UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans that referral to welfare to work schemes will be voluntary for people with disabilities after the end of the current contracts for the Work Programme and Work Choice.

    Priti Patel

    Increasing disability employment is a key part of the Government’s aim to achieve full employment. That is why this Government is committed to halving the disability employment gap by creating the opportunity for a million more disabled people to work.

    The Spending Review announced that a new ‘Work and Health Programme’ will replace Work Choice and the Work Programme when current contracts end, restructuring our current provision to providing the best possible support for claimants with disabilities or health conditions as well as those who are long term unemployed. The Department will work with stakeholders on the design, including the structure and how people will be referred to the programme.

    The Government will publish a White Paper next year that will set out reforms to improve support for people with health conditions and disabilities and further reduce the disability employment gap.

  • Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Holly Lynch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues on the effect of the increase in the state pension age on women.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Ministers regularly discuss matters of policy that span their responsibilities.

    Reasonable mitigation for those worst affected by changes in State Pension age was introduced in 2011. A concession was made prior to the passing of the 2011 Act which reduced the delay that anyone would experience in claiming their State Pension, relative to the previous timetable, to 18 months. This concession was worth £1.1 billion in total.

    This Government is committed to better outcomes for pensioners. However, the several billions of pounds that it would cost to make further policy changes in this area, that prolong the gender inequality in State Pension provision, cannot be justified.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the planned move to a numeric GCSE grading system in England on the comparability and portability of GCSE results in Northern Ireland.

    Nick Gibb

    It is a matter for the regulator Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, to set grade standards. Ofqual ran a consultation and carried out impact assessments on a move to a numeric GCSE grading system in England.

    I have asked Ofqual’s Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what organisations her Department is working with to deliver humanitarian aid in Nepal.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID is working with a range of partners to deliver humanitarian aid in Nepal. These include: a set of Prequalified NGO partners working with local partners that helped facilitate a rapid response in the aftermath of Earthquake; International Organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); and the multilateral system which includes the United Nations.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the streams of data collected by his Department are (a) used by the Department, (b) read by how many people and (c) unused or unread.

    Justin Tomlinson

    I have interpreted the question to be asking for the number of datasets compiled by the department. This information is not currently available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 9 November (HL3457), what specific steps they are taking to help Syrian refugees in the Jungle” camp at Calais who wish to claim asylum in the UK.”

    Lord Bates

    Migrants in Calais in need of protection, including Syrians, should claim asylum in France. Other than in very limited circumstances under the Dublin Regulation, where a migrant who has lodged an asylum application in another Member State has close family ties to the UK, the UK has no responsibility to help refugees who are in other EU Member States to come here to claim asylum. Consequently, there is no provision in the Immigration Rules for them to do so. However, Border Force officers and representatives from the French Government carry out regular joint communications visits to the camps, informing all nationalities of migrants of their options to seek support, including claiming asylum, in France.

    The UK Government is spending £1.1 billion in and around Syria on humanitarian aid, caring for refugees and helping the Governments of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey to cope with the huge numbers of refugees they have received. After the United States, Britain is the biggest donor country in the region. The Government has also expanded the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. This scheme is helping the most vulnerable people in the region by offering them protection in the UK. The Government intends to resettle 20,000 Syrians in need of protection during this Parliament.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants have received help with the digital skills required to renew their tax credit claim in the last 12 months.

    Damian Hinds

    The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many young people in full-time employment earn below the living wage.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise the welfare standards of animals in battery cages.

    George Eustice

    All animals are protected by comprehensive animal welfare legislation, including the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The UK also has species specific legal requirements which protect the welfare of all farm animals in whatever system they are kept. Battery cages for laying hens were banned in 2012 as there was clear evidence that these cages were detrimental to laying hen welfare. A statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sport Shooting provides rearers of gamebirds with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their livestock as required by the Animal Welfare Act including in cage rearing systems.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the regulation of nurses and midwives remains appropriate for the health and social care environment as it evolves.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department is taking forward a Section 60 Order (of the Health Act 1999) which will remove statutory midwifery supervision from the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC’s) governing legislation.

    The Department is also in discussions with the NMC on what other reforms may be achieved through the Order.

    The Orderwill be subject to a full public consultation early next year.