The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to purchase the (a) AeroVironment Raven, (b) AeroVironment Switchable and (c) Uvision Hero 30 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Mr Philip Dunne
There are no current plans to purchase any of the systems listed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding is allocated to each region for support services for people with motor neurone disease.
Jane Ellison
Clinical commissioning groups and NHS England are responsible for delivering services for people with motor neurone disease, funded from their annual funding allocations. Information on funding for motor neurone related services is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel in each of the armed forces were affected by the increase in the qualifying age for an armed forces pension.
Mark Lancaster
Just over 90% (155,511) of all Armed Forces personnel transferred to the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 on 1 April 2015 and were therefore affected by the change in the qualifying age. For those who had to move to the new pension scheme it was agreed that those pension benefits already earned in existing schemes, up to the implementation date of the new scheme would be retained. The numbers of affected personnel, by Service, are provided below:
|
Royal Navy |
31,101 |
|
Army |
92,588 |
|
Royal Air Force |
31,822 |
The change of qualifying age was set out in detailed communications materiel published in the run up to, and following, the introduction of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015. This change followed a review carried out by Lord Hutton in 2011 which concluded that all public sector workforces should change their pension ages for new schemes to reflect that people are living longer. The Armed Forces, along with other uniformed public sector schemes, gained agreement that this should be set at age 60.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has allocated funds for the Troubled Families programme for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.
Sarah Newton
The Home Office has not allocated funding for the Troubled Families programme for 2016-17, 2017-18 or 2018-19.
From 2016/17 onwards, HM Treasury has baselined funding of the Troubled Families programme so it is deducted before Departments receive their allocations to avoid the need for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to approach Departments individually to ask for contributions.
Therefore, the Home Office no longer provides funding directly to DCLG for the Troubled Families programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for asylum who have been served with a deportation or removal order have been allowed safe passage back to the UK after the order has taken effect in the last five years.
James Brokenshire
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers who were trained through the Troops to Teachers scheme are employed in state-funded schools.
Nick Gibb
As the Troops to Teachers programme is an employment-based Initial Teacher Training route, all trainees are employed in state-funded schools throughout their training. The first cohort of trainees completed the training programme in December 2015. 28 of the 29 trainees who completed the programme achieved Qualified Teacher Status with the remaining individual working towards it. A further two trainees plan to re-join their training in the coming months.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.
Karen Bradley
The Home Department procures consultancy as a service against deliverables and outputs and not in terms of individuals. The Home Department has not terminated any consultancy service engagements early in any of the last six years and therefore has not incurred any such costs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2016 to Question 29811, on further education, if she will publish the minutes of each of those meetings.
Nick Boles
Minutes of the steering group meetings are not published as they are a series of internal discussions during which local stakeholders review post-16 provision in their area and work towards a set of recommendations. As such, each local steering group has space and autonomy to develop their proposals and discuss local issues effectively.
The Department is committed to making the outcomes transparent, and once each review reaches its conclusions, there will be a summary report published at the end of each Area Review process.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of quality assurance procedures for registered intermediaries.
Mike Penning
Registered Intermediaries are required to adhere to professional standards as set out in a Code of Conduct and a Code of Ethics. Instances where performance falls below the required level can be investigated by the Quality Assurance Board which oversees and monitors quality issues and reports to the Ministry of Justice. A number of options are available for the board to take, including disciplinary action where it sees fit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GPs are able to routinely to offer 15 minute, or longer, consultations where necessary for patients with greater needs.
Alistair Burt
It is important that practices are free to meet the needs of individual patients according to clinical need. Therefore there is no requirement on general practitioner practices to offer appointments of a specific length or a specific mix of workforce to meet population need.
However, in recognition of the increased demands being placed on general practice, NHS England has:
1. Placed a requirement on clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS Planning Guidance for 2016/17 to develop and implement a local plan to address the sustainability and quality of general practice, including workforce and workload issues. This is the first time specific requirements have been placed on local commissioners to support and develop general practice.
2. Provided advice about specific ways to invest in general practice for National Health Service leaders as they prepare Sustainability and Transformation Plans for the future. In both of these, there is a dual focus on maintaining quality and access to care in existing services, while also supporting the introduction of new ways of working. Areas where support is required include increased funding, growth and diversification in the workforce, development of premises and information technology, and specific help to develop networks and federations with patient benefit at their heart.
The ‘General Practice Forward View’ released in April 2016, announced a major new programme of development and improvement support for practices over the next three years. This will help groups of practices to redesign care in order to simultaneously release staff time and improve care for patients. As part of the development programme, support and advice will be provided to federations and CCGs on ways to engage patients and voluntary and community sector groups as partners. This will help local people shape priorities, contribute to the co-design of improved services and build assets in the community.