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Tag: 2016

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects effective processes to be in place to allow the issuing of fixed penalty notices to people who are smoking in cars when children are present.

    Jane Ellison

    Local authorities can issue fixed penalty notices for offences related to smoking in private vehicles carrying children; the police can use the traffic offender report to pass information to local authorities who can issue the fixed penalty notice and collect the fines. Guidance on this process has been sent to police forces.

    The police and local authorities can also collaborate on enforcement action, for example when carrying out local road safety operations, when the local authority can take enforcement action as appropriate.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Government plans to give parents confidence that their child will be accepted by academies that determine their own admissions and ensure that the child’s needs will be met.

    Edward Timpson

    The law requires all schools, including academies, to comply with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which names the school.

    Where a child or young person has Special Educational Needs (SEN) or disabilities but does not have an EHC plan, academies are required to comply with the Schools Admission Code and the law relating to admissions in considering their parents’ application for a place. Academies must:

    • consider such applications on the basis of the school’s published admissions criteria as part of their normal admissions procedures;
    • not refuse to admit a child because they do not feel able to cater for those needs; and
    • not refuse to admit a child on the grounds that they do not have an EHC plan.

    In addition:

    • the Equality Act 2010 prohibits all schools from discriminating against disabled children and young people in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability; and
    • where an academy has a pupil with SEN on roll, it must use its ‘best endeavours’ to ensure that the child get the support needed.

    The Secretary of State also has powers under each academy’s funding agreement to direct the admission of a child to an academy. This power can be exercised if a school unlawfully removes a child from roll or if a school unlawfully refuses to comply with an EHC plan.

    Finally, anyone applying for a place as a mainstream applicant, which includes those with SEN but without an EHC plan, can appeal to an independent appeal panel constituted and operating in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code, if refused admission. The decision of the panel is binding on all parties.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38480, whether his Department is taking steps in response to use of the NHS logo by the Vote Leave Campaign.

    George Freeman

    Vote Leave is not authorised to use the National Health Service trademark, or an adaptation of it.

    The Department has sought legal advice and has been in contact with the Vote Leave campaign about misuse of the NHS brand.

  • Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that personal protective equipment which does not comply with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 is not used in the UK.

    Margot James

    Under the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 it is a criminal offence to place on the market personal protective equipment that does not comply with the regulations or to supply any such equipment unless it is safe. Trading Standards are responsible for taking appropriate action against personal protective equipment that does not comply with the Regulations. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy continues to work closely with Trading Standards to ensure that any Personal Protective Equipment on the market is safe.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish an updated edition of Ministerial Responsibilities.

    Ben Gummer

    An updated version of the list of Ministerial Responsibilities will be published shortly.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the National Living Wage on the provision of adult social care.

    Alistair Burt

    The new National Living Wage (NLW) will ensure that care workers are better paid for the vital work they do. The Government engaged with the social care sector, including care providers and the costs of the NLW were considered as part of the Spending Review. The overall costs to local authorities of providing social care were also considered.

    We recognise that demand for social care is growing and that councils will need to increase the price they pay for care to cover costs such as the NLW.

    The Spending Review settlement provides £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. Councils will be able to introduce a new Social Care Precept, which will allow an increase of 2% above the existing threshold to be added to council tax, raising up to £2 billion that has to be spent exclusively on adult social care. By 2019/20 an extra £1.5 billion will have been made available to be included in the Better Care Fund. Taken together, the Social Care Precept and the Better Care Fund will mean local government has access to funding to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament.

  • Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of policing on university campuses following the violent protests and criminal damage by demonstrators at an Israel Society event at King’s College London last week.

    Mike Penning

    The operational policing of protests and demonstrations are principally a matter for Chief Officers of each force in England and Wales.

    Peaceful protest is a vital part of a democratic society. It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather together and to demonstrate their views. However, like all members of the public, protesters are subject to the law. Should individuals cross the boundary into criminal acts including public order offences, criminal damage, hate crime offences or violent behaviour, the police have a range of powers to take action.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help the social housing sector maintain and increase the provision of specialist accessible and adapted housing stock for people with disabilities.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government provides direct funding for specialised housing for older and disabled people through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund and the Affordable Homes Programme, making available up to £800 million for specialised housing for older, disabled, and vulnerable people over the next five years, which will deliver over 15,000 specialised homes.

    The Government is also putting more money into the Disabled Facilities Grant to enable older and disabled people to live independently and safely in their own homes for longer. On top of the £1 billion the Government has invested in the grant since 2010, the grant will increase year on year for the next five years rising to over £500 million by 2020. In 2016-17 the Disabled Facilities Grant will grow to £394 million, a 79% increase on the current year.

  • Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the review carried out by McKinsey and Company into his Department’s budget.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department will not be publishing the McKinsey work on the grounds that to do so would be likely to reduce the Government’s ability to protect the policy-making process and maintain the delivery of effective Government.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what allocation the UK expects to receive from the European School Milk Scheme in each of the next three years.

    George Eustice

    The UK has operated the existing EU school milk scheme since the 1970s. This has made an important nutritional contribution, encouraging children to adopt healthy eating habits. The new scheme will operate from 1 August 2017 with an enhanced focus on educational measures to strengthen the links between the farming community and children, parents and teachers. The total budget for the scheme has been increased from €80 million to €100 million to encourage higher milk consumption. Now that the scheme has been voted through, we will consider the new requirements and consult industry.

    Indicative allocations for each Member State for the period 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2023 are set out in the new school schemes regulations. The UK’s indicative allocation for school milk is €9,804,331 annually. Participation in the scheme is voluntary at the national level. Final allocations will depend on the amounts that Member States request as there is provision for re-allocating amounts that are not taken up in Member States programmes.

    In addition to the European School Milk Scheme, the Department for Health funds a much larger domestic scheme that provides free school milk to the under 5s at a cost of around £60 million a year.