Tag: 2015

Anne Marie Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Marie Morris on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will change the criteria for primary and acute care provision better benefit rural communities.

George Freeman

All new care model vanguards, which include multispecialty community providers, integrated primary and acute care systems, enhanced health in care homes, urgent and emergency care and acute care collaborations have now been selected.

Selection of the 50 vanguards followed an open and rigorous process, with participating organizations being selected from urban and rural areas.

While NHS England is only able to have a limited number of vanguards as part of its national programme, it aims to support all local areas with an ambition to deliver care in new ways that improve patient experience and outcomes.

January 1, 2023
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the effectiveness of UK soil protection policies, such as those contained in their cross compliance guidance, is evaluated, and what improvements have been seen as a result of such policies.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The 2007 Countryside Survey measured changes in soil organic matter content of soils in Great Britain. It also measured bulk density and a number of other physical and chemical characteristics of soil. A new baseline survey for soil carbon was carried out in 2009 as part of the EU Land Cover and Land Use Statistics (LUCAS) exercise. The 2015 LUCAS soil samples are currently being analysed.

Defra does not routinely monitor national rates of soil loss (erosion), but we are funding research to pilot a national soil erosion monitoring framework for monitoring soil erosion in England and Wales.

Defra also funded a survey of soil compaction levels in grasslands in England and Wales in 2011.

No formal assessment has been made of the sufficiency of the baseline data from which to measure changes in soil quality.

The Government recognises that soil is essential for underpinning a range of benefits, including food production, but also biodiversity, carbon storage and flood protection.

While the future direction of soils policy will be considered as part of the development of the 25 year plans for Food and Farming, and Environment, government is already taking action to improve soil quality.

This includes new rules underpinning cross compliance which anyone claiming Common Agricultural Policy payments must comply with. The rules require a minimum level of soil cover, prevention of erosion and measures to protect the organic matter levels of soil. The new rules take an outcome based approach, instead of the previous paper-based system, thereby focussing on environmental improvements while reducing burdens for farmers. The Government will continue to monitor the implementation of the new rules.

No single body or institution has responsibility for measuring and analysing soils in the UK. Soil testing is carried out by a mix of commercial laboratories and Public Analyst labs. Typically laboratories are accredited and adhere to British Standards on testing procedures. However, there are no regulations governing soil testing procedures themselves.

There are existing soil maps for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which use different soil classifications. There are currently no plans to produce a new UK soil map, and we have not explored options for private sector investment.

January 1, 2023
David Davis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of reimbursing communication service providers under the provisions of the draft Investigatory Powers Bill in the first 10 years in which an Act arising from that draft bill is in force.

Mr John Hayes

The draft Bill requires the retention of additional data, known as internet connection records, by domestic CSPs who are under a data retention notice, to ensure that those responsible for law enforcement continue to have the powers they need to acquire communications data as technology develops and threats change.

The Government published an estimate of the additional cost of this provision of £174.2m over the 10 year period in the Communications Data Impact Assessment, alongside the draft Bill on 4 November.

January 1, 2023
– 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Altmann on 4 December (HL3783) that the Personal Independence Payment assessment criteria were designed in close collaboration with disabled people and disability groups”

Baroness Altmann

The full public consultation on the ‘Moving around’ activity of the mobility component closed on 5 August 2013. We received more than 1,100 responses. We carefully considered all the responses received, including the suggestions for alternative approaches. We published our response to the consultation on 21 October 2013.

We believe the assessment criteria, including the 20 metres distance, are the best way of identifying those whose physical mobility is most limited, so we did not make any changes. However, we have strengthened the measures around the reliability criteria – we recognise these are a key protection for claimants.

Our response to the consultation is annexed to this answer.

January 1, 2023
Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to embed the Family Test into its policy making.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test on cross government activity to embed the Test into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant learning materials and best practice.

January 1, 2023
Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many kinship care households they estimate will be affected by the combined impact of the proposals in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill to limit child tax credit to two children and to reduce the benefit cap in each year between 2016 and 2021; what is their estimate of the cost of exempting kinship care households from those measures; and what impact assessment has been carried out as to how many potential kinship carers may be unable to afford to take on the children as a result of those measures and any consequential cost to the state of such children remaining in the care system.

Lord Freud

It is fair that families on benefits have to make the same financial decisions as families supporting themselves solely through work. These measures are being actively discussed in the Committee stage of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill (as the Minister informed the House) and there will be further discussion at the Report stage.

January 1, 2023
Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what monitoring his Department carries out on changes in the number of people on jobseeker’s allowance registered as having a mental health condition; and what change there has been in such numbers since 2010.

Priti Patel

JSA claimants do not have to declare a mental health condition, therefore the information requested is not available.

January 1, 2023

Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff were employed by full-time equivalence (a) in total and (b) by region in the National Apprenticeship Service in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2014-15; and how many staff will be employed by full-time equivalence in the National Apprenticeship Service in (A) 2015-16, (B) 2016-17 and (C) 2017-18.

Nick Boles

The National Apprenticeships Service is housed within the Skills Funding Agency. The tables below outline the total number of staff employed by full-time equivalence and by region in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2014-15; and how many staff will be employed by full-time equivalence in (A) 2015-16, (B) 2016-17 and (C) 2017-18.

*The Skills Funding Agency is unable to forecast future headcount.

Year	Total	Region
2010-11 (as at 31 March 2011)	Headcount 382	East Midlands – 33 East of England – 32 London – 37 North East – 26 North West – 36 South East – 33 South West – 35 West Midlands – 27 Yorkshire & Humber – 36 National – 87
2012-13 (as at 31 March 2013)	Headcount 340	London – 54 Central – 66 North East – 64 North West – 40 South East – 39 South West – 51 National – 26
2014-15 (as at 31 March 2015)	Headcount 317	London – 54 Central – 66 North East – 64 North West – 40 South East – 51 South West – 39 National – 3
2015-16 (as at 11.12.15)	Headcount 245	N/A
2016-17*	Not available	N/A
2017-18*	Not available	N/A

January 1, 2023

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2015-11-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts they are making to protect low- to middle-income earners in the public sector from the proposed £95,000 public sector exit payment cap.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The Government set out its proposals for the cap on public sector exit payments in the consultation document published on 31 July 2015 and confirmed the design of the cap in the consultation response document published on 16 September 2015. The consultation document gave details of the number of exits over recent years that cost the taxpayer more than £100,000.

The precise number of those affected by the public sector exit payment cap will depend on the number and type of exits in coming years. However, in recent years the large majority of exits in the public sector are below the level of the cap. For example, the Whole of Government Accounts states that, in 2013-14, 1,838 out of 72,445 pay outs were in excess of £100,000.

The exit payment clauses currently before the House of Lords in the Enterprise Bill set out how the cap is expected to apply.

January 1, 2023
Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-12-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much from the Funding for Lending scheme has been lent to small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) Scotland and (b) Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency.

Harriett Baldwin

UK banks and building societies that participate in in the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) are able to borrow funding from the Bank of England, with the amount they are able to borrow (their ‘borrowing allowance’) linked to their net lending performance. FLS usage and lending data is published on the Bank of England website at the following link: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/Pages/FLS/extensiondata.aspx

January 1, 2023