Tag: 2016

  • David Mowat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Mowat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mowat on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on reducing the proportion of the defence budget which is spent on legal fees.

    Penny Mordaunt

    A fraction of one per cent of the defence budget is spent on legal fees, most of it necessary to protect the interests of the taxpayer in securing value for money or in protecting the operational freedom and reputation of the Armed Forces. We have work in hand to reduce opportunistic litigation which is harmful to Defence and diverts funds from the front line.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time was for immigration cases designated as complex in (a) 2015, (b) 2014 and (c) 2013.

    James Brokenshire

    Following feedback from customers and partners UKV&I introduced new service standards in January 2014. As such statistical information for 2013 is not available.

    The table below shows the number and proportion of immigration cases designated as complex in 2014 and 2015

    Complex Case

    Total Apps Received

    % of Complex Cases

    2014 (01/04/2014 – 31/12/2014)

    87,219

    412,337

    21%

    2015

    84,435

    513,475

    16%

    Following feedback from customers and partners UKV&I introduced new service standards in January 2014. As such statistical information for 2013 is not available. Our records indicate the average waiting time (days) for immigration cases that are designated as complex is as follows.

    Average Waiting Time

    2014 (01/04/2014 – 31/12/2014)

    122

    2015

    163

    Overall Average

    147
  • Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with cabinet colleagues (i) wholly and (ii) primarily about Tata Steel’s intentions for the Welsh steel industry.

    Alun Cairns

    My predecessor, the Rt hon Stephen Crabb MP, and I have, and continue to conduct regular meetings to discuss Tata Steel, and the Welsh Steel Industry with Cabinet colleagues, UK Government Ministers and Welsh Government Ministers.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria was used to select the prisons to take part in the planned pilot scheme on further autonomy for prison governors.

    Andrew Selous

    The six Reform Prisons have been carefully selected. Each of the prisons are different, which means the National Offender Management Service can test different models, in different locations, with different populations and different local circumstances.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to improve mobile telephone coverage in the Liverpool City Region.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Improving mobile coverage remains a priority for the Government, and our landmark agreement in December 2014 with the four mobile network operators (MNOs) for each to provide voice and SMS text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017 will significantly improve coverage in the UK, including the Liverpool City Region. The additional licence obligation on Telefonica, which the other MNOs have publicly stated they will match, will deliver significant improvements in 4G coverage – covering 98% of UK premises by the end of 2017.

    In support of this work, the Government is also reforming mobile planning laws (in England only) and the Electronic Communications Code to make it cheaper and quicker for industry to invest and deliver coverage improvements.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how frequently her Department reviews engineering jobs on the occupational shortage list to prevent over supply.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviews the Shortage Occupation List when commissioned to do so by the Government.

    The MAC is an independent advisory body consisting of expert labour market economists. It has a clear, published methodology for assessing whether occupations are skilled, in shortage, and whether it is sensible to address those shortages in part through migration, based on a variety of indicators and using national “top down” data as well as “bottom up” evidence from employers.

    The MAC has carried out two full reviews and three partial reviews of the Shortage Occupation List since May 2010. Further information about the MAC’s methodology and the reviews it has carried out are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee

    “

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22430, what plans his Department has to issue guidance on treatment best practice to (a) healthcare professionals and (b) partners in the military charity sector.

    Mark Lancaster

    As stated in my answer to Question 22430, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has funded extensive research into Gulf War Illness, including some research into rehabilitative therapies for those veterans with persistent symptoms. There are no plans to fund any further research.

    The MOD has no plans to issue guidance on treatment best practice to healthcare professionals or partners in the military charity sector in respect of veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict. Neither do we have any plans in January 2016 to communicate the findings of independent research on the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict, published in the UK or overseas, to UK veterans.

    There is a wide range of support already available to veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf conflict. This can be accessed through MOD’s Veterans UK website and free help line.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that the Bede’s World museum in Jarrow will be able to re-open after its unexpected closure.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As a local authority heritage attraction, the management of Bede’s World is a matter for South Tyneside Council to address as part of the council’s overall cultural offer. Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund are continuing to liaise closely with the council as they explore practical options for operating Bede’s World in the future.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans there are to sell property of the British Transport Police.

    Claire Perry

    The British Transport Police does not own any of its properties, hence it has no plans to sell any of them.

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

    Lord Mancroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mancroft on 2016-04-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when NHS England expects to publish its operational framework for hepatitis C.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has already published its planning approach to implement National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended treatment during 2016/17. NHS England has committed to produce an operational framework for hepatitis C during 2016/17. This will set out NHS England’s commitment to improving outcomes in hepatitis C across England. The publication date for the document has not been set but we anticipate work to continue during the late spring and early summer.

    NICE Technology Appraisals (TA) 363, 364 and 365 require Operational Delivery Networks to prioritise treatment for patients with the highest unmet clinical need. The National Health Service commitment to 10,000 treatments in 2016/17 reflects the multi-year modelling used by NICE and published in conjunction with the recommendations for TA 364. The NICE recommendations note that treatment decisions are influenced by clinical characteristics such as level of liver damage, genotype, treatment history and comorbidities. The recommendations also record the advice of clinical experts to the committee that a realistic estimate of patients accessing treatment each year is between 7-10,000.