Tag: 2016

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department’s tobacco control plan will include future innovations in nicotine delivery.

    Jane Ellison

    Supporting smokers to quit successfully is an important part of reducing the prevalence of smoking in England today. We know that a large number of smokers have and continue to use nicotine delivery devices to support their quit attempts.

    We will consult a range of stakeholders to consider how the use of these products fits with overall tobacco policy as we start to develop the new tobacco control plan.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the performance of the Child Protection Taskforce.

    Edward Timpson

    The Child Protection Taskforce is one of several Implementation Taskforces set up by the Prime Minister to monitor the delivery of key policies. The Taskforce oversees the Government’s reform agenda for child protection: tracking progress; spotting potential blockages and agreeing plans for resolving them; ensuring accountability; and making sure actions are followed through. Since the Taskforce was formed in June 2015, it has been successful in bringing key Ministers and officials together in a forum to drive our ambitious reform agenda on children’s social care.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times the General Anti-Abuse Rule Advisory Panel met in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015 and (d) 2016 to date.

    Mr David Gauke

    The General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) was introduced in July 2013, and only applies to abusive tax arrangements entered into from this date.

    This means that it will first apply to income tax returns for the tax year ending 5 April 2014, which must have been filed with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by 31 January 2015.

    For cases to be tackled by the GAAR, HMRC must first enquire into tax returns once they are received, and gather all relevant facts. It is therefore still early in the process of litigation action for cases to be tackled by the GAAR.

    The GAAR Advisory Panel is an external body separate to HMRC. Their independent role means that they do not report the number of meetings held to HMRC.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the at risk population have been screened for (a) sickle cell disease and (b) thalassaemia in each (i) clinical commissioning group area, (ii) trust area and (iii) national sickle cell and thalassaemia centre area; and what proportion of that population were so screened in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    The Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme is an antenatal population screening programme which is offered to all pregnant women regardless of their risk, and to fathers to be, where antenatal screening shows that the mother is a genetic carrier. The offer to be screened is a joint offer.

    Screening coverage for sickle cell and thalassaemia is reported by region only and can be accessed below:

    http://www.phoutcomes.info/search/SICKLE%20CELL

    Screening data for sickle cell and thalassaemia by NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups over the last three years can be viewed:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nhs-screening-programmes-national-data-reporting

    Newborn babies are screened for sickle cell as part of the newborn blood spot screening programme. Data in screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia in the Newborn Blood Spot Programme over the last three years is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nhs-screening-programmes-national-data-reporting

    “

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on producing a 25-Year Plan for the environment.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The 25 Year Plan for the environment is a Conservative manifesto commitment and a priority for this government – ensuring a healthy environment and strong economy. Ours will be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than when we found it.

    The decision to leave the EU has meant the scope for the plan needed to be widened. We will now consider a long-term vision for our environment that is tailored to the needs of this country.

    We will shortly be publishing an engagement framework which will provide everyone with the opportunity to contribute toward shaping our environment over the next few years. We look forward to continuing to work with a wide range of interests to determine our approach and work together to deliver it.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider parity of esteem, as outlined in the Belfast Agreement 1998, to have been a success, and if so, on what basis.

    Lord Dunlop

    I have nothing further to add to my earlier responses on parity of esteem.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25396, if she will publish data from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) on the performance of police forces against the service level agreement standards for the time taken to complete local DBS checks over the last six months.

    Karen Bradley

    The operational performance plans of police disclosure units are matters for Chief Constables in association with Police and Crime Commissioners.

    The DBS regularly publishes detailed datasets showing statistics against internal performance standards which form the basis of its monthly reports to the Home Office. This includes performance against their target to issue 95% of all disclosures within 56 days and the number of disclosure applications in progress each month. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-1-disclosure-progress-information-disclosed-and-update-service-subscriptions.

    DBS also publishes datasets showing statistics against service level agreements with police forces. These apply to the performance of police disclosure units and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-5-police-disclosure-unit-performance.

  • Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Graham Stringer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stringer on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the extent of high consumption of alcohol by men in the UK relative to such consumption in other EU states.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department does not hold this information. The only international data on alcohol consumption per head can be found in the World Health Organization (WHO), Global status report on alcohol and health 2014 and the levels of consumption section in the WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health at:

    http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/en/

    and

    http://apps.who.int/gho/data/?showonly=GISAH&theme=main-euro

    “

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings of the Intergenerational Foundation in its research report, Toxic time capsule, published in April 2016, on the relative costs to the public purse and generating capacity of solar power, wind power and the Hinkley Point C project.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We do not recognise the figures presented in the report for the Intergenerational Foundation. Hinkley Point C is a good deal for consumers and, once operational will provide 60 years of secure, reliable and low-carbon electricity. This will help us to keep the lights on while meeting our emissions targets in the most cost-effective way.

    My Rt. hon friend, The Secretary of State is minded to proceed with the CfD support package for Hinkley Point C, subject to EDF taking a final investment decision.

  • Ian Paisley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Paisley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government’s policy on the soft drinks levy will lead to a higher rate of tax per volume of product levied on some soft drinks than on some non-spirit alcoholic beverages.

    Damian Hinds

    The tax rates for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy have not yet been set. The levy will not capture drinks with an alcoholic content above 0.5% ABV, which cannot be purchased by children.