Tag: 2016

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department plans to do to increase the number of refugees reaching the UK safely and legally under the family reunification scheme.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We support the principle of family unity and have several routes for families to be reunited safely. Our family reunion policy allows a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Over the past five years we have granted over 22,000 family reunion visas and will continue to do so.

    Where an application fails under the Immigration Rules, we consider whether there are exceptional or compassionate reasons for granting a visa outside the Rules. We published a revised Home Office policy on family reunion in July which provides further guidance for decision-makers on the types of case that may benefit from a grant of leave outside the Rules where there are exceptional circumstances.

    This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-reunion-instruction.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-10-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent meetings he has had with representatives of the European Investment Bank.

    Mr David Gauke

    While the UK remains a full member of the European Union it retains all of the rights, obligations and benefits that membership brings. The long-term relationship between the UK and the EIB will need to be resolved as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the UK Governor of the European Investment Bank and continues to fulfil his governance duties. The Chancellor continues to meet his European counterparts on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues.

    The EIB publish all loans made to UK borrowers as well as details on all future projects yet to be financed. Between 2013 and 2015, the UK received €20.7bn in EIB financing. The link below provides full details on EIB lending to the UK.

    http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/european-union/united-kingdom/index.htm

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities follow the guidance given by the Environment Agency on the building of houses on floodplains.

    Brandon Lewis

    National planning policy on flooding must be taken into account by local planning authorities in preparing their local plans and we are clear they should take advice from the Environment Agency and other relevant flood risk management bodies in doing so.

    Additionally, a local planning authority must, as set out in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, consult the Environment Agency on planning applications for development proposed on a floodplain and, in determining the application, they must take into account their advice. As an added safeguard, if a local planning authority wants to approve an application that the Environment Agency has objected to because of concerns about flood risk, they must first refer it to the Secretary of State to consider whether it should be ‘called-in’. Between April 2011 and March 2015 over 99% of proposed new homes had planning outcomes in line with Environment Agency advice where they had been made aware of the decision.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many cases heard by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator were closed within three months in (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

    Joseph Johnson

    Data is not collected in the way the Hon Member has requested. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator has a key performance indicator which tracks cases closed within six months from the receipt of the complaint form. In its most recently published annual report, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator reported that 39 per cent of cases were closed within this period.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to prevent patient data being used for purposes other than direct care.

    George Freeman

    The Department takes protection of patient data very seriously. It is the role of the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) to ensure that high quality information is used appropriately to improve patient care. The organisation has legal powers to collect and analyse information from all providers of National Health Service care. It is committed, and legally bound to the very highest standards of privacy, security and confidentiality to ensure that patient confidential information is protected at all times. Access to information is strictly controlled. Under further safeguards introduced by the Care Act 2014, the HSCIC may only use its general dissemination powers for information where there is a clear purpose for the provision of health care or adult social care or the promotion of health.

    The Department has recently made considerable investment in conjunction with the HSCIC and strategic partners in order to create the Care Computer Emergency Response Team service (CareCERT).

    CareCERT was launched in September 2015 and exists to be a centre of excellence for Cyber Security advice and Security Incident Management.

    CareCERT has sent regular alerts and advisories to every NHS organisation and local authority on a range of Cyber Security issues. This specifically helps to protect patient data by ensuring health and care organisations are prepared and implement appropriate security technology to protect information.

    To improve health and social care services for everyone patient information is used for purposes beyond direct care, including for commissioning, public health, research and monitoring services. Commissioners need good information about the types of illnesses people have and the treatments they receive, as well as the result of that care or treatment so that they can commission the services that people need. Information also helps researchers to improve medicines and treatments for patients and to find better ways to prevent illness and treat conditions. Health and care information can also be used to identify who is most at risk of particular diseases and conditions.

    The NHS Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities, which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively. The NHS Constitution states that:

    ― You have the right of access to your own health records and to have any factual inaccuracies corrected.

    ― You have the right to privacy and confidentiality and to expect the NHS to keep your confidential information safe and secure.

    ― You have the right to be informed about how your information is used.

    ― You have the right to request that your confidential information is not used beyond your own care and treatment and to have your objections considered, and where your wishes cannot be followed, to be told the reasons including the legal basis.

    Dame Fiona Caldicott, the National Data Guardian, is taking forward an independent review to develop clear guidelines for the protection of personal data against which every NHS and care organisation will be held to account and will be recommending a new data security standards and a new consent or objections model for health and care information. The Independent Review is expected to report to the Secretary of State for Health shortly.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of mental health trusts (a) offer female patients a choice of a female care coordinator, (b) conduct routine enquiries with female patients about experiences of abuse and violence and (c) provide gender-sensitive care.

    Alistair Burt

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department reserved in the HS2 budget for compensation to train operating companies in the form of (a) Schedule 4 payments, (b) Schedule 8 payments and (c) otherwise.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Compensation to train operating companies is included in the overall budget for HS2 of £55.7 billion (in 2015 prices) as established as part of SR15. Whilst the budget includes an allocation of costs for compensation to train operators‎, making these sums publicly available could affect our commercial position when negotiating with train operators.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that every region in the UK benefits from future economic growth.

    Greg Hands

    Economic development in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. At the 2015 Spending Review, the government announced that funding available for infrastructure investment via the block grant would rise by 12% in Northern Ireland, 14% in Scotland and 17% in Wales through to 2020-21. At Budget 2016 the government then committed an additional £220m of funding through the Barnett Formula to Northern Ireland, over £650m to Scotland, and more than £380m to Wales.

    The government is also empowering England to take responsibility for economic growth. By May 2017, over half the population of the North of England will have a powerful new directly elected mayor. £200m has been committed to Transport for the North, strategic investments have been made in science (including £235m for the Sir Henry Royce Institute,) and Hull has been backed as the 2017 City of Culture. The government is investing in growth in all parts of the country, for example through creating a Midlands Engine Investment Fund of over £250m. Meanwhile our business rate reforms offer local authorities across England unprecedented new levers to drive growth.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations her Department has received on alleged conflicts of interest in the appointment of Sir John Chadwick to head an inquiry into the mistreatment of live foxes by the South Herefordshire Hunt.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Home Office has not received any representations regarding the appointment of Sir John Chadwick to head the independent inquiry into the mistreatment of live foxes by the South Herefordshire Hunt.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the number of companies owned by UK nationals or headquartered in the UK which conduct business with the government of North Korea or any of its state-owned companies.

    Lord Price

    The Government does not have data on the number of companies owned by UK nationals or headquartered in the UK which conduct business with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

    Data on the value of trade between the UK and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is published by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). In 2015 the total bilateral trade in goods between the UK and the DPRK was $814,700.