The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will include physical activity as a top-tier issue of public health when outlining the annual remit of Public Health England for 2016-17.
Jane Ellison
We will determine the priorities for Public Health England (PHE) in 2016/17 in due course, and these will be set out in the remit and strategic priorities letter issued to PHE.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-12-09.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support his Department is offering to businesses affected by flooding in Cumbria in advance of tax payment deadlines.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) operates a dedicated Severe Weather helpline to offer help and advice on any tax matters to those people and businesses affected by the recent flooding. The helpline is 0800 904 7900
Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 8.00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, excluding bank holidays.
HMRC will also:
The helpline is in addition to other HMRC telephone contact numbers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department’s policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps she has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. The DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance.
The guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf
The Family Test is also being integrated within the Department’s impact assessment process to ensure it is consistently addressed. Recognising that all Government policies will impact on families in some way, the Government’s guidance on the Family Test is clear that policies should pass a threshold of proportionality before the Family Test is applied in full. New Home Office policies in the current Parliament have not met the threshold for applying the Family Test. The Family Test, when applied, will be published as part of the relevant impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many remotely piloted aircraft system pilots are employed in the RAF; and if he will make a statement.
Penny Mordaunt
There are currently 40 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System pilots in the Royal Air Force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alasdair McDonnell on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that the Common Travel Area be maintained in the event that Great Britain and Northern Ireland leave the EU.
James Brokenshire
Our focus is the reform of the EU and the Prime Minister clearly set out in his speech on 10 November and his letter to the President of the European Council, the issues where we are seeking change. We recognise the important economic and social benefits of the Common Travel Area, and our priority is to strengthen the external border of the Common Travel Area through collaboration with Ireland and the Crown dependencies, to ensure the benefits of the Common Travel Area can be preserved whilst maintaining a secure border.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to fund mental health services for military personnel on active military duty; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence is absolutely committed to looking after the mental health of our Armed Forces personnel, and through the Defence budget we fund a range of military medical staff and facilities to provide community-based healthcare in line with national best practice. This includes the ability to deploy medical staff on major operations such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the UK, we have 16 permanent military Departments of Community Mental Health, which are located to be convenient for major centres of military population, and which support the provision of healthcare that is available through GPs in Service primary care facilities. In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in dedicated psychiatric units through a central contract with an external provider.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) average and (b) maximum time taken by his Department to process applications for a warrant to transfer inmates to a (i) mental health unit and (ii) to a different ward within a mental health unit was in each of the last five years.
Andrew Selous
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the report published in December 2015 by the Global Carbon Project on trends in greenhouse gas emissions.
Andrea Leadsom
The Global Carbon Project Report 2015 sets out global CO2 emission trends from 1870 to 2015. The UK accounts for 1.2% of global emissions and remains committed to meeting our climate change target of an at least 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The UK has already made great progress towards that goal having reduced emissions by around 30% since 1990.
In Paris, we reached an historic agreement, with the whole world committing to action which they are held to account on for the first time ever. This marks a clear turning point towards a sustainable and low carbon future. Countries will now have to come together regularly to review their climate plans and collectively ensure that the necessary action is being taken to tackle climate change.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on City Deals for (a) Aberdeen, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Inverness.
David Mundell
I have regular discussions with my Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including City Deals.
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Inverness all submitted City Deal proposals to the UK and Scottish Government on 4 September. The Scotland Office is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government to study the proposals in depth, as well as discussing them with the Scottish Government to achieve outcomes that benefit both Scotland and the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of progress in building security in Nigeria and the neighbouring countries which are often entered by Boco Haram; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding by the UK and EU for this purpose.
James Duddridge
We welcome the recent successes achieved by the Nigerian armed forces against Boko Haram and the establishment of the Multinational Joint Taskforce to tackle the group.
The UK is providing a substantial and increasing package of UK military, intelligence, development and humanitarian support to help Nigeria and the region tackle Boko Haram. This includes training and advice to Nigerian military units deployed against Boko Haram and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Taskforce. However a security approach alone will not solve the conflict. We are therefore providing £8.2 million in humanitarian support and the Department for International Development are also providing £9 million through its Sahel humanitarian programme to support Nigerian refugees and other vulnerable people in Cameroon and Niger. In addition 60% of the Department for International Development’s £222 million 2015/16 development budget for Nigeria is spent in Northern Nigeria.
The UK works closely with the European Union on their programmes in the region, these include €20.5 million aid for Nigeria programmes to Counter Violent Extremism and on civil-military relations in Nigeria.