Tag: 2016

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with the European Maritime Safety Agency on implementing sulphur reduction regulations.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Requirements under Directive 2012/33/EU – the sulphur content of marine fuels – came into force in the UK on 16 December 2014. Official level discussions between the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the Department on technical and operational aspects of the sulphur limits take place in the European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF). In addition, DfT and EMSA officials attend a comitology committee which considers legal matters arising from these requirements.

    There have been no direct discussions between DfT Ministers and EMSA on the sulphur requirements.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff with learning difficulties are currently employed by each Transforming Care team.

    David Mowat

    The Government is committed to increasing the number of people with learning disabilities employed across the full range of National Health Service organisations. NHS Employers and NHS England have a range of tools and guidance to support organisations to increase their recruitment of people with learning disabilities, including providing real examples of jobs currently being done. People with learning disabilities bring their own expertise, personal experience and knowledge to roles. As such, roles that can specifically draw on this experience should be considered.

    Further information on the NHS Learning Disability Employment Programme is available on NHS England’s website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/gov/equality-hub/ld-emp-prog/

    “

  • Lord Bradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Bradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce fluoride into the water of the North West of England.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    There are currently water fluoridation schemes in the North West of England serving parts of Cumbria and Cheshire.

    It has been the policy of successive governments that decisions on water fluoridation are best taken locally. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gave powers to upper tier and unitary local authorities to make proposals in relation to fluoridation.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if the Prime Minister will make it his policy to devolve responsibilities for the North Sea oil industry to the Scottish Government.

    David Mundell

    The UK Government does not intend to devolve responsibility for the North Sea oil industry.

    The Smith Commission Agreement, agreed by all of Scotland’s main parties, was clear on the powers that would be devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers, and the Scotland Bill, currently before Parliament, delivers these powers in full.

    The Smith Commission agreed that all aspects of the taxation of oil and gas receipts and the licensing of offshore oil and gas extraction would remain reserved.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of the rail network that will be driver-only operated by (a) 2020 and (b) 2025.

    Claire Perry

    Staffing levels are generally a matter for railway operators, as we believe that they are best placed to determine how to meet the needs of their passengers. Therefore, no such estimate has been made.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the reliance of health services on the recruitment of overseas nurses.

    Ben Gummer

    We remain committed to moving forwards towards a self-sustaining workforce and to reduce the demand for migrant labour, including nurses. In addition to increasing the number of nurses training places, Health Education England are investing almost £5 million in the Return to Practice programme, aimed at encouraging and supporting nurses who are no longer working to gain relevant training to return to work.

    We are also providing £40 million in leadership training to create a new generation of senior nurses and ensuring preceptorship is available to support newly qualified nurses in their first year of working.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had discussions with the BBC on levels of accessibility to online archived BBC content.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    As part of the discussions leading to the publication of the White Paper, A BBC for the future​: a Broadcaster of Distinction, the government discussed accessibility of the BBC’s archive with the BBC. As set out in that White Paper, the government encourages the BBC to do more to open up its archive and ensure that it can be used by the public and as wide a range of institutions and organisations as possible​.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to what extent he plans for the decision on airport expansion in the South East to take account of potential economic benefits outside of London and the South East.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Our global connections are crucial for British business and benefit the whole country. The economic benefits to the UK as a whole, not just London and the South East, will be taken into consideration when making a decision on a preferred scheme for airport expansion, alongside a range of other relevant evidence.

  • Kate Osamor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Osamor – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women detained in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre have children who are British citizens.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department does not hold the data in the form requested.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what powers local authorities have to intervene regarding safeguarding concerns at an academy school.

    Lord Nash

    Under the Children Act 1989, local authorities are under a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people within their area by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs. This is regardless of the type of educational provision.

    Section 47 of the same act requires the local authority to investigate whether action should be taken by them to safeguard or promote the welfare of children suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.

    The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) and Keeping children safe in education (2014) clarifies the core legal requirements for individuals and organisations to keep children safe. The guidance applies in its entirety to all schools. Schools have responsibilities to notify the local authority if there are safeguarding concerns about individual children or recruitment issues linked to individual staff. Statutory guidance also sets out how all schools are expected to cooperate with the local safeguarding children board to ensure that safeguarding practice across the area is joined up and robust.

    If a local authority has concerns about the general adequacy of statutory safeguarding arrangements in place in a particular academy, they may notify the academies regulator, i.e. the Education Funding Agency (EFA), which can seek compliance, or Ofsted, which has powers to inspect safeguarding arrangements. In such circumstances, the EFA will take appropriate action to check that the academy’s arrangements are compliant with its statutory responsibilities. The EFA may also notify Ofsted of any concerns or evidence it has about an academy’s apparent failure to operate adequate safeguarding arrangements.