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Tag: 2016

  • Kit Malthouse – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kit Malthouse – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kit Malthouse on 2016-01-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HM Revenue and Customs has paid out in supplements following late payment of VAT returns in (a) 2015-16 and (b) each of the previous 10 years; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce that amount.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not routinely publish this information.

    The Government recognises the importance to businesses of receiving VAT repayments as quickly as possible. HMRC also has a duty to ensure that incorrect or fraudulent repayments are identified and prevented. All repayment claims are subject to automated risk analysis on receipt and 94% are processed for immediate payment. Of the remainder, 50% are approved for payment within 5 days. Repayment Supplement is designed to compensate customers where HMRC fails to make a repayment within 30 days. In 2014-15, HMRC paid Repayment Supplement in 0.3% of all cases.

    In the first half of 2015-16, HMRC carried out an extensive review of its repayment process with a view to minimising delays in cases where repayments are not authorised automatically. Following the review, new processes have been introduced and HMRC expects to reduce the incidence of Repayment Supplement as a result.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 27 January (HL5180), how they will ensure that the forecast increase in the level of podiatry commissions by 2020 will be met by the podiatry workforce; and what assessment they have made of the risks presented by the reduction in Health Education England commissioned student places in 2016–17 and the end of bursaries in August 2017.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Health Education England (HEE) operates an annual comprehensive planning process to ensure their investments meet the future needs of the population. This process determines the education commissioning volumes for the following financial year.

    The HEE Commissioning and Investment Plan – 2016/17 includes a forecast increase in the available supply of podiatrists into the National Health Service workforce of 36.4% by 2020. The forecast reflects the planned commissions but also the net effect of different levels of non-retirement, leavers and joiners other than from HEE training programmes.

    HEE local teams are responsible for assessing the forecast supply and demand. The activity of gathering evidence, modelling and decision making at the local level is supported by Partnership Councils, including NHS and non-NHS service providers.

    The Department will run a consultation on how the funding reforms for nursing, midwifery and allied health education can be most successfully implemented. We currently expect to consult during March 2016. As part of this, an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment will be published.

    HEE will continue to have a central role in the commissioning of nursing, midwifery and allied health courses which will include podiatry. They will continue to provide sufficient clinical placement funding for those places needed to meet the workforce planning needs of the NHS.

    We estimate that the reforms will allow universities to be able to offer up to 10,000 more nursing, midwifery and allied health training places over this parliament.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the UK’s relationships with its defence partners in Europe of the UK leaving the EU.

    Michael Fallon

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 March 2016 to Question 28708 to the hon. Member for Clacton (Douglas Carswell).

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  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) written and (b) other contacts he or Ministers in his Department had with senior executives at (a) AXA UK, (b) Ageas UK, (c) General Insurance, (d) Direct Line Insurance and (e) Admiral Insurance between 1 September and 26 November 2015.

    Dominic Raab

    There was no written or other contact between any Ministry of Justice Minister and senior executives at (a) AXA UK, (b) Ageas UK, (c) General Insurance, (d) Direct Line Insurance and (e) Admiral Insurance between 1 September and 26 November 2015.

    Details of all Ministerial meetings are included in transparency returns which are published quarterly on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moj-data-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-returns-october-to-december-2015.

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  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35238, whether any factors relevant to (a) Cheshire and (b) Eddisbury have had a bearing on delays in announcing the route of Phase 2b of High Speed 2 from Crewe to Manchester.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As set out in my previous answer, HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport have been analysing options across the route following the consultation. It would not be appropriate to go into detail on any individual location before a route decision has been taken. A route decision is planned for autumn 2016.

  • Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Byford on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the three-day interval between the notification and arrival of forest reproductive material in preventing damage to, or infection of, existing forestry.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Forest Reproductive Material (Great Britain) Regulations 2002 regulate the marketing of forest reproductive material (FRM). There is no notification period for the introduction of FRM so no such assessment has been carried out.

    The Plant and Tree Notification System requirements relates to the movement of certain tree species from other EU member states and extends to oak, plane, sweet chestnut, pine, elm, prunus and ash trees (although no movements of ash trees are permitted at present, due to ash dieback restrictions).

    The scheme is intended to help the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate build intelligence about particular trades, particularly those where there is a risk of introducing harmful organisms, and to help arrange targeted inspections of such trees. The information is also valuable in the event of an outbreak, to facilitate tracing of trees which may be implicated, and to help inform the development of Defra policy. The scheme is not restricted to trees intended for forestry purposes.

    Notification of importation of plants and trees should be before or within 5 days of the arrival of the consignment, detailing the planned destination in England or Wales.

  • 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 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reviews his Department has conducted into the NICE technology appraisal process (a) in general and (b) related to cancer medicines between 1999 and 2016.

    Nicola Blackwood

    The Department has not conducted any reviews of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process. NICE is an independent body and is responsible for its own processes and methodology.

    NICE periodically reviews its processes and methodologies to ensure that they remain appropriate, most recently as part of the introduction of the new arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund. NICE has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changes in the health and care environment, and we expect it will continue to evolve in the future.

    In addition, the Accelerated Access Review’s full report and recommendations on ways to get patients wider access to innovative and effective drugs is expected shortly.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many defibrillators are provided in each building his Department manages.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    There is one defibrillator at the Government Art Collection, Queen’s Yard, 179a Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7PA.

    In addition, The Department has offices at 100 Parliament Street,a building shared between several Government departments, and there are 10defibrillators on site.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many persons or family groups have received exceptional leave to enter or remain in the UK, outside the normal rules, for purposes of family re-union, in each year since 2011; and in each of those years, how many of those individuals given leave were related in ways other than as spouses or children under 18.

    Lord Bates

    The specific information is not available in the format requested.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve air quality on streets near schools.

    Rory Stewart

    Since 2011 we have committed over £2 billion to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, green transport initiatives and supporting Local Authorities to take action. The UK air quality plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions, published on 17 December last year, sets out a comprehensive approach that will reduce health impacts and meet our environmental and legal obligations.

    Local Authorities are responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality under the Local Air Quality Management system. There are many schools located in local Air Quality Management Areas and Local Authorities are responsible for mitigation of pollution in these areas. Where new schools are planned in polluted areas, Local Authorities can require an assessment of pollutant levels and measures to be included to reduce the impact of pollution levels as planning conditions.

    Local Authorities are key to achieving improvements in air quality and we are taking a number of steps to support them. Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme, the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund and the Clean Vehicle Technology Fund are some of the resources available to Local Authorities to take action.