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Tag: 2016

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual maintenance spend by the (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army and (c) Royal Air Force has been in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Annual maintenance spend, on equipment support and property management, is not recorded by individual arm of Service. This is because our Armed Services operate as integrated joint organisations in which the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force work together and share land, buildings, facilities and equipment.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations her Department has made to its contractors for the provision of asylum support services on potential breaches of contract by those contractors.

    James Brokenshire

    All Home Office contracts include performance standards, which are defined in the contract. These are the primary way in which the Home Office manages service delivery of the contracts.

    The Home Office has a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards expected of all providers, as defined in the contracts, are met. This includes monthly contract management and quarterly strategic review meetings, as well as regular daily discussions with COMPASS providers’ operational delivery managers about day to day issues.The Home Office investigates complaints it receives from service users and third parties and works with contractors to ensure that any issues raised are addressed promptly.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s wellness strategy is.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office Health and Wellbeing Strategy was launched in February 2015. This sets out three key aims: that every member of staff understands that their health and wellbeing matters; that health and wellbeing is at the centre of change and learning and development programmes and that structural, cultural and demographic factors affecting attendance in the workplace are identified and addressed as appropriate. The strategy is underpinned by a range of modern HR policies and practical advice and services to enhance and promote health and wellbeing such as the employee assistance programme and occupational health services. We also support