The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what due diligence was undertaken by his Department prior to the purchase of the Redcar coke ovens and blast furnace.
Anna Soubry
The purchase of the Redcar coke ovens and blast furnace was a commercial transaction between SSI and Tata Steel, both privately owned companies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust followed its own procedures correctly in appointing the Chairman of the Trust to hear a right of appeal from nine BME members of staff against the decision of Henrietta Hill QC.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) is monitoring and working closely with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust to support the Trust to address these issues.
We are advised by the TDA that the Trust’s Race Equality Workforce Engagement Strategy involves multiple work streams led by area specific engagement groups to address specific issues and challenges across all areas and levels of the Trust. It was launched at the joint Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Network and Trust conference in October 2014.
A programme board was established and the first meeting was in February 2015. Programme board meetings are co-chaired by the Chief Executive and the Chair of the BME Network in order to provide oversight, performance management and governance of the race equality action plans developed by the various engagement groups.
We are assured by the TDA that the Trust followed procedures correctly in appointing the Chairman of the Trust to hear a right of appeal from nine BME members of staff against the decision of Henrietta Hill QC.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent providing structured education courses to people living with diabetes in the last year for which figures are available.
Jane Ellison
We do not hold the information requested.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-12-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many passport interview offices there were in each year since adults applying for the first time for a passport were required to attend a personal interview.
Lord Bates
The table below shows the maximum number of interview locations available in each year. The introduction of passport interview offices on 3rd party sites reflects the move to sharing interview locations with 3rd parties, mainly Local Authorities, where previously HM Passport Office had its own site.
|
Calendar Year |
Maximum number of passport interview offices |
Maximum number of passport interview offices on 3rd party site |
Total maximum number |
|
2008 |
67 |
0 |
67 |
|
2009 |
67 |
0 |
67 |
|
2010 |
65 |
0 |
65 |
|
2011 |
55 |
0 |
55 |
|
2012 |
23 |
11 |
34 |
|
2013 |
22 |
11 |
33 |
|
2014 |
22 |
11 |
33 |
|
2015 |
22 |
11 |
33 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits to the UK of implementation of the EU Hazardous Waste Directive.
Rory Stewart
The EU Hazardous Waste Directive was repealed on the introduction of the revised Waste Framework Directive in 2008.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October to Questions 13685 and 14733. An assessment of the costs and benefits of the revised Waste Framework Directive in England and Wales was carried out when laying the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 which transposed the Directive. The assessment was published and is still available on the Legislation.gov website. This is the most up to date assessment of the impacts of the Waste Framework Directive and contains a year-by-year breakdown of the expected costs. As waste is a devolved issue, the Devolved Administrations carried out and published their own impact assessments, which are similarly available online.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-12-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many manned and unmanned sorties have been flown by the RAF this year in support of operations in the Middle East.
Earl Howe
The RAF has flown 1,490 manned and 828 unmanned sorties in support of operations in the Middle East from 1 January 2015 to 30 November 2015. These sorties were carried out by ISR aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, Tornado GR4s and Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
These numbers do not include the routine air-bridge that operates twice weekly from the UK to the Middle East to support deployment of personnel and equipment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of women with perinatal mental health problems had access to specialist counselling in the last year for which figures are available.
Alistair Burt
The information requested is not currently collected.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is working on the implementation of a new Mental Health Services Dataset which will seek to increase the amount of data available about mental health. The exact reporting which will result from this is still being determined, but perinatal mental health has been identified as a key policy area where more data is required in order to understand the current issues with the services being provided to women in the perinatal period.
In terms of reporting that will come out of the dataset, this is likely to include reports on:
– how many referrals to mental health services identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral;
– how many women are identified as being on a perinatal pathway when they come into contact with mental health services;
– whether women who are admitted with mental health problems are admitted to an appropriate unit; and
– the kind of care which is provided to women in the perinatal period by community mental health services.
We expect that some initial data on perinatal mental health will be available between June and September next year. This will be basic information, such as the number of referrals to mental health services that identify perinatal mental health issues as the primary reason for referral, and we expect data volumes to be low in the first instance. We will use this initial information to refine how data on perinatal mental health is collected going forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs offices in Dundee are closing before those in the rest of the UK.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-11-04.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to equalise the treatment of UK refinery manufactured finished petroleum products compared to imported fuels when products leave the UK customs bonded oil storage location in respect of imposition of VAT and duty.
Damian Hinds
Hydrocarbon oil becomes liable to duty and VAT when it is released for consumption in the UK. This is either: when it is imported; or when it is produced in the UK and delivered for home use from a refinery. Where hydrocarbon oil is imported to an excise warehouse, the duty and VAT is due when the oil is released for home use from the warehouse.
This administratively simple fuel duty system reduces the number of taxpayers and ensures that there is minimal fraud by reducing opportunities for criminals to infiltrate the supply chain. As a result, fuel duty is a large and stable source of revenue for the Exchequer, raising £27.2 billion in financial year 2014/15, with a very low tax gap of less than £100m. Allowing the movement of fuel on which duty and VAT has not yet been paid within the UK would add complexity to the administration of the tax and increase the opportunities for tax evasion. For these reasons the government has no plans to change the fuel duty or VAT point.
One of this government’s key priorities, as we transition to a low carbon economy, is to ensure a secure and resilient oil supply at affordable prices, whilst supporting investment and jobs. Following a review of the refining and import sectors by the previous government in 2014, a package of actions was developed, designed to help improve the operating environment for the refining and import sectors. These actions focus on three areas: a partnership approach with industry; removing market distortions; and tackling regulatory burden.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will reintroduce the Super Highway Broadband Voucher Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The £40m government-funded Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme – which closed to new applications on 12 October 2015 – was a huge success, issuing well over 50,000 vouchers, as well as funding the cost of installation of wi-fi in more than 1500 public buildings. We have no plans to reintroduce the scheme, though it is worth noting that some commercial providers, such as Virgin media, are now offering free installation of business broadband.