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Tag: 2015

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to prepare for the junior doctors’ strikes due to commence on 1 December 2015; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of such strikes on NHS services.

    Ben Gummer

    We are pleased that the British Medical Association (BMA) agreed to suspend the strike. NHS Employers agreed to the extension of the timeframe for the BMA to commence any industrial action by four weeks to 13 January 2016. NHS Employers and the Department have agreed within this timetable to temporarily suspend plans to introduce new contracts to allow negotiations to progress.

    We know staff right across the National Health Service worked incredibly hard to ensure that the NHS had robust contingency plans to deal with the anticipated industrial action and that patients will be disappointed if their operations or appointments had to be cancelled or delayed. Our absolute priority was to ensure that patients were not put at risk or harmed. We always wanted talks not strikes and we are committed to meaningful negotiations to agree a new national contract that is fair, safe which put patients first every day of the week.

    Negotiations will be on the basis of a memorandum of understanding between the parties which acknowledges a shared responsibility for the safety of patients and junior doctors and the desire to achieve and implement without undue delay a contractual framework that provides fair reward and a safe working environment for junior doctors throughout the week.

    We now have the opportunity to work together to develop a new national contract that helps to meet our shared ambition to make NHS care the safest and highest quality in the world.

    The agreement can be found on the ACAS website at:

    http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5557

    “

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 7 December (HL3871), what assessment they have made of the contribution of economic security to achieving peace between Israel and Palestine, and based on that assessment whether they will now raise this issue with the government of Israel.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We assess that economic security is vital and that Palestinians see tangible improvements in their daily lives. That is why we are a leading donor to the Palestinian Authority and why the Department for International Development have put such emphasis on strengthening Palestinian institutions and fostering private sector-led, sustainable economic growth in the West Bank. We do not plan to make representations on the specific issue of the stone factories. However, we regularly raise the need to enable development of the Palestinian economy. On 19 November our Ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed the need to create economic sustainability in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Public Security and Information.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken and plans to take to ensure that out of city areas are adequately defended and protected from a repetition of the recent attacks in Paris.

    Mr John Hayes

    Since the attacks in Mumbai in 2008 the Home Office has worked with the Department for Communities and Local Government, Department of Health and the police and security and intelligence agencies to develop a strong, police-led capability to deal with large-scale firearms attacks in the UK. We have also improved joint working between the emergency services to deal with the particular challenges of this type of incident so that specialist joint police, ambulance and fire teams are now in place in key areas across England (including London), with equivalents in Scotland and Wales. Firearms police are trained to respond to a marauding firearms attack and fire and ambulance teams are trained and equipped to manage casualties in higher risk environments. Under the Spending Review, the Government has also committed to protecting police spending in real terms and to further strengthen police firearms resource to protect citizens from terrorism. New funding is also available to the security and intelligence agencies to provide for an additional 1,900 officers to better respond to the threat we face from international terrorism, cyber-attacks and other global risks.

    We are reviewing our response to firearms attacks of the type seen in Paris, to see if there is anything we can learn.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there will still be a main gate decision for the Vanguard-class replacements.

    Earl Howe

    In 2016, we expect to approve the next stage of the programme to replace the Vanguard Class submarines and to commit to further investment to demonstrate the ability of the submarine enterprise to deliver the programme to time and cost. Long lead materials procurement continues within the on-going Assessment Phase.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the final file concerning the Metropolitan Police Service investigation known as Operation Lydd has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

    Mike Penning

    This is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the effect of Scottish Government policies on the level of new affordable social housing in Scotland.

    Brandon Lewis

    Delivery of affordable housing in Scotland is a devolved matter.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many case conferences have resulted in the reallocation of transgender prisoners to a prison which corresponds with the gender with which they self-identify in the last five years.

    Caroline Dinenage

    This information is not held centrally and as my Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation, committed to the House on 20 November, my Department will publish data on the number of trans people in prison in due course.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Minister attending the Summit Conference on the future Governance of Libya in Rome on 12 and 13 December 2015 discussed the matter of compensation for UK victims of IRA Semtex supplied by the Gaddafi Regime with any parties attending the Summit; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The formation of a Government of National Accord (GNA) is an important step towards engagement with the Libyan Government on reconciliation initiatives relating to Qadhafi-sponsored terrorism. Once stability returns to Libya and our Embassy re-opens we will urge the Libyan authorities to engage again with UK victims and their legal representatives, including those seeking compensation.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cars the DVLA clamped in each month of each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Andrew Jones

    The table below shows the information requested.

