Tag: 2016

  • Andrew Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has set a timetable for returning foreign national offenders remaining in UK prisons and communities to their countries of origin.

    James Brokenshire

    We aim to deport foreign national offenders at the earliest opportunity. We have removed 30,000 foreign national offenders since 2010, including 5,692 in the year 2015-16: the highest number since records began.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to process tax credits claims for terminally ill people; and if he will consider introducing a fast track system as applied to claims for other allowances.

    Mr David Gauke

    HMRC provide a tailored support service for vulnerable customers. If a customer who is terminally ill advises HMRC that they require extra help, HMRC’s ‘Needs Enhanced Support’ team will help the customer throughout the claims procedure, accelerating the process where appropriate.

    There are no current plans for HMRC to introduce a specific fast track service for tax credit customers who are terminally ill.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an estimate of the effect on smoker mortality levels as a result of people giving up smoking by using electronic vaping devices in each of the last three years.

    Nicola Blackwood

    No such estimate has been made.

    The Government recognises that e-cigarettes can help some smokers quit and the evidence indicates that they are considerably less harmful to health than cigarettes. Data on the long term harms of these products is not available and it is not clear how many users will go on to give up vaping as well. Smokers who continue to use tobacco alongside vaping will not benefit from the harm reduction offered by sole use of e-cigarettes.

    Data from Action on Smoking and Health indicates that around 2.8 million adults in Great Britain currently use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Of these e-cigarette users, approximately 1.3 million are ex-smokers while 1.4 million continue to use tobacco alongside their e-cigarette use. In 2014, two thirds of e-cigarette users continued to use tobacco and one third were ex-smokers. This indicates that, of those using e-cigarettes, an increasing proportion no longer use tobacco and are only vaping.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many psychotherapists working in the NHS are legally regulated.

    Ben Gummer

    Psychotherapists are not subject to statutory regulation in the United Kingdom.

    However, psychotherapists can register as a member of an organisation holding a voluntary register that is subject to independent accreditation by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA).

    The PSA accredits, and annually re-accredits, against standards, that provide assurance to the public, commissioners and employers on the level of education of the healthcare professionals and their adherence to relevant standards and guidance.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to maintain core funding for British schools and institutes abroad which promote UK higher education and research and the international reputation of the UK.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department for Business Innovation and Skills does not provide direct funding for British schools and institutes abroad which promote UK higher education and research and the international reputation of the UK. Core funding to some overseas research institutes such as the BASIS institutes sponsored by the British Academy, is provided through the science budget. The Government has protected the science budget in real terms to the end of the Parliament. The allocation for the National Academies for 2016-17 to 2019-20 provides for real terms protection for the British Academy’s BASIS programme, enabling the Academy to continue to provide the BASIS Institutes with substantial block grant support throughout this period.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting the deployment of ultra-super critical coal fired power stations similar to those planned by China and Germany; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I have made no such assessment. Any new coal plant must demonstrate carbon capture and storage on at least 300 MW of its proposed generating capacity and comply with the Emissions Performance Standard.

    Coal fired power stations without abatement are not consistent with meeting our decarbonisation objectives. This is why the Government has committed to consulting on phasing out unabated coal by 2025 and to restricting the amount of coal generation in 2023.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are being taken to ensure that (a) the outcomes of NHS England’s proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund are aligned with the Accelerated Access Review (AAR), (b) the consultation outcomes are compatible with any forthcoming AAR recommendations relating to reform of NICE and (c) those programmes deliver consistent guidance on the medicines appraisal process; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are working together to develop future arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund, while the Accelerated Access Review (AAR) is being independently led by Sir Hugh Taylor with Office for Life Sciences’ support. The review’s final report is due to be published in the spring.

    Active steps are being taken to ensure that the future arrangements for the Fund and the final recommendations from the AAR are aligned.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in response to Israel’s Jerusalem Municipality plan to demolish Palestinian homes to make way for a tourist complex in the Silwan neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not raised the specific issue of demolition of Palestinian homes to make way for the Kedem Compound. We are not aware of any impending home demolitions to make way for the site.

  • Biography information for Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Biography information for Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Baroness Deech on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 11 May (HL8116), what is their assessment of the view expressed in section 4.1.1 of the Overseas Development Institute’s Final Report of November 2015 Evaluative Review of the Statebuilding Grant and the Palestinian Governance Facility—DFID Palestinian programme that the manner in which DFID’s funds are demonstrated to have only paid the salaries of PEGASE-approved employees is of questionable efficacy”

    Baroness Verma

    UK direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority is used for the sole purpose of paying the salaries of civil servants responsible for providing essential services. Our support is provided through a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank, which carries out close monitoring of PA expenditure. Only named civil servants from a pre-approved EU list are eligible, and the vetting process ensures that our funds do not benefit terrorist groups. The process is subject to independent auditing, which is regularly reviewed and strengthened accordingly.

    As the ODI report itself makes clear, UK support to the PA is delivering real results, improving lives and is instrumental in preventing economic collapse and violent escalation.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change in the UK will follow the procedure for an EU external treaty.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK remains firmly committed to the Paris Agreement and to ratifying the Agreement as soon as possible. Until we leave, the UK will remain a full member of the EU, with all of the rights and obligations this entails.