The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to answer the letter of the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 29 June, on Mr I Boddison.
Rory Stewart
A reply was sent to the Hon. Member on 29 July 2015. A duplicate has also been issued.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the devolved administrations on (a) sheep carcase classification and (b) price reporting on sheep; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
The Commissioner has established a series of workshops on the future of the sheep sector in the European Union. This forum is providing an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues relevant to the sector, including carcass classification and price reporting. Defra and the devolved administrations are fully engaged in these discussions.
In addition, Defra and the devolved administrations are contributing to the Commission’s review of regulations on carcass classification and price reporting as part of the EU Commission’s legislation simplification programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of increased use of temporary doctors and nurses on the (a) quality of the healthcare provision and (b) cost of that provision.
Ben Gummer
No formal assessment has been made by the Department on the specific effect of increases in the use of temporary doctors and nurses on the quality of healthcare provision. The Care Quality Commission is responsible for the quality of healthcare services provided overall.
No formal assessment has been made by the Department on the net effect of increases in the use of temporary doctors and nurses on the costs of providing services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to tackle obesity in children under 11.
Jane Ellison
Tackling obesity, particularly in children, is one of our major priorities. Progress has been made in recent years, but we know we have much further to go. We will announce our plans for tackling childhood obesity in the new year.
In the meantime we are continuing to invest in the Change4Life campaign, which provides motivation and support for families to make small but significant improvements to their diets and activity levels. Industry has also taken a range of actions including removing billions of calories and tons of sugar from products and portion sizes have been reduced, but the challenge to industry to make further substantial progress remains.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential financial effect of proposals to deny refused asylum seekers access to financial support will have on (a) local authorities and (b) (i) homelessness, (ii) health and (iii) mental health service providers,
James Brokenshire
An assessment of the financial impact of the proposed changes to support for failed asylum seekers was published on 4 August and can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforming-support-for-failed-asylum-seekers-and-other-illegal-migrants-impact-assessment
The government has consulted widely on the proposals, which are now contained in Schedule 6 to the Immigration Bill published on 17 September, and is discussing the detail of how they will be implemented with local authorities and others. The financial impact of the changes will be reviewed in light of these discussions and reflected in a revised impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of inflammatory arthritis on an individual’s ability to stay in work.
Jane Ellison
We are aware that a high proportion of people with inflammatory arthritis are of working age. Inflammatory arthritis is a major cause of sickness absence.
Treatment for inflammatory arthritis has improved dramatically with the development of new drugs. It is essential for people with relevant symptoms to present early to their general practitioner and for the condition to be diagnosed promptly. Ensuring that people have access to the best possible treatment and support provides the greatest scope to enable people with inflammatory arthritis to stay in work.
The newly formed Work and Health Unit is a joint endeavour between Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions. The Unit has been established to lead the drive for improving work and health outcomes for people with health conditions and disabilities, as well as improving prevention and support for people absent from work through ill health and those at risk of leaving the workforce.
In the Spending Review the Government has provided at least £115 million of funding for the Unit including a Work and Health Innovation Fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance and support her Department is providing to food sovereignty movements in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.
Grant Shapps
DFID supports strengthening household food security through improving agricultural productivity and improved incomes from agricultural production, building resilience against climate change and linking smallholder farmers to markets and supply chains. We help with a context-specific range of programmes, which all contribute to the inclusive and more sustainable economic growth that will lift poor people out of poverty.
The UK Government believes that a key element in strengthening food security is to encourage diverse sources of supply. We will not support approaches that undermine open markets and free trade, which allows consumer choice and options for a healthier diet, and so does not specifically support food sovereignty movements in developing countries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of how many Syrian refugees in the vulnerable persons programme will be resettled in (a) North East England, (b) North West England, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) the East Midlands, (e) the West Midlands, (f) the East of England, (g) Greater London, (h) South East England, (i) South West England, (j) Wales, (k) Scotland and (l) Northern Ireland by 2020.
Richard Harrington
We are still in discussions with many local authorities to establish whether they wish to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising in real terms in each year since 2010-11.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department’s spend on temporary agency staff, consultancy and administration for the financial years from 2010/11 to 2014/15 is published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and is included in the tables below.
