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Tag: 2015

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will hold discussions with each of the devolved administrations on ensuring that the roll-out of superfast broadband benefits people across the UK uniformly.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government’s superfast broadband programme is aimed at achieving availability of superfast broadband to 95% of UK premises by December 2017. The funding allocations to the English local authorities and the devolved administrations have been made on the basis of maximising overall UK coverage,and the Phase 2 allocations that were made in February 2014 also had a minimum allocation for each devolved administration based on the Barnett formula.

  • Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Liz Kendall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many people of each gender work in the Government Equalities Office.

    Caroline Dinenage

    There are currently 35 female and 20 male members of staff in the Government Equalities Office.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the items of equipment referred to in UK Defence in Numbers, published by his Department in August 2015, are (a) not capable of use on the front line and (b) have been retired.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Defence in Numbers booklet is a snap shot of the UK’s Defence capability and how we are spending the fifth largest Defence budget in the world. As well as giving details on civilian and personnel numbers and current operations, it also includes a list of the Ministry of Defence’s equipment holdings, the vast majority of which are in service and deployable. We will continue to review the Defence in Numbers booklet to ensure that it best reflects the breadth of defence equipment.

    The pieces of equipment listed in the Defence in Numbers booklet that are not capable for use on the front-line are: Jet provost aircraft, BAE-125 aircraft, Wessex helicopters, Challenger 1 battle tanks, FH70 Towed Howitzers and Chieftain Armoured Vehicles. These platforms are used in either a training or ceremonial capacity.

    Currently 90 Tornado aircraft remain in the operational fleet and are, or could be, returned to combat ready status; this number includes aircraft undergoing periodic deep maintenance and modification which are not immediately available for operational use.

  • 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 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to update the Pension Service leaflet entitled, A detailed guide to State Pensions to include the introduction of the new State Pension from 6 April 2016.

    Justin Tomlinson

    “A detailed guide to State Pensions” (publication NP46) was a technical guide aimed primarily at third party advisers and stakeholders, not general members of the public. This guide has not been available since 2010.

    We continue to work with stakeholders to supply detailed information on the new State Pension before April 2016.

  • Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what grounds she decided that the recently approved annexe to the Weald of Kent grammar school is in an area that is easily accessible to the community that the school serves.

    Edward Timpson

    The Weald of Kent School has set out its plans in expansion proposals. Pupils at the Sevenoaks annexe will attend the Tonbridge site at least once a week to attend a whole school assembly and additional lessons. The school will also operate a house system across the expanded school, regularly bringing students together on a range of curriculum projects. The length of the school day is a matter for the academy trust.

    The newly expanded school will better meet the needs of parents in the community that the school currently serves. Over 41% of pupils at the Tonbridge site already travel from the Sevenoaks area. The travel arrangements between the sites will use existing bus companies to transport pupils who live in Sevenoaks to the Tonbridge site. The proposal indicates that the journey time is approximately 17 minutes and no additional funding is being provided to the academy to cover the costs.

    The decision issued on 15 October 2015 was in respect of a proposal received on 14 September 2015. The Department can comment on the costs of external legal advice once we have the final costs bill.

    The school would not have the required capital funding to expand on this scale at the existing site.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL3374), what assessment they have made of the mechanisms that are available to passengers in order to bring pressure on franchised train operators to ensure that appropriate toilet facilities are provided.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is continually trying to improve passenger experience both on train and at station. Train operators have commitments in their franchise agreements for achieving improved levels of customer experience standards and accessibility, including appropriate toilet facilities.

    During the consultation phase of the franchise competition passengers and other stakeholder groups have the opportunity to contribute towards these specifications.

    During the life of the franchise, operators are measured against the national rail passenger survey scores which measures against the cleanliness of toilet facilities on trains and at stations.

    Above this during the life of the franchise, operators are encouraged to seek continuous improvement to their service offering which government supports through various funding opportunities.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to control the number of badgers in the next 12 months.

    George Eustice

    We are committed to our strategy to make England free of bovine TB, of which culling badgers in areas where the disease is rife is a key element.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 4 November (HL3009), why investigation of historic crime in Northern Ireland, including the retention of fingerprint and DNA samples from non-convicted individuals, requires different provisions to the rest of the UK, and whether they plan to seek permission for any non-compliance of those provisions with Article 8 of the ECHR.

