The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Hindhead on 2016-07-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in setting a date for the Triennial Review of gaming machine stakes and prizes.
Lord Ashton of Hyde
As previously stated in the House of Commons, Government is reviewing the situation and we hope to announce details of a review in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what qualifications and experience are expected of personal independence payment assessors who handle cases in which an individual suffers from a neurological condition for which symptoms may present sporadically; and what processes are in place for claimants who consider the result of an assessment an unfair representation of their condition.
Penny Mordaunt
All Health Professionals (HPs) undertaking assessments on behalf of DWP must be registered practitioners who have also met requirements around training, experience and competence. Approval to work as an HP must be conferred by the DWP Chief Medical Adviser on behalf of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
For the delivery of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments, they must be an occupational therapist, level 1 nurse, physiotherapist, paramedic or doctor. They must also be fully registered and have at least two years’ post full-registration experience. In addition to their profession, the Department recognises the importance of ensuring that individuals also have sufficient experience, skills and training to carry out their duties and PIP providers are required to ensure that the HPs carrying out assessments have knowledge of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and impairments.
This means that all HPs receive comprehensive training in disability analysis which includes a functional evaluation as to how medical conditions and the long-term medical treatment of those conditions affect an individual’s ability to perform day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying out an assessment the HP routinely refreshes their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.
Claimants who consider the result of an assessment to be an inaccurate representation of their condition can ask for a “mandatory reconsideration”, in writing or by telephone, giving their reasons. They may include further information to support their case.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2015-12-17.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on whether the appointment of the chair of the Office of Tax Simplification should be subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the Treasury Select Committee.
Mr David Gauke
Angela Knight has been appointed as Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification, and will be paid £400 a day, in line with other public appointments.
In 2011, the Treasury Select Committee held a post-appointment hearing for the Chair and Tax Director of the Office of Tax Simplification, and has done so for appointments to other bodies. Angela Knight is appearing before the committee, in her role as the new Chair, on 12 January.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-01-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the 2015 Global Hunger Index, in particular regarding the connection between conflict and hunger in the Central African Republic and Chad.
Baroness Verma
The Department for International Development regularly tracks a range of nutrition and hunger assessments to assess the situation in Africa, including the Global Hunger index, and we are concerned by the situation in Chad, where over 3 million people are food insecure, and in Central African Republic, where over 2.5 million people are food insecure. Food insecurity has been significantly exacerbated by conflict in Central African Republic and around Lake Chad, which has caused the destruction of harvests, forced displacement, and the blockage of trade routes. This year DFID has spent £7m on humanitarian assistance in Chad, with a focus on preventing and treating malnutrition and supporting displaced people, and £18m on humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic, with a focus on providing essential healthcare, livelihoods assistance and emergency support to the most vulnerable.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Corri Wilson on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people with cancer currently in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance were previously in the support group.
Priti Patel
The specific information requested is not readily available, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The information we do have for Employment and Support Allowance claimants by medical condition, including Neoplasms and phase of claim, is published and available at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
Guidance for users can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-03-16.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the (1) internal diameter, (2) cross-sectional area, and (3) maximum design speed allowable, in each of the HS2 train running tunnels, and what assessment they have made of how those compare to equivalent running tunnels on high speed lines in France.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The design of HS2 tunnels has been considered in three separate groups, namely:
a, Cut & cover tunnels are twin cell tunnels with each cell measuring 7m wide x 9m high, giving a cross sectional area of 63m2 for a maximum nominal line speed of 360km/h.
b, Bored tunnels with a maximum nominal line speed up to and including 230km/h have been designed with an internal diameter of 7.55m, giving a cross sectional area of 44.77m2.
c, Bored tunnels with a maximum nominal line speed between 231 km/h and 360km/h have been designed with an internal diameter of 8.8m, giving a cross sectional area of 60.82m2.
The cross sectional area of a tunnel is dependent is on a number of factors, including; maximum nominal line speed, tunnel length, railways structure gauge, railway system spatial requirements, aerodynamics including statutory requirements, operations and maintenance requirements including evacuation and safety. The impact of these factors has been assessed when determining the appropriate diameter/cross sectional area of each of the tunnels on the HS2 Phase 1 route. For this reason it is not appropriate to make a direct comparison between HS2 tunnels and those constructed in France or elsewhere in the world.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to consult more widely on potential reduction of the regional Electoral Office presence and local services throughout Northern Ireland.
Mr Ben Wallace
The Chief Electoral Officer and the Government are considering reform options to take advantage of technological change and ensure EONI remains on a sustainable financial footing. I expect a consultation on reform proposals, once developed, in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS has incurred in costs for legal advice and representations at inquests, by cause of death, in each year since 2010.
Ben Gummer
This information is not available centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Economic and Domestic Affairs secretariat spent on legal advice relating to Freedom of Information cases in the last 12 months.
Ben Gummer
The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to promote the use of construction equipment manufactured in the UK.
Jesse Norman
Construction equipment is a key sector for the UK economy, with revenues in excess of £11bn from 1500 UK companies employing 40000 people. Most of the equipment used on construction sites is provided by plant hire companies directly to the contractor or sub-contractor on a project by project basis. It is not something that either the client or the contractor generally purchases directly. That is why we believe that the most important thing the Government can do to promote the use of construction equipment manufactured in the UK is by working with the sector to improve its competitiveness and productivity. The Department also works closely with the Department for International Trade to help showcase the UK industry globally to help ensure it remains an important and growing part of the UK’s manufacturing footprint.
The construction equipment sector is represented on the Automotive Council and has played an important role in setting the direction and long-term strategic priorities for the industry. A number of the sector’s manufacturers and their suppliers are involved in key innovation and development projects and programmes supported and funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK. The Government has also supported the UK industry through schemes such as the Regional Growth Fund and the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI).