Tag: 2016

Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which UK officials were present at discussions on the peace process in Syria between the US and Russia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Discussions to re-establish a nationwide Cessation of Hostilities have been led bilaterally between the US and Russia as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG). The UK participates in full meetings of the ISSG as well as through our Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council.

01/01/2023
Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the total annual saving to the public purse has been of the closure of the Hull office of the Insolvency Service.

Anna Soubry

The decision to close the Hull office, with effect from 14 November 2014, was based on savings with a Net Present Value of £289,000 over 5 years. The profile of savings is such that they will mainly be realised towards the end of that period. Current information is that we are on course to achieve these savings.

01/01/2023
Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to promote the consumption of cranberry products to prevent simple infections such as urinary tract infections.

Jane Ellison

The research database, Cochrane, published a study in 2012 which assessed the effectiveness of cranberry products in preventing urinary tract infections in susceptible populations. Researchers found that there is no objective evidence for the benefit of cranberry juice in preventing urinary tract infections. Therefore the Department has not taken steps to promote the consumption of cranberry products.

The UK five year Antimicrobial Resistance strategy set out the need to stimulate the development of new antibiotics, rapid diagnostics and novel therapies. The DH commissioned the Wellcome Trust to undertake a review of alternative treatments in 2014. The review concluded that while many approaches have potential, there is a continued need for conventional antibiotics to treat the majority of infections for the foreseeable future.

A paper, summarising the review “alternatives to antibiotics – a pipeline portfolio review” was published in the Lancet in January 2016. This is available at the following link:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00466-1

01/01/2023
Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-04.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he made of the potential effect on corporation tax receipts of changes to personal injury law and procedure prior to making his announcement of such changes in the 2015 Autumn Statement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

The Ministry of Justice will launch a public consultation in due course on the details of the policy. This will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

01/01/2023
Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to paragraph 1.59 of the Budget 2016, from which projects and programmes the £650 million reduction in Official Development Assistance will come.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The £650 million reduction to the ODA budget will be from DFID’s baseline budget. DFID’s baseline budget includes transfers to other government departments and funds. Decisions on the allocation of reductions will be taken on the basis of the impact of expenditure and strategic fit with government objectives.

01/01/2023
Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23836, on railways: franchises, on which franchises the partnership referred to in that Answer has provided advice to him in relation to his duties under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993; and whether his Department has carried out mobilisation work on any franchises under Section 30 since the contract referred to in that Answer was signed.

Claire Perry

The partnership are contracted to provide advice to the Department on all rail franchises in relation to the Secretary of State’s duties under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993.

The partnership is also currently advising the Department on a mobilisation plan for the Cross Country franchise. This plan is being prepared on a contingency basis which will be implemented in the event that negotiations on a Direct Award to the current operator fail to reach a successful commercial conclusion.

01/01/2023
Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times he has visited West Cumberland Hospital in an official capacity in each of the last four years.

Ben Gummer

The Secretary of State for Health and his Ministerial team have not undertaken any visits in an official capacity to the West Cumberland Hospital in the last four years.

01/01/2023
Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department plans to raise awareness among schools and head teachers of solutions they can choose to help children enjoy physical activity every day.

Nicola Blackwood

The County Sport Partnerships (CSPs) will continue to work with schools to raise awareness of local sport and physical activity opportunities. As announced in the recently published Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action, CSPs will now also be working with the National Governing Bodies of sport and other national and local providers, to ensure that every school in England has access to high quality sport and physical activity programmes.

01/01/2023

Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for mandatory reconsideration of a tax credits decision are awaiting determination by Concentrix.

Mr David Gauke

The number of requests for mandatory reconsideration of a decision about a tax credits award that Concentrix have received since the commencement of their contract with HM Revenue and Customs in November 2014 is as follows:

Month	Number of MRs
November 2014	0
December 2014	2
January 2015	6
February 2015	38
March 2015	29
April 2015	137
May 2015	100
June 2015	45
July 2015	71
August 2015	108
September 2015	1221
October 2015	925
November 2015	871
December 2015	2371

The total is about 1.6% of all decisions Concentrix made in the same period.

As of 15 January 2016, there are 566 mandatory reconsiderations in progress that have been opened and Concentrix are waiting for customers to provide further evidence. Concentrix have 30 further mandatory reconsiderations that are awaiting determination.

The average length of time taken between Concentrix starting to work a mandatory reconsideration and making a decision is 24 days. This includes the time needed for customers to provide any further evidence.

01/01/2023

Lord Lexden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lexden on 2016-02-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total sum to date that has been paid in compensation to persons found guilty of terrorist-related offences in Northern Ireland whose convictions have been overturned because the activities of British agents were not disclosed to the courts; how many further such claims for compensation are pending; and whether compensation will be paid if more claims are made.

Lord Dunlop

It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny the involvement of agents of the Security and Intelligence Agencies in any specific activity in order to protect the UK’s national security. I am therefore unable to comment further.

However, where national security sensitive information is relevant to an application for compensation for a miscarriage of justice in Northern Ireland, for example where the Court of Appeal is unable to make public its full reasons for quashing the conviction, the decision on whether compensation is payable is one for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In making that decision, she will apply the new test set out in section 133(1Z) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, namely that compensation is payable “if and only if the new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence”.

01/01/2023