Tag: 2016

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 33503, in what locations his Department plans to deliver the 400,000 affordable homes referred to in that Answer; and at what level a home will be defined as affordable in (a) London and (b) England.

    Brandon Lewis

    The 400,000 affordable homes will include:

    • 200,000 Starter Homes
    • 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes
    • 10,000 homes which allow tenants to save for a deposit while they rent
    • 8,000 specialist homes for older people and people with disabilities.

    We do not pre-determine how much affordable housing funding is allocated to different areas. Local Authorities will set out their affordable housing requirements as part of the planning process.

    The definition of affordable housing is set out in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdf.

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  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will represent the Government at the UN General Assembly meeting on refugees and migrants on 19 and 20 September 2016; and if the Government will make a commitment at that meeting to creating safe, legal routes for refugees to enter the UK.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Her Majesty’s Government will be represented at the UN General Assembly high level meeting on refugees and migrant on 19 September and at the Leaders’ Summit on refugees hosted by President Obama on 20 September. Who will attend is to be confirmed.

    The Government has no plans to introduce additional pathways for refugees to come to the UK. The UK is already a leading resettlement state, offering a number of safe and legal pathways for refugees. In the year ending June 2016, a total of 3,439 people were resettled in the UK.

    In addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees and up to 3,000 vulnerable persons from the Middle East and North Africa region that the Government has committed to resettle by 2020, the UK has also committed to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from France, Greece and Italy. Under the family reunion policy we have reunited around 22,000 refugees with their immediate family over the past five years and will continue to do so. The Government supports the principle that those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. This allows vulnerable persons to receive help quickly rather than risking their lives on hazardous journeys into and across Europe or falling victim to criminal gangs who are exploiting the situation. Providing humanitarian aid in the region is the best way to provide much needed support to the majority of those fleeing persecution while working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle the most vulnerable who cannot reasonably remain.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, whether her Department plans to encourage the collection of biometric identification for those going through the NRM for victims of slavery and human trafficking.

    Sarah Newton

    We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Brandon Lewis

    No jobs in either my Department or each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 or will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library the action plan produced by the current Tata Steel Task Force.

    Stephen Crabb

    The Welsh Taskforce was convened on 20 January and met subsequently on 1 February. The next meeting will be held on 15 February.

    The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, attended the meeting on 1 February and will attend future meetings whenever practicable. Due to prior commitments he was unable to attend the first meeting and the Wales Office Director represented the Department. UK Government officials also attend Taskforce meetings.

    The Taskforce is chaired by Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart. Minutes of the Taskforce and any agreed programme of work are matters for the Welsh Government.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her Department’s wellness strategy is.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The Northern Ireland Office’s wellness strategy is to promote and sustain a healthy, safe and supportive working environment for all our people. We do this by:

    • Providing absence and welfare policies and workplace support services;
    • Maintaining a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination, bullying and harassment in the workplace;
    • Ensuring the working environment is safe and meets Health and Safety legislative requirements;
    • Promoting an open-minded, respectful and inclusive workplace.

    As a small department the Northern Ireland Office has also secured access to the Ministry of Justice’s networks and services for our staff to use.

  • Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they set a five per cent exit charge for early closure of a lifetime ISA.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Whilst the Lifetime ISA is a product aimed at encouraging saving for the long term, the government understands that circumstances change so wants to ensure that people can access their own money if they need it whilst also keeping an incentive to leave funds invested for the long term or to help purchase a first home. The government proposes that savers can make withdrawals at any time for other purposes, but with the bonus element of the fund plus any interest or growth on it returned to the government, and a 5% charge applied.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support will be provided to parents should they have difficulties accessing support through the tax-free childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    Tax-Free Childcare is being designed to be as straightforward as possible for parents. It will be quick and easy to apply online for the vast majority who are able to do so. However, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will ensure that assistance is provided to families who cannot access the internet so that they do not miss out on the support available via Tax-Free Childcare.

    Once the scheme is fully open, we estimate that up to 1 million families may take up the scheme in ‘steady state’.

    The Tax-Free Childcare system will be extensively tested before the scheme is launched.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require Ofsted inspectors to judge whether the work of mainstream Christian churches with young people, either directly or through approved Christian organisations which specialise in working with young people, in activities such as holiday Bible clubs, church weekends, and summer camps, is in accordance with a British Values” test; and if so

    Lord Nash

    The Government is committed to safeguarding all children and protecting them from the risk of harm and extremism, including in out-of-school settings.

    The Prime Minister announced plans to introduce a new system of oversight for out-of-school education settings – such as supplementary schools and tuition centres – which teach children intensively, on 7 October 2015. These were confirmed in the Government’s Counter-Extremism Strategy which was published on 19 October. These plans to regulate out-of-school settings which teach children intensively were set out in the call for evidence which ran for 6 and a half weeks between 26 November and 11 January.

    We are not proposing to regulate settings teaching children for a short period every week, such as Sunday schools or the Scouts, or one-off residential activities, such as a week-long summer camp. We are looking specifically at settings providing intensive education outside school where children could be spending more than six hours a week.

    The call for evidence sought views on the appropriateness of seeking to prohibit teaching which undermines or is incompatible with fundamental British values. Now that the call for evidence has closed, we are considering carefully the responses received as we develop the proposals further.

    We will be publishing our response to the call for evidence and setting out the next steps on the proposals in due course.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the use of mechanical thrombectomy in treatment of stroke on length of stay in hospital and bed occupancy rates.

    David Mowat

    As yet, there are insufficient patients being treated with mechanical thrombectomy to assess its impact on processes, such as length of hospital stay and bed occupancy rates, outcomes of care and the effect on post stroke rehabilitation.

    However, the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme is now collecting data on patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy and the results will be reported as soon as it is feasible. Sufficient cases will need to be undertaken before conducting the necessary statistical analyses and reporting the data.

    NHS England is considering whether mechanical thrombectomy should be an area covered by its specialised commissioning portfolio and work is underway on this.