The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which Minister in her Department is planned will lead work on Energy Union negotiations with other EU member states and the European Commission.
Amber Rudd
I shall continue to take the overall lead on negotiations on all DECC issues in the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what amount her Department expects to pay in penalties and disallowances required by the EU Commission in relation to air pollution in 2016-17; and what contingency has been made for that purpose in her Department’s budget.
Rory Stewart
The Department does not expect to pay any penalties and disallowances imposed by the EU Commission in relation to air pollution in 2016-2017.
The Commission has started infraction proceedings against the UK for not achieving European limit values for NO2. We want to work in partnership with Local Authorities and the Commission to improve air quality and avoid any prospect of fines levied from infraction. In December 2015, the Government published air quality plans setting out a comprehensive approach for meeting EU legal limits in the shortest possible time through a new programme of Clean Air Zones, alongside national action and continued investment in clean technologies. The UK has never had to pay an infraction fine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Leader of the House how many Questions for Written Answer were put to each Government department and answered within the target 10 working days in each month in the 2015–16 Session, together with the relevant percentages in each case.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
In line with the practice established in the last session, following the commitment made by my predecessor (HL Deb 8 May 2014, col 1575), I will continue to publish annually the performance of departments on their promptness in dealing with Questions for Written Answer. My office will also continue to work with all departments to ensure prompt and comprehensive responses to all Questions for Written Answer.
The statistics for the 2014-15 session are available as a Written Statement (HLWS39). I will shortly publish data on departmental performance for the 2015-16 session.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of how effective his Department has been in promoting the advancement of disabled members of staff.
Ben Gummer
Diversity and inclusion is a key priority for the Civil Service and for the Cabinet Office. The Executive Committee of the Cabinet Office recently commissioned work on a departmental diversity and inclusion strategy, which will be published this month. This strategy promotes a more inclusive culture in the department through key strands of work on leadership, declaration data, supporting those from under-represented groups and promoting the work of the employee diversity networks. A key aim of the strategy is to promote the advancement of those from all under-represented groups, including disabled members of staff.
The Cabinet Office promotes a number of cross Government talent schemes to disabled staff, to accelerate their promotion to Senior Civil Service roles. This includes Civil Service wide talent schemes such the Future Leaders Scheme (aimed at G6&7 staff) and the Senior Leaders Scheme (aimed at SCS Pay Band 1). Additionally, it promotes development schemes aimed specifically at BAME and disabled staff including the Accelerate talent programme (for SCS) and the Positive Action Pathway (for staff below SCS).
The Cabinet Office has a well established Disability Network staffed by volunteers, which promotes and supports the work of employees with disabilities. In addition, the Cabinet Office recently created the The Disability Action Group, which is a sub-committee of the Cabinet Office Executive Committee and reports to the Permanent Secretary and the Director General Disability Champion on disability confidence and inclusion in the Cabinet Office. The group ensures civil service wide initiatives are acted upon and that our people with a disability are considered in any building, technology or change projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Sudan on the use of funds earmarked under the Khartoum Process by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The EU has made absolutely clear that no funding will be provided to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). We have raised our concerns about the use of the RSF to manage migration directly with the Government of Sudan, most recently during the visit of the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan to Khartoum in September.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 23 November 2015 to Questions 16300 and 16301, what proportion of cases with a current liability the 110 non-compliant cases that have been closed as part of the CSA case closure programme represent.
Priti Patel
The 110 non-complaint cases represent 0.02% of the cases with a current liability as at the quarter ending September 2015.
Notes
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether UK military personnel trained in, or dedicated to, cultural protection have been involved in liaison with Saudi Arabia regarding its intervention in Yemen.
Earl Howe
All UK Service personnel receive mandatory annual training in the Law of Armed Conflict and this includes training in cultural protection. They will also receive further training prior to their deployment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2016-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking in response to the Oxleas Plus supplement option for pensions offered by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.
Alistair Burt
National Health Service organisations have the freedom to make changes to the reward offer they make to staff; having regard to the legal framework. The NHS Pension Board has referred Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust to the Pensions Regulator (TPR) even though TPR has already found the option for pensions offered by the Trust was not an inducement and therefore not a breach of law.
However, the NHS Pension Board concluded that there was additional information, which may not have been considered in relation to the earlier referral, and that given the potential wider implications of this issue, a further in-depth investigation by TPR was merited.
The NHS Pension Board is awaiting TPR’s decision. The Secretary of State for Health will consider any subsequent advice from the NHS Pension Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safeguards are in place to ensure that patients are not removed from patient registers without their prior knowledge.
Alistair Burt
Where a general practitioner (GP) practice wishes to remove a patient from their list the contract, between the practice and NHS England, requires practices to have reasonable grounds for doing so. The contract also requires practices to have notified the patient in the preceding 12 months that they are at risk of removal from the list and explained the reasons for this.
Practices must notify NHS England and the patient of the intended removal and the reasons for the removal. It is the responsibility of NHS England to notify the patient that they will be, or have been, removed from their practice’s list of patients. Removal from the list will take place on the eighth day after NHS England receive notification of the removal or the date on which NHS England are notified that the patient has registered with another GP practice.
Where a patient is receiving treatment at intervals of less than seven days, the removal will take place on the eighth day after treatment is no longer needed or the date on which NHS England receives notification that the patient has registered with another practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 4 May (HL8001), whether they have requested that the taskforce set up by Universities UK includes members of those minorities subject to harassment and hate crime, representatives of the relevant law and order agencies, and independent members with no direct university involvement.
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
The taskforce, established by Universities UK, is looking at all forms of violence and harassment affecting students. Its task is to bring together students, university experts and external organisations to consider the current evidence and what universities are currently doing to address issues of harassment and hate crime, including anti-Semitism, and what more needs to be done.
The taskforce have had meetings with or received evidence from a wide range of organisations which includes the Union of Jewish Students, Rape Crisis, Tell Mama and Stonewall. In regards to anti-Semitism, the Taskforce has also received evidence from the Jewish Leadership Council, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Community Security Trust. In terms of law and order agencies, evidence has been received from a number of lawyers and from the police via PAHELO (Police Association of Higher Education Liaison Officers).