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Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what the evidential basis is for his estimate that there are about 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters on the ground who do not belong to extremist groups; whether he has shared that estimate with all coalition partners; whether that estimate is congruent with those supplied by other partner countries in the coalition; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    We estimate that there are around 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters on the ground who do not belong to extremist groups, many of whom are linked to the Free Syrian Army. In addition to these 70,000, there are around 20,000 Kurdish fighters in Syria, who are also playing an important role in combating ISIL. The information we have on individual groups which forms the basis of this estimate is drawn in large part from intelligence. It would not be to the benefit of these non-extremist opposition fighters if we were to make it public to ISIL and the Syrian regime. We have very close intelligence relationships with a range of allies and partners, and share assessments with them as a matter of course.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of senior civil servants in her Department attended (a) non-selective state schools, (b) state selective schools, (c) independent schools, fee assisted and (d) independent schools, not fee assisted.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education does not collect or hold this information.

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Susan Elan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss the effect of the reductions in funding to S4C proposed in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Stephen Crabb

    I have regular meetings with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which provide opportunities to discuss a range of issues, including matters related to funding of services across Wales.

    The Government is committed to Welsh language programming and to the future of S4C. The majority of S4C’s funding comes via the BBC and last week’s spending review settlement on the Government element of S4C’s funding therefore represents a modest reduction in its overall funding.

  • Jo Stevens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jo Stevens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in the German government on meeting with the Thalidomide Trust’s National Advisory Council on financial compensation for people with thalidomide.

    Mr David Lidington

    Following representations by the Government, senior representatives from the German government travelled to London to meet with the Trust in July. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to provide support to the Thalidomide Trust’s National Advisory Council to enable them to further their dialogue with the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens and Youth, including through another meeting.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that all young people who wish to participate in the National Citizen Service are able to do so.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    We are committed to expanding NCS, which is why the Chancellor announced our ambition that 300,000 young people participate in NCS every year by 2019/20 so that they can learn new skills and give back to their communities.

    We take great care to ensure that all young people, regardless of background, can take part, providing bursaries and additional support where necessary.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regions he has identified as having a shortage of GPs; and what steps he is taking to address those shortfalls.

    Alistair Burt

    Health Education England (HEE) has advised that they have identified six local offices experiencing low fill rates of general practitioner (GP) trainees. These are: Yorkshire; East Midlands; West Midlands; North East; East of England; and HEE Wessex (Isle of Wight only).

    Data on GP vacancies is not currently held but collection of this data is under development by the Department and the Health and Social Care Information Centre as part of the Workforce Minimum Dataset.

    NHS England, HEE, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association’s GPs Committee are working closely together to ensure that there is a skilled, trained and motivated workforce in general practice. In January 2015, the four organisations jointly published a ten point action plan to address immediate issues, and to take the initial steps in building the workforce for the future and new models of care.

    There are three strands to this work: improving recruitment into general practice; retaining doctors within general practice; supporting those who wish to return to general practice.

    As part of the plan, NHS England launched a new national returner scheme, which has attracted 120 applicants so far. A marketing campaign to highlight the benefits of a career in general practice was launched in September 2015. Further initiatives will be announced by the ten point plan partners in due course.

    The plan, “Building the Workforce” is available on NHS England’s website:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/01/building-the-workforce-new-deal-gp.pdf

    “

  • Kirsty Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Kirsty Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsty Blackman on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure regular publication of departmental transparency data.

    Matthew Hancock

    We are committed to publishing data in a timely fashion, and further transparency data will be published in due course.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who authorised the payment from the Flexible Support Fund which led to the dismissal of two staff from Plaistow Jobcentre in May 2014.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested as to the identity of the authorising officer cannot be shared as it contains personal information relating to third parties.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were referred by HM Revenue and Customs’ National Minimum Wage Risk Unit to National Minimum Wage compliance teams in each of the last six years.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW should contact the confidential Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) review all complaints that are referred to them. However, some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation. This might be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently wishing to withdraw their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer would only be recorded under one investigation.

    In 2014/15, 2489 worker complaints and 691 pieces of third party information were referred to HMRC. However, I reiterate that not all complaints will lead to an investigation. In previous years, HMRC did not record statistics by complaints received, but by investigations completed. In 2014/15, HMRC completed 2204 investigations. I refer the honourable member to the answer provided to her on 6 May 2014 at Hansard Column 110W for information on prior years.

    Staff across HMRC contribute to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation amongst others, but HMRC does not record the specific numbers of those staff involved beyond this. The budget allocated to HMRC by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is provided as an overall amount. I therefore refer the honourable member to the answers provided to her at UIN 16853 for budget details & UIN 16938 for information on staffing.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to her Department has been of (a) deporting and (b) returning deported people following a successful appeal under the deport first, appeal later measures.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office has not estimated the cost of (a) deporting and (b) returning deported people following a successful appeal under the deport first, appeal later measures. We are unable to disaggregate the specific costs relating to deport first, appeal later provisions and any attempt to do so would incur disproportionate cost.