-up’ vaccinations for eligible females receiving vaccine(s) after the academic year they first became eligible for vaccination.

    Table 2. The cost of delivering the HPV programme since 2008.

    Financial year

    Estimated total programme costs

    2008/09

    £51 million

    2009/10

    £114 million (includes catch up campaign)

    2010/11

    £40 million

    2011/12

    £27 million (change in dosage schedule)

    2012/13

    £24 million

    2013/14

    £28.2 million

    2014/15

    £16.3 million (change from 3 to 2 doses)

    These are the estimated full programme costs (including the cost of the vaccine) for England, inclusive of VAT.


  • Lord Hoyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hoyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the balance of United Kingdom payments to and receipts from the European Union for each of the last 10 years.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The United Kingdom’s contribution to the EU budget, net of rebate and total receipts, for the last 10 years is as follows:

    Year

    Gross contributions post rebate

    Total public and private receipts

    Net contribution

    Net contribution

    €bn

    €bn

    €bn

    £bn

    2005

    12.16

    8.67

    3.49

    2.46

    2006

    12.38

    8.29

    4.09

    2.80

    2007

    13.43

    7.42

    6.01

    4.03

    2008

    10.11

    7.31

    2.80

    2.06

    2009

    10.11

    6.25

    3.86

    3.68

    2010

    14.66

    6.75

    7.91

    7.09

    2011

    13.83

    6.57

    7.26

    6.21

    2012

    16.18

    6.93

    9.24

    7.82

    2013

    17.07

    6.31

    10.76

    8.78

    2014

    14.07

    6.98

    7.09

    5.91

    These figures are taken from the EU’s Financial Report 2014, where comprehensive figures for the UK’s contributions and receipts, as well as those for all other Member States, for all years from 2000-2014 are available. The latest version of this report can be accessed at the European Commission’s website.[1]

    [1] http://ec.europa.eu/budget/financialreport/2014/foreword/index_en.html

    “

  • Andy McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andy McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many UK microbiology laboratories use the UK SMI B58 or equivalent test for detecting group B strep carriage.

    Jane Ellison

    UK microbiology laboratories that do not use Standards for Microbiological Investigations (SMIs) should be able to demonstrate at least equivalence in their testing methodologies to the relevant accreditation body. Public Health England is not an accrediting body in these circumstances therefore we do not hold information as to what tests are deemed to be equivalent to UK SMI B58.

    UK SMIs are not mandatory and Public Health England does not have data as to how many laboratories, National Health Service or otherwise use UK SMI B58 or equivalent testing for detecting Group B Strep.

    SMIs are intended as a general resource for practising professionals operating in the field of laboratory medicine and infection specialties in the United Kingdom.

    SMIs help laboratories to meet accreditation requirements by promoting high quality practices which are auditable.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total value of fines (1) issued by the courts, and (2) collected, in 2014–15.

    Lord Faulks

    The total value of fines issued and collected in 2014/15 was:

    Fines imposed 2014/15

    Value of Fines imposed in 2014/15 collected in same year of imposition

    Total fines collected in 2014/15 (regardless of date of imposition)

    £250,740,040

    £84,688,512

    £161,930,070

    The ‘total fines collected’ figure includes the £84.7m collected in the same year of imposition. These figures relate to fines only and not any other financial imposition types.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The table below confirms DFID’s spend on using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in the last five years.

    Year

    Spend

    2012/13

    £14,760

    2013/14

    £40,500

    2015/16

    £38,000

    As part of its long-term economic plan, this Government has reduced the size of the Civil Service by 22%, adjusting for Machinery of Government changes that moved staff into and out of the Civil Service since the 2010 General Election, representing a significant increase in efficiency and productivity that helped save taxpayers £2.8 billion last year alone.

  • Baroness Whitaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Whitaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which authorities are responsible for the monitoring of urban air.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    In England, overall responsibility for monitoring ambient air quality lies with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In addition the Environment Agency is responsible for monitoring emissions from large and complex industrial processes in England. This function is undertaken by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in Scotland, Natural Resources Wales in Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland. Under the Local Air Quality Management System, local authorities are responsible for reviewing and assessing ambient air quality.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2015 to Question 16679, on railways: telecommunications systems, how much was spent from the public purse on the Quicksilver project before it was terminated.

    Claire Perry

    Project Quicksilver was a Network Rail programme that was initiated prior to the reclassification of Network Rail as a public body and was conducted from 2011 to 2015. Project Quicksilver covered two discrete programmes of work but was run by a single team – focused on mobile connectivity and commercial exploitation of the network. These two elements cannot be disaggregated.

    The industry was not able to find a solution that satisfied the commercial requirements of all parties to deliver the mobile connectivity improvements. As a result, Network Rail terminated the procurement.

    The total cost recorded by Network Rail was £6.86m.