    Lord Dunlop

    The investigation of historic deaths creates particular difficulties because the evidential trail has significantly narrowed. Forensic evidence, including fingerprint and DNA evidence, is therefore a key element in Troubles-related investigations, as it presents the strongest strand of investigative opportunity.

    Dealing with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past is an essential part of the transition to long term peace and stability – this is not a consideration which applies in the same way in the rest of the UK. It is disappointing that agreement was not reached in the recent political talks on the proposed institutions for dealing with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

    The Government remains fully committed to working alongside the Northern Ireland parties, victims groups and other stakeholders to deliver the institutions intended to achieve broad consensus for legislation and deliver new legacy mechanisms. The Government is satisfied that the retention of relevant biometric data for the purpose of investigating Troubles-related crimes is proportionate.

    We are working closely with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice to ensure that any proposal to retain relevant data will strike the appropriate balance between Article 2 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and be compatible with the judgment of the European Court in Marper.

  • Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of the report, Prevent, Reduce, Delay: Are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers, published by the Carers Trust in October 2015, on the level of compliance by councils with their duty under the Care Act 2014 to prevent carers developing a need for support.

    Alistair Burt

    The Care Act 2014 and guidance are clear about the provision of preventative services. Under the Care Act, local authorities have a responsibility to support carers in a number of ways. This includes duties on local authorities to provide information and advice and universal preventative services for carers.

    The Carers Trust report Prevent, Reduce, Delay: Are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers is a helpful contribution to the evidence around the new prevention duty and how councils are working to fulfil it as regards carers.

    However, it is difficult to draw conclusions about practice from the report, given the uncertainty it notes about how councils have interpreted the Freedom of Information request on which the report is based, and the variable quality of responses.

    We continue to pursue other measures to monitor and support implementation of the Care Act.

    To support implementation of the reform programme, we have established a joint Programme Management Office between the Department, Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Adults Social Services. This unprecedented partnership is driving collaborative working with the sector, influencing the local implementation of these changes to support a consistent and coherent approach. This approach was recognised by the National Audit Office as best practice and should be adopted by other programmes.

    The programme includes a series of stocktakes of local authority readiness and the latest, from June 2015, demonstrates an overall positive picture on implementation:

    – Councils’ confidence in their ability to deliver the Care Act Reforms in 2015/16 remains high, with 99% very or fairly confident.

    – 89% of councils say that they are ‘on track’ with their implementation. The remaining 11% report themselves as only slightly behind.

    The Department is also leading on the development of a new National Carers’ Strategy that will examine what more we can do to support existing carers and the new carers.

  • Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they plan to issue on the integration of health and social care services, in the light of their commitment to do so by 2020 at paragraph 2.49 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015; whether that guidance will cover integrated budgets for those services locally and nationally; and whether new legislation will be required to ensure that integration.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    It is clear from progress already made up and down the country towards the integration of health and social care that there is no single ‘correct’ way to achieve the Government’s ambition of full integration by 2020. On this basis, the Government will encourage areas to design and implement those solutions that are most appropriate for their own context, and will avoid setting out an overly prescriptive policy framework, including with respect to the integration of budgets.

    However, in order to ensure that adequate progress is made in the given timeframe, and that the benefits of integration are realised both for members of the public and for health and social care organisations, it will be important to set out the Government’s minimum expectations for integration. Areas will be expected to pay regard to these minimum expectations when setting out their plans for integration by 2020, and it will be by demonstrating that they have moved beyond this baseline that they will be entitled to graduate from the existing Better Care Fund programme management, which will continue to be mandatory in 2016-17.

    The existing legislative framework already provides a great degree of flexibility for local areas wishing to pursue different approaches to the integration of health and social care. The Government will work closely with local areas in the years to 2020 to understand the limits of this legislative framework and to understand how any limits can be overcome.

    It is the intention that guidance will be published in 2016 reflecting the position set out above, and it is likely that this guidance will include material on the integration of budgets.