Tag: 2015

Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she has given consideration to re-classifying electricity storage vessels to enable distribution network operators to utilise such vessels without paying generation charges.

Andrea Leadsom

The Department recognises the potential for storage to help us use energy more flexibly and decarbonise our energy system cost effectively, alongside interconnection and demand-side response (DSR). As such, DECC is investigating the potential barriers to the deployment of energy storage. We are carefully considering possible mitigating actions, focussing in the first instance on removing regulatory barriers to energy storage. The re-classification of energy storage is one of the options we are considering. We plan to conduct a consultation and call for evidence in due course.

January 1, 2023
Lord Lexden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lexden on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bridges of Headley on 17 November (HL3184) and 7 December (HL2794), whether public engagement strategies are produced by electoral registration officers and made publicly available, and how the success of their work with local education institutions to increase voter registration is measured.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Electoral Commission’s guidance requires that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) produce a public engagement strategy. There is no requirement that these be made publicly available.

As part of the performance standards framework, the Electoral Commission encourages EROs to monitor and adapt their public engagement strategy where needed to meet local challenges. Evaluation of the success of this work is carried out by EROs at a local level.

January 1, 2023
Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make Translarna available on the NHS to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

George Freeman

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is evaluating Translarna (ataluren) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy through its highly specialised technology programme. NICE currently expects to publish its final guidance in February 2016.

The National Health Service in England is legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE highly specialised technology guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

January 1, 2023
Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Tornado GR4-trained navigators there are in the RAF.

Earl Howe

There are 190 Tornado GR4 trained navigators in the Royal Air Force.

January 1, 2023
Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist mental health centres for those with drug and alcohol addiction were funded by NHS England in each of the last three years; and how many people each such centre supported.

Alistair Burt

Drug and alcohol addiction services are not commissioned by NHS England. These services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups and local authorities.

January 1, 2023
Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reductions in funding to local public health budgets on the outcomes achieved by drug treatment services.

Lord Prior of Brampton

A table which shows trend data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System for individuals completing treatment free of dependence for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15 is attached.

For the first time in 2014-15, the annual report brought together information on people receiving specialist interventions for drugs and alcohol. Many people experience problems with both substances and receive interventions for both, and drugs and alcohol services are often commissioned together. The figures therefore include the substance group ‘non-opiate and alcohol’, as well as those seeking services for drug-only related dependency, to ensure all individuals leaving treatment drug-free are captured. This new methodology has been applied to the years prior to 2014-15 to ensure comparable figures.

We have provided both the total numbers leaving treatment successfully free of dependence as well as the numbers that left successfully not using drugs or alcohol at the time of exit (which is a subset of the larger number), as some individuals may, for example, be occasionally drinking when they are discharged but it will have been judged by a clinician to be non-problematic and not dependent use and that therefore they no longer require treatment.

Public Health England will continue to support local authorities to provide effective and efficient drug treatment services, by providing bespoke data to assist the joint strategic needs assessment and to show the effectiveness of the local treatment system, as well as value for money tools, topical briefings, advice on good practice and on the benefits of investing in alcohol and drug treatment. Across the country, councils have already begun to develop new ways to deliver public health, showing that it is possible to deliver better health for local people and also better value for the taxpayer.

The evidence-base for the effectiveness of drug treatment is robust, with United Kingdom and international evidence showing that treatment provides value for money, improves public health and reduces crime.

The Building Recovery strand of the Government’s Drug Strategy recognises the importance of non-medical interventions, such as recovery networks, employment, housing, family support and reduced re-offending, in helping people recover and to participate more fully in society. Every person in structured drug treatment has a personal care plan based on an assessment of their needs, which maps out the steps they will take towards recovery. It covers their drug use, health, social functioning, criminal involvement, housing, employment and any other barrier to recovery.

January 1, 2023
Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inmates are able to access education at HM Prison Holloway each day.

Andrew Selous

At HMP Holloway there are currently approximately 120 places in a morning session and the same in an afternoon session for women to attend education courses. Women may attend in one or two sessions each day depending on the type of course they are on. In addition there are approximately 40 places available to attend Physical Education provision and approximately 60 places in vocational training areas.

The Secretary of State for Justice announced on 8^th September a review of the quality of education in prisons, chaired by Dame Sally Coates. The review will examine the scope, quality and effectiveness of current provision. It will consider the scope and range of the current curricula and identify the most effective teaching and delivery models. Stakeholders are being consulted and a Call for Evidence has been issued. The review is expected to report in the spring of 2016. A copy of the terms of reference are lodged in the library of the House and at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-prison-education-terms-of-reference

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January 1, 2023
Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Living Wage on wage growth in Calder Valley.

Nick Boles

We have made no assessment of the impacts of the National Living Wage in Calder Valley or at constituency level. The Government published its Impact Assessment of the National Living Wage on 7 December.

The new National Living Wage is an essential part of moving to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society; it ensures that work pays, and reduces reliance on the state topping up wages through the benefits system. The Government’s target is for the National Living Wage to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, and we have asked the Low Pay Commission to recommend its level going forward.

January 1, 2023
Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to improve understanding of palliative and end-of-life care in nursing and care homes.

Ben Gummer

We are committed to ensuring everyone at the end of life receives high quality, compassionate care that is tailored to their individual needs and preferences. This applies to all settings in which palliative and end of life care is delivered, including nursing and care homes.

To achieve this, we introduced a new approach to end of life care in 2014 based on five priorities for care of the dying person. It is for individuals and organisations delivering end of life care, including care homes, to ensure that the care they provide is based on the priorities. The Implementation Guidance for Service Providers and Commissioners and the Duties and Responsibilities of Health and Care Staff, which accompanied the priorities, set out clear expectations for organisations to ensure their staff receive the right training in palliative and end of life care.

In addition, Skills for Care, which works to support staff working in adult social care to develop their skills and knowledge has developed end of life care qualifications, guidance and resources to equip workers to recognise and manage end of life situations effectively.

In April 2015, Skills for Care launched the new Care Certificate, an identified set of standards that health and social care workers should adhere to in their daily lives. The Certificate includes end of life care and provides confidence that all health and care workers have the same introductory skills, knowledge and behaviours to provide compassionate, safe and high quality care and support.

I intend to announce further policy on end of life care in due course.

January 1, 2023

Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many complaints were heard by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline regarding employment issues; and how many of these complaints were from (a) interns and (b) apprentices in each of the last five years.

Nick Boles

Table 1 shows the total number of complaints made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) and then referred to the relevant enforcement agency. It also includes a breakdown of the number of complaints from interns and apprentices for 2013/14 and 2014/15; the only years for which this data is available. Data for 2014/15 is the latest year for which full year data are available

Table 1: Complaints made to the PWRH by caller type, 2009/10 to 2014/15

2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15
Total Complaints	4,420	2,820	3,110	3,300	4,290	4,160
Of which
Apprentices	–	–	–	–	170	140
Interns	–	–	–	–	70	20

Source: Pay and Works Rights Helpline

Notes

Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.
A breakdown of complaints from Apprentice and Interns is not available prior to 2013/14 as these callers types were not considered a prioritised group and were therefore not recorded separately.
The PWRH ‘soft launched’ in May 2009, all other years are on a full financial year basis (April to March).
Enforcement agencies who investigate complaints include HM Revenue and Customs, Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive, Gangmasters Licensing Authority and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (until Oct 2013).

January 1, 2023