The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-07-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the change in the number of jobs in the UK solar sector since May 2015.
Jesse Norman
The Department does not hold estimates of the number of jobs in the UK solar sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2016-09-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for not taxing the income from interest-bearing savings whilst interest rates are low.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Since April 2016 savers have benefitted from a new Personal Savings Allowance of up to £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers, and £500 for higher rate taxpayers. They can also save up to £15,240 tax-free in ISAs this tax year. Together these measures mean that 95% of taxpayers have no savings tax to pay at all.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to answer the letter to her dated 10 December 2015 with regard to Mr S Akhter.
James Brokenshire
I wrote to the Rt. Hon. Member on 23 December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans the Government has to support research and development in the use of thorium reactor technology in (a) the UK, (b) the EU and (c) worldwide.
Andrea Leadsom
The UK has been supporting research and development into the use of thorium nuclear fuels since such fuels were used in the Dragon reactor at Winfrith in the 1960s and 1970s.
Examples of current activity on thorium and related technologies include academic research into thorium fuelled reactor systems and fuel cycle processes through Research Council grants to UK universities; collaboration on thorium fuels, via the UK Research Councils’ Energy Programme, with national nuclear energy programmes of other countries on safety, performance and non-proliferation; experimental development of thorium fuels through the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and private sector organisations, as part of international consortia, and thorium fuel modelling and fuel cycle scenario analysis by the NNL. These activities cover UK, EU and worldwide initiatives and receive either financial or strategic support from the Government. The Government plans to continue a similar approach to support future research and development in the use of thorium as a nuclear reactor fuel.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that secondary breast cancer patients have access to a clinical nurse specialist as part of their care.
Jane Ellison
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July last year, recognising the importance of access to clinical nurse specialists or other key workers for patients with all types of cancer.
NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to implement the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE (Chief Executive of the Royal Marsden) as National Cancer Director to lead on implementation, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience. She has set up a new Cancer Transformation Board to implement the strategy, which met for the first time on 25 January. There will also be a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, to oversee and scrutinise the work of the Transformation Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2016-04-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conclusion by Professor Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care, in the National Survey of Patient Activity Data for Specialist Palliative Care Services MDS Summary Report for the year 2013–14, that there is still a need to improve the quality and use of data in the palliative care sector”; and what action they are taking to address that issue.”
Lord Prior of Brampton
We are committed to ensuring that everyone at, or nearing, the end of life receives high quality, compassionate care, tailored to their individual needs and preferences.
The Government’s forthcoming response to the independent Review of Choice in End of Life Care, which will be published shortly, will set out our vision for high quality, personalised care and the steps we will take to achieve this. The response will also address each of the Review recommendations, including on care coordination; improving the quality, availability and responsiveness of care; improving the quality and use of data; care planning and the use of digital care records; and the involvement of family members and carers in discussions about care.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce geographic variation in access to surgical and transcatheter interventions for heart valve disease.
Jane Ellison
NHS England is working with professionals across the healthcare system to look at ways in which services and outcomes for patients with heart valve disease can be improved further, for example, by encouraging practitioners to follow clinical guidelines.
Service specifications and policy for the surgical and interventional treatment of heart valve disease are published by NHS England’s Cardiothoracic Clinical Reference Group. These define what NHS England expects to be in place in order for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. NHS England is working on the next iteration of the specifications, which will include important standards relating to mitral valve surgery.
In addition, NHS England is holding a clinical summit on 15 June 2016, which will bring together cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to examine the issues relating to heart valve disease, including variation. Outputs from discussions will be used to inform the future commissioning approach within specialised commissioning.
Information on the number of people with an undiagnosed heart valve condition is not collected centrally. Patients with undiagnosed heart valve disease, once diagnosed, may require a range of treatments, including surgery. Therefore it is not possible to estimate what the aggregate costs might be.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of television advertising of junk food before the 9pm watershed on the health of children and young people.
Nicola Blackwood
Our forthcoming Childhood Obesity Strategy will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet will be working over the coming days and weeks to establish their priorities and how we deliver on these commitments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-09-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their policy that the UK should send a new delegation to the European Parliament in June 2019 if Brexit has not been completed, or whether as part of their negotiations they will they seek to extend the term of the present delegation.
Lord Bridges of Headley
Until the UK ceases to be a member of the EU, the Government intends to continue to play its full role, observing the obligations and abiding by the procedures that membership brings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many standard visitor visas granted on appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) have been issued by UK Visas and Immigration (a) within one month, (b) between one to three months, (c) between three to six months, (d) between six to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months after that tribunal’s judgement in each of the last three years.
James Brokenshire
The time taken between receiving a determination from the First Tier Tribunal relating to a standard visitor visa and subsequent issue of visa can be found in the table below:
|
Time between notification of allowed appeal and issued decision |
|||||
|
Period |
Under 1 month |
1-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
6-12 Months |
Over 12 Months |
|
YE Sep-13 |
105 |
35 |
– |
– |
* |
|
YE Sep-14 |
110 |
60 |
5 |
5 |
– |
|
YE Sep-15 |
10 |
5 |
* |
* |
– |
All figures are obtained from local Management Information.
Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
‘-‘ represents 0 cases ‘*’ represents less than 3 cases.
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