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Tag: 2015

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the revenue Lancashire Constabulary obtained from vehicle storage fees in 2014.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office does not hold this information. The police are empowered to levy statutorily prescribed charges as set out in the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) Regulations 2008. The decision to use these powers is an operational matter for the police.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on preparing to amend the Admissions Code to give parents of summer-born children a right to defer their start to school; and when a consultation on those amendments will take place.

    Nick Gibb

    On 8 September, I announced the government’s intention to amend the School Admissions Code, subject to parliamentary approval, so that children born in summer can be admitted to the reception class at the age of five where this is the wish of their parents. This intention is set out in an open letter to parents, schools and local authorities which is available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-born-children-nick-gibbs-letter-about-school-admissions

    Work is now underway to assess what other changes it might be appropriate to make to the Admissions Code. We hope to have a draft Code ready for consultation in the New Year.

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  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward a draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill; and whether the definition of a travelling circus will be included in the Bill.

    George Eustice

    A draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill was published in April 2013 and received pre-legislative scrutiny by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee at the time. The draft bill did not include a definition of a travelling circus. As the explanatory notes to the draft bill said, ‘travelling circus’ is a well understood term that does not require a definition. The Government’s view remains that by trying to define precisely the term ‘circus’, you are more likely to create potential loopholes. However, the introduction of a bill is a manifesto commitment and the Government will do so as soon as parliamentary time allows.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she has received on the reasons for delays in the establishment of the UN Verification and Investigation Mechanism.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) is a new mechanism, developed by the UN. It involves setting up an internationally-staffed maritime verification centre which is expected to replace the existing informal Coalition mechanism.

    The UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator has been working with the Government of Yemen and other relevant parties to ensure that UNVIM is established in the most effective way and can fit with the requirements of UNSCR 2216.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for additional winter pressures monitoring commencing in December.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England publishes a ‘winter health watch’ webpage each week throughout the winter.This includes a summary of the findings of our routine surveillance suitable for a non-technical audience, as well as links through to specific surveillance bulletins including surveillance for all- cause mortality, seasonal influenza, and norovirus.

    In addition, data will be collected and published from acute NHS trusts with a major accident and emergency department to provide an indication of where there are winter pressures in the system. This additional winter monitoring will commence on 1 December 2015, and will continue through to the end of February. NHS England will publish the first data on 11 December 2015. The data will be published every Friday over winter with the exception of the Christmas and New Year holidays where the data will be published on an alternative day. It is a routine collection that has been published weekly since 2010.

    The routine collection and publication of monthly NHS performance statistics by NHS England will continue as normal during the winter months. NHS England data can be found at:

    http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/

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  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) proportion and (b) number of mental health providers have been inspected by the Care Quality Commission under its new inspection regime.

    Ben Gummer

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 October 2015 to Question 11780.

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  • Stuart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart McDonald on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) prosecutions have taken place and (b) penalty notices have been issued under paragraphs (i) 13 and (ii) 12 of the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006 in each year since those regulations entered into force.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of prosecutions under Regulations 12 and 13 of the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006, in each of the years the regulations were in force, 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013, is shown in Table 1. The data in the table has been provided by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and is not held by the Home Office. MoJ Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales.

    The Regulations only allowed for employees to be served with a Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) under Regulation 13. The sanction against employers under Regulation 12 was prosecution through the Courts. The Home Office does not hold Management Information for this period which would explain why the prosecution numbers are low. Management information in Table 2 shows the number of FPNs notified to the Home Office as having been served in each of the financial years the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006 were in force.

    The Home Office has no record of any Fixed Penalty Notices being issued to Croatian nationals working in breach of the Accession of Croatia (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2013. The Home Office has not issued any civil penalties to employers in respect of breaches of the Accession of Croatia (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2013.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the economic recovery in Nepal since the earthquake in April 2015.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Nepal government estimates that GDP reduced by 1.5% as a result of the earthquake. Economic recovery has been slow and uncertain.

    Delays setting up the National Reconstruction Authority and unrest in the border area with India, which has closed most border crossings for over 6 weeks, make economic recovery challenging. We are pressing the government to prioritise the post-disaster response.

    The UK is providing up to £35 million for technical assistance to the Government of Nepal to directly mobilise more than £600 million of private investment into growth-boosting sectors, such as export-focused hydropower projects, indirectly generating better-paying jobs for unskilled and low-skilled Nepalese. The UK is also investing in building and maintaining roads to improve access in Nepal.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulatory arrangements require airlines to use the quietest aircraft for early morning and late night flights into London’s airports; and by what means are those arrangements enforced.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government sets night flight restrictions at the three busiest London airports; Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, which are designated for noise control purposes under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. As well as limiting the number of movements allowed within an airline season, these restrictions place requirements on the aircraft that can operate during the night period, and place seasonal limits on the amount of noise energy that can be emitted at each airport.

    All aircraft are given a Quota Count (QC) number based on their noise during take-off and landing, with the noisier aircraft given a higher QC rating. QC/4 aircraft are not allowed to be scheduled during the night quota period (2330 to 0600), and the highest rated QC/8 and QC/16 aircraft are prevented from operating at all during the entire night period (2300 to 0700).

    Each airport is given a seasonal noise quota, with aircraft with higher QC ratings using more of this quota per movement. The noise quota limit is designed to encourage the use of quieter aircraft by allowing airports to maximise the number of movements during any season through the use of aircraft with a lower quota count.

    The Government regularly monitors the movement and noise quota usage at all three airports, including restrictions on the noisiest aircraft, to ensure compliance. It should be noted that these restrictions do not preclude noisier aircraft from using these airports in the case of emergencies or severe disruption, or with prior Government approval, such as for disaster relief flights.

    The Government does not set night restrictions at any of London’s other international airports, but these operate their own restrictions, which are usually agreed as planning conditions:

    • London Luton has a similar night noise regime to that in place at the designated airports. This limits the number of flights that can take place between and 2330 and 0600 and prohibits aircraft with a QC rating of greater than 2 from operating between 2300 and 0700.
    • London City Airport does not operate flights between 2200 and 0630 from Sunday to Saturday morning, nor any flights between 1230 Saturday and 1230 Sunday.
    • London Southend sets a limit of 120 night movements per month in the period 2300 to 0630 and, in addition, prohibits any scheduled movements by aircraft with a QC rating of greater than 1 or by helicopters.

    Enforcement at these airports is a matter between airlines and the airport, or the local planning authority if relevant.

    It should also be noted that airports are able to incentivise airlines to use their quietest aircraft during the night and early morning by charging higher landing fees for noisier planes at these times.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on people on the autism spectrum of removal of the additional payment in the employment and support allowance’s work related activity group.

    Priti Patel

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html

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