(a) Temporary Agency Staff
|
Temporary Agency Staff (£m) |
2010/11 |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|
Department for Transport (central) |
6.87 |
4.10 |
6.85 |
12.80 |
15.77 |
|
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |
3.70 |
1.00 |
3.13 |
1.22 |
0.98 |
|
Driving Standards Agency |
0.34 |
0.00 |
0.01 |
0.13 |
0.80 |
|
Highways Agency |
3.76 |
2.45 |
1.01 |
5.83 |
9.82 |
|
Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
0.48 |
0.17 |
0.14 |
0.57 |
1.07 |
|
Vehicle Certification Agency |
0.15 |
0.12 |
0.17 |
0.36 |
0.14 |
|
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency |
1.00 |
1.59 |
2.28 |
3.02 |
5.39 |
|
Department Total |
16.30 |
9.43 |
13.59 |
23.93 |
33.97 |
(b) Consultancy
|
Consultancy (£m) |
2010/11 |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|
Department for Transport (central) |
5.54 |
5.57 |
10.30 |
8.12 |
19.25 |
|
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |
0.76 |
0.48 |
0.56 |
0.70 |
0.12 |
|
Driving Standards Agency |
0.10 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.04 |
0.31 |
|
Highways Agency |
3.87 |
0.30 |
0.19 |
0.27 |
0.00 |
|
Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
0.13 |
0.05 |
0.10 |
0.13 |
0.00 |
|
Vehicle Certification Agency |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.05 |
0.00 |
|
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency |
0.39 |
0.01 |
0.07 |
0.97 |
0.09 |
|
Department Total |
10.79 |
6.41 |
11.22 |
10.28 |
19.77 |
The figures for temporary staff and consultancy have been produced based on Cabinet Office definitions for these categories of expenditure. Consultancy is defined as work of an advisory nature designed to inform policy or to assist with strategic decisions and complex legal issues. Temporary Staff category includes expenditure where it is clear that specific individuals are being engaged to work on projects and ‘business as usual’ functions.
Please see (d) Administration for further information
(c) Non-payroll Staff
Most non-payroll expenditure is included as either Temporary Staff or Consultancy answered in parts (a) and (b) above, with the exception of:-
|
Non-Payroll Staff (£M) |
2010/11 |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|
Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) |
1.68 |
1.76 |
2.05 |
2.18 |
3.04 |
VCA figures include overseas contractors and locally employed staff. There was a large increase 2013/14 to 2014/15 as they took over a Turkish contract.
(d) Administration
Administration costs reflect the costs of running the Department, including staff, accommodation, IT costs, and operating lease rentals. The administration budget figures below are substantially lower than the 2009-10 figure of £297m.
|
Department for Transport Spend Category (£m) |
2010/11 |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|
Total Administration Budget |
276.26 |
216.74 |
242.93 |
240.08 |
271.38 |
To ensure that the Department was resourced to deliver its agenda, particularly around letting and managing rail franchise contracts following the Laidlaw and Brown reviews, HM Treasury agreed to switch £25m from DfT’s Programme to Administration budgets, increasing the Department’s 2014-15 Administration budget to £275m, plus £13m for depreciation.
The increases in (a) temporary staff and (b) consultancy spend was covered in this switch.
Notes:
1. Government Car & Despatch Agency disbanded during 2012/13 following which the work has been undertaken within the Department. The Administration therefore falls under Central Administration section from
2013/14 onwards.
2. General Lighthouse Authorities consolidated into the Department’s accounts for 2013/14 and beyond.
(e) Marketing and Advertising
Spend on marketing, including marketing related advertising, by the Department and its Executive Agencies for the financial years 2012/13 to 2014/15 is set out in the table below.
Marketing spend in 2014/15 is 83% less than the £48.4 million recorded for 2009/10.
|
Marketing related expenditure (£m) |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|
Department for Transport (central) |
3.47 |
4.79 |
5.96 |
|
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |
0.56 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency1 |
– |
– |
0.23 |
|
Driving Standards Agency1 |
0.04 |
0.03 |
– |
|
Government Car and Despatch Agency2 |
Nil |
– |
– |
|
Highways Agency |
0.46 |
0.43 |
1.91 |
|
Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
0.18 |
0.16 |
0.21 |
|
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency1 |
0.06 |
0.06 |
– |
|
Vehicle Certification Agency |
0.04 |
N/A |
0.05 |
|
Department Total |
4.80 |
5.47 |
8.36 |
Notes:
1. The Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency became the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in April 2014.
2. The Government Car and Despatch Agency ceased on 30 September 2012.
Most of the additional spend in 2014/15 compared to the previous year is attributable to the THINK! Drug Drive campaign in March 2015 supporting the implementation of new enforcement regulations and the Highways Agency public information campaign on the implementation of new traffic management and payment methods at the Dartford Crossing.
Figures for 2010/11 and 2011/12 were not prepared and could be compiled now only at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department spent on educational materials for prisons in 2014-15.
Nick Boles
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills funds the Skills Funding Agency to administer and deliver education in the majority of adult prisons in England via the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS).
The OLASS budget for 2014-15 was £145.6m. This figure includes funding for the National Careers Service in custody. It excludes a number of private prisons where the operator is responsible for providing education under their contract with the National Offender Management Service.
The OLASS budget includes funding to cover the provision of educational materials. The costs of those materials are not collected separately.