Tag: 2016

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that all applications to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for a licence to carry out research using human admixed embryos are published on the HFEA website with a description of the research proposed.

    Jane Ellison

    It is for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to decide what information it places on its website. The HFEA has advised that it is reviewing its publication policy in readiness for the launch of its new website in summer 2016.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations the Government has made to the Israeli government on the confiscation near Qalqillhya on 7 May 2015 of 3,000 metres of water pipes funded by her Department as part of a project with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Palestinian Ministry of Ariculture.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The confiscated pipes have all been returned.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their stated intention to require both ministerial and judicial authorisation for warrants under the Investigatory Powers Bill, why they consider it necessary to include a provision limiting judicial scrutiny to judicial review principles.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Investigatory Powers Bill creates a “double lock” for the use of the most intrusive in-vestigatory powers such that a decision to issue a warrant must be approved by a Judicial Commissioner.

    As the Secretary of State for the Home Department set out last November, this system balances Parliamentary accountability with independent consideration by a judicial authority. The application of judicial review principles is a robust, yet flexible, approach that the judiciary have significant experience in applying as the framework for independent scrutiny of Executive decision making. The ‘double-lock’, including the use of judicial review principles, was considered in detail by the Joint Committee that scrutinised the draft Bill. The Committee concluded that they were satisfied with the use of judicial review principles and that they would afford the Judicial Commissioners considerable flexibility in reviewing decisions to authorise the use of investigatory powers.

    In response to concerns expressed during Commons Committee Stage, the Government tabled an amendment to the test at report. That amendment makes it clear that when carrying out their review of the decision to issue the warrant, the Judicial Commissioner must do so with a sufficient degree of care so as to ensure that the Commissioner complies with their duties under clause 5 (General duties in relation to privacy). There was strong support from across the House for this amendment.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cash balance held by schools in England as a percentage of their annual budget was on 31 March (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

    Nick Gibb

    The latest available revenue balances for Local Authority (LA) maintained schools are given in the table below. They are on an accruals rather than cash accounting basis. Equivalent figures for academies are not available as they report on academic years ending 31 August.

    Total revenue balance1 as a % of total revenue income2 in LA maintained schools

    Date

    %

    31 March 2014

    6.7

    31 March 2015

    8.2

    Source: Consistent Financial Reporting survey

    1. A school’s total revenue balance is calculated from the combination of any unspent allocations and the cumulative balance of income minus expenditure from revenue funding sources during the financial year and any balances carried forward from previous years.

    2. A school’s total revenue income for the year includes all revenue funding available in the year as well as any additional income generated by the school. This does not include any revenue balances carried forward from previous years.

    These data are published annually, most recently in the Department’s Statistical Release LA and school expenditure: 2014 to 2015 financial year, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-education-and-childrens-services-spending-2014-to-2015

    Figures for 31 March 2016 will be published in December 2016.

    “

  • Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jack Dromey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to publish detailed plans for achieving a minimum 10Mbps broadband connection as a universal service obligation by 2020.

    Matt Hancock

    Ofcom has been commissioned to undertake detailed technical analysis which will help inform decisions on the design parameters for the USO. We will publish plans for a broadband USO once we have considered Ofcom’s report which is due to be completed by the end of the year.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which high performing children’s services departments have provided assistance to other local authorities with such departments judged as inadequate since 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    Since 2010, Hampshire County Council, Essex County Council, Leeds City Council, and Achieving for Children (a social enterprise company created by Kingston and Richmond Councils to provide their children’s services) have all provided assistance, through formal arrangements brokered by the Department for Education, to local authorities that have been judged inadequate by Ofsted. A range of support has been provided by Councils outside of those arrangements.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with which private bus operators his Department has discussed the planned Buses Bill.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport held a series of seven bus reform workshops, in five locations (Birmingham, London, Leeds, Manchester and Bristol) in September and October 2015. The workshops were attended by bus operators and other interested stakeholders to share their views on the Buses Bill. We have also had detailed discussions with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and the Association of Local Bus Company Managers (ALBUM).

    Information about the bus reform workshops including a list of organisations represented have been published by the department. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bus-reform-workshops-background-information

    “

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent refurbishing the premises of the Crown Post Offices in (a) Crouch End and (b) Muswell Hill since January 2010.

    George Freeman

    Provision of its Crown branches is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.

    I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • 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 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress Public Health England is making on its development of a wellbeing and mental health leadership support programme.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) has focused on building leadership for wellbeing and mental health via its Public Mental Health programme. This has ranged from delivering high profile presentations to key national stakeholders to facilitating local support networks for public health staff working in local authorities. PHE has also supported the development of local leadership via the Local Authority Member Champions support programme. Through its partnership with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing PHE is developing leadership for wellbeing through a series of webinars and development opportunities.

    Internally, the PHE wellbeing champions programme has developed staff leadership in workplace wellbeing. Wellbeing and mental health leadership has been incorporated into the forthcoming report on Fit for the Future: a review of public health workforce.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33237, what assessment his Department has made of the potential health risks of the use of lasers by driverless vehicles.

    Anna Soubry

    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills believes that the General Product Safety Regulations should ensure that lasers used by driverless cars do not present an unacceptable health risk.