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    January

    9,023

    8,370

    5,131

    5,197

    5,696

    8,890

    February

    10,892

    10,550

    4,947

    5,391

    5,115

    8,741

    March

    12,722

    9,517

    5,356

    5,450

    5,333

    8,630

    April

    8,978

    8,911

    4,636

    5,802

    5,214

    8,228

    May

    8,887

    8,265

    5,065

    5,450

    5,549

    8,511

    June

    8,790

    8,217

    4,339

    4,968

    5,530

    9,957

    July

    8,970

    7,365

    5,257

    4,238

    5,634

    10,554

    August

    8,883

    7,947

    4,644

    2,079

    5,384

    8,050

    September

    8,562

    7,472

    4,525

    3,918

    5,530

    9,444

    October

    9,435

    5,533

    4,275

    4,576

    5,806

    9,778

    November

    9,873

    2,828

    4,349

    4,791

    5,756

    December

    7,587

    4,507

    1,870

    4,283

    6,740

    Total

    112,602

    89,482

    54,394

    56,143

    67,287

    90,783

    By way of context, the equivalent total figure for 2009 is 123,695 cars.

    These vehicles would have been clamped by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s national wheelclamping contractors or by local authorities and police forces with devolved powers to clamp and impound unlicensed vehicles.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press, communication and public relations staff are employed by (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England, (d) Monitor, (e) the Care Quality Commission, (f) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (g) NHS Blood and Transplant, (h) the NHS Litigation Authority, (i) the Trust Development Authority, (j) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, (k) the Human Tissue Authority, (l) the NHS Business Service Authority, (m) Health Education England and (n) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; how many of those employees are paid more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and communication by each of those organisations in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    Below are details of communications headcount and spend for the organisations requested.

    On headcount, to ensure consistency, all organisations have provided information according to the following criteria for public relations (PR) and communications staff:

    – Press and PR

    – Stakeholder relations

    – Campaigns (including marketing and strategic communications)

    – Digital Communications (not IT/digital service teams)

    – Internal Communications

    On communications spend, we have provided figures for 2014/15, which is the most recent year for which figures are available.

    The figures on spend are split between major communications and marketing spend costs (submissions of above £100,000 which are assessed through the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group process) and the remaining admin and minor programme spend costs. Major programme spend costs cover budgets for public information campaigns – such as smoking cessation, blood and organ donor recruitment, dementia friends, cancer diagnosis and immunisation campaigns.

    The figures on major campaign programme spend (in column three below) reflect the amount of money requested in the Cabinet Office submission. In some instances, the final spend on communications was lower, as some of the budget was reappropriated for operational requirements or was unused and returned to central budgets.

    Organisation

    Number of Communications Staff

    Major campaign programme spend (Activity over £100,000 approved in 2014/15)

    Admin (staff / non-staff) and minor programme spend 2014/15 (£)

    Department of Health

    106.5

    1,129,507

    6,968,643

    Public Health England

    115.5

    57,162,157*

    8,134,900

    NHS England

    69

    9,721,465

    3,292,340

    Monitor

    21

    n/a

    1,697,000

    Care Quality Commission

    34

    650,000

    6,671,635

    NICE

    74

    n/a

    2,427, 944

    NHS Blood & Transplant

    124.59

    4,862,257

    8,689,004

    NHS Litigation Authority

    3

    n/a

    315,329

    NHS Trust Development Authority

    12

    n/a

    926,023

    Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

    6.5

    n/a

    381,443

    Human Tissue Authority

    3.2

    n/a

    291,454

    NHS Business Services Authority

    17.6

    1,028,800

    823,586

    Health Education England

    32

    n/a

    2,219,301

    Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority

    28

    n/a

    1,987,441

    *See breakdown of Public Health England campaign spend in table below

    Public Health England Campaign Spend in 2014/15

    Cost

    Smokefree (tobacco control) includes Stoptober and January Health Harms campaigns

    £11,580,000

    PHE Smokefree Cars

    £1,400,000

    Be Clear on Cancer

    £11,685,000

    Stroke- ACT Fast

    £975,000

    Change4life

    £11,514,248

    Start4life

    £3,200,000

    Rise Above

    £1,970,000

    DH PHE Dementia Friends Campaign

    £4,000,000

    HIV Prevention England 14/15

    £550,000

    Sexual Health Information Family Planning Association

    £262,000

    Care & Support Reforms Phase 1

    £1,950,000

    Dementia Friends Phase 2

    £1,500,000

    Seasonal Flu Campaign

    £1,868,000

    PHE Alcohol Campaign

    £1,825,000

    PHE, Seasonal Flu, respiratory and hand hygiene 2014/15

    £500,000

    TOTAL

    £54,779,248

    We can provide information on staff paid in different salary bands. However, due to differing bands between organisations and differing geographical weighting, this does not allow us to provide figures for the number of employees paid more than £50,000 and £100,000.