Tag: 2016

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26100, what proportion of her Department’s financial assistance for Palestinian development funds other projects which foster coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The DFID Palestinian Programme supports the HMG objective of protecting the viability of a two state solution. DFID’s work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories tends to consist of large-scale and strategic programmes that fit within our three priority areas; state building, economic development and alleviating poverty and vulnerability. Through the cross-government Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the UK continues to support several projects which promote coexistence. These projects include support for the Peres Centre for Peace Training Doctors Programme which brings Israelis and Palestinians together through medical care and training to combat stereotypes and build trust. Additionally we work on projects with youth groups and through sport to encourage engagement between Israelis and Palestinians.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes the Government plans to develop to fulfil its international obligations on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Justine Greening

    The UK Government as a whole is committed to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Government’s manifesto sets out the plan of action for which it will be held accountable by the British people. This includes commitments relevant to each of the Goals, and it will guide our efforts to achieve them.

    The Global Goals are the starting point for, and will be embedded across, DFID’s work. Other Government Departments will lead on their respective policy areas.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government made to the Ombudsman of the Bahraini (a) Ministry of Interior and (b) authorities on that Ombudsman’s investigation into the alleged torture of Mohamed Ramadan.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government has raised Mohamed Ramadan’s case with the Bahraini authorities. I did so most recently when I met the Bahraini Ambassador to the UK, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, on 8 March 2016. Embassy officials have been in direct contact with the Ombudsman, who has confirmed that whilst there have been a number of complaints raised with his office in the case of Mr Ramadan, there have been no allegations of mistreatment or torture.

  • Jon Cruddas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jon Cruddas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Cruddas on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report Three years on: an independent review of Local Council Tax Support Schemes by Eric Ollerenshaw OBE, published in March 2016, whether his Department plans to take steps to better understand the effect of Local Council Tax Support Schemes on individuals and councils.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Eric Ollerenshaw’s independent report recognises the successful implementation of Local Council Tax Schemes by local government and makes a number of recommendations to improve their efficiency and effectiveness, whilst remaining a local discount. The Department for Communities and Local Government will consider these recommendations carefully.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance his Department is providing to support research and development into technologies to reduce emissions from ships.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department has played a leading role – for example, at the International Maritime Organization – in removing legal and technical barriers which could restrict the growth in ‘green technologies’ and distort fair competition.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect on the safety of patients of the withdrawal of 24-hour consultant-led maternity services at West Cumberland Hospital.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    No such assessment has been made. Decisions on maternity services at West Cumberland Hospital are matters for the local National Health Service.

    Maternity provision in Cumbria is being assessed as part of the Success Regime work in progress with the local NHS and support from NHS England and NHS Improvement.

  • Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tunnicliffe on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the use of (1) monthly fee debt management plans; (2) percentage fee debt management plans; and (3) a combination of set fee and percentage debt management plans.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government has fundamentally reformed the regulation of the debt management market, transferring responsibility to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) more robust regime to better protect consumers.

    Any consideration of the state of the debt management market should properly await the outcome of the FCA’s authorisation assessment of commercial debt management firms, which is expected in the coming months.

    FCA rules make it clear that fees charged for debt management plans should not undermine the customer’s ability to make significant repayments to the customer’s lenders throughout the duration of the debt management plan.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Prime Minister has made of the potential effect of the investor state dispute settlement clause of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership on public services managed by the Scottish government.

    Anna Soubry

    The inclusion of investment protections and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) should not affect how public services are provided in Scotland or the rest of the UK. Investment protection seeks to protect businesses and individuals who have made investments overseas from unfair or discriminatory treatment and ISDS is about providing an independent legal means to resolve disputes which have arisen under the treaty. The proposals cannot force governments to open markets or privatise public services.

    The UK has bilateral investment agreements with over 90 countries which contain ISDS provisions and there has never been a successful claim brought against the UK.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for which future franchises his Department plans to specify driver-only operation.

    Claire Perry

    Staffing levels are generally a matter for railway operators, as we believe that they are best placed to determine how to meet the needs of their passengers. However, the Department may consider on a case-by-case basis whether, exceptionally, to invite proposals involving driver-only or driver-controlled operation when it holds competitions for future franchises.

  • 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 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by clinical commissioning groups on palliative care for (a) children and young people and (b) adults in each of the last three years.

    Ben Gummer

    The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the following table.

    Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Expenditure on End of Life Care, 2013/14 (£ millions)

    All CCGs in England

    472.75

    Source: Programme Budgeting Collection, NHS England

    Notes:

    1. CCG expenditure on end of life care was collected for the first time on an experimental basis as part of the 2013/14 Programme Budgeting Collection. The data is published in the Programme Budgeting benchmarking tool on the NHS England website at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/resources/resources-for-ccgs/prog-budgeting/ Data for 2014/15 is currently being collected and is not yet available.
    2. “End of life care” expenditure in this data collection refers to expenditure on specialist palliative care and hospice care only and does not include a breakdown between palliative care spend on children and young people’s care and palliative care spend for adult care.
    3. Data quality: The Programme Budgeting Collection currently contains experimental data. The quality of the data included in the Programme budgeting collection varies by CCG and certain CCGs’ data quality issues may have an impact on the ability to benchmark expenditure with other CCGs. Full details of data quality for each CCG are available on the NHS England website at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/resources/resources-for-ccgs/prog-budgeting/
    4. Data on palliative care spend was not collected in 2011/12 and 2012/13 or previous programme budgeting data collections.

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