Tag: 2016

Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with London Underground (LU) on the effect on passenger safety of reducing staffing on LU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department’s Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Transport for London (TfL) where many issues are discussed, including TfL’s plans to change the way Underground stations are operated and staffed, and to improve the service they provide to customers. I am assured that the changes introduced by TfL will not have a detrimental impact on passenger safety.

01/01/2023
The Lord Bishop of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Southwark on 2016-03-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the Department for International Development’s humanitarian effort in Iraq has been transferred to partners and agencies working in Iraq.

Baroness Verma

Since June 2014, the UK has committed £79.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. With the exception of emergency humanitarian supplies delivered by the UK to Iraq in summer 2014, all of this funding is delivered through UN agencies and NGO partners working in Iraq – including through those who have access to some of the most challenging areas. The Department for International Development does not provide any direct financial support to the Government of Iraq or Kurdistan Regional Government.

01/01/2023
Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on (a) including within Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions 1949 prohibition of the targeting of individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and (b) whether the consequences under international law of targeting individuals on the ground of sexual orientation are the same as targeting on the grounds of race, colour, religion or faith, sex and birth or wealth.

Penny Mordaunt

The Government does not target individuals based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Common Article 3 prohibits adverse distinction founded on race, colour religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

01/01/2023
Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what health and safety assessment his Department has conducted on military personnel or contractors loading or unloading equipment from his Department’s vessels onto the pier head at Ascension Island.

Mr Philip Dunne

The loading and unloading of freight from Ministry of Defence chartered vessels is conducted by the Ascension Island Government. A Health and Safety and Environmental Risk Assessment of loading/unloading equipment at the Ascension Islands pier head was undertaken by the Joint Forces Command Health and Safety lead in September 2015.

01/01/2023
Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has for the delivery of the General Practice Forward View.

David Mowat

The General Practice Forward View was published by NHS England on 21 April 2016 and is a package of measures to stabilise and support general practice.

NHS England has established an external Oversight Group to oversee implementation of the General Practice Forward View. Its membership includes the British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of General Practitioners and NHS Clinical Commissioners. The BMA has also established a reference group of local medical committees from across England to gain further input from general practitioners (GPs) and make sure the changes set out in the General Practice Forward View are realised.

At its Board meeting on 28 July 2016, NHS England set out progress to date, including on delivery of a new practice resilience programme to help struggling practices, and a new Indemnity Support Scheme to alleviate the immediate pressure of rising costs for GPs from indemnity. Further details are available on NHS England’s website:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/item5-28-07-16.pdf

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01/01/2023
Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what method and criteria were used to select the Board of HS2 Ltd.

Andrew Jones

All Non-Executive members including the Non-Executive Chair of the HS2 Ltd Board are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport. All Executive Members of the HS2 Ltd Board are appointed by HS2 Ltd on the delegated authority from the Secretary of State. The Chief Executive Officer of the HS2 Ltd Board is appointed by the Chair of HS2 Ltd.

All Ministerial appointments, extensions and exemptions to the HS2 Ltd Board, come under the remit of the Office for Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). They are made using the process from the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. The Commissioner may, in exceptional circumstances, agree that Departments may depart from this Code where he believes that this is justified in the public interest.

01/01/2023
Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on local authorities offering council tax discounts to in-house foster carers but not to independent or agency foster carers looking after children in care from that authority; and what information she holds on which authorities have such arrangements.

Edward Timpson

The arrangement of foster care placements is the duty of local authorities. The regulatory framework for the provision of foster care placements is clear that local authorities must have access to sufficient placements to meet the needs of the children they look after.

The framework referred to above is clear that foster carers should not be economically disadvantaged as a consequence of carrying out their role on behalf of the local authority.

There is no specific provision for foster carers in council tax legislation. However, local authorities are able to grant council tax reductions to any individuals or groups as they see fit.

01/01/2023
Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what process a local authority seeking to dispose of school land can obtain Ministerial permission for development.

Edward Timpson

There are strict rules protecting publicly funded school land. This is set out in published guidance, which is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

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01/01/2023
Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which railway stations currently owned by Network Rail are being considered for potential sale or new concessions.

Claire Perry

Network Rail is exploring new models for the management and ownership of its 18 managed stations with the goal of bringing improvements for both passengers and the communities they serve. They have engaged Citigroup as advisors to consider a range of potential options. No decisions have yet been taken and no estimate of the potential value of these stations has been made as part of this work. Citigroup were appointed following a competitive tender process, and the details of their fee are commercially confidential.

Network Rail expect that this work will be presented to their Board by the end of 2016.

01/01/2023

Lord Marlesford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has been collected for treatment of foreign nationals by the NHS in each of the last three years; and how much has been paid to EU governments for medical treatment of UK citizens during the same period.

Lord Prior of Brampton

It is not possible to provide data on the amounts collected for treatment of directly chargeable foreign nationals and residents of countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) by the National Health Service prior to financial year 2013-14. Since then the Department has been collecting data from NHS trusts on the amount of cash payments received in-year relating to invoices raised in current and previous years.

Figures for financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15 are shown in the table below.

	Cash payments received in-year (relating to invoices raised in current and previous years) 2013-14	Cash payments received in-year (relating to invoices raised in current and previous years) 2014-15
	£millions	£millions
NHS Trusts	8.5	11.4
NHS Foundation Trusts	11.1	13.7
Total	19.6	25.1

Source:

NHS Trust data – NHS Trust Development Authority
NHS Foundation Trust Data – Monitor

Since 6 April 2015 , temporary , non-EEA migrants coming to the United Kingdom for more than 6 months, or who apply to extend their stay in the UK, are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) (unless an exemption applies) . In cash terms between 6 April 2015 and 14 March 2016, the Home Office collected IHS income, net of refunds and transferred £117.8 million to the Department for spending on the NHS.

EEA countries and Switzerland reimburse the UK for the cost of the NHS providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law, including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland. This information is available for the last three financial years in the attached table.

The Department on behalf of the UK Government reimburses other EEA countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under European Union law, irrespective of nationality. This information is available for the last three financial years in the attached table.

General practitioners (GPs) have discretion to register anyone as an NHS patient, including a person not ordinarily resident in the UK, for primary medical care free at the point of delivery. Being registered with a GP does not in itself mean that the person is entitled to free NHS hospital treatment. Practices are strongly encouraged to provide NHS providers with any relevant information when they refer a patient they believe may be chargeable for secondary care.

01/01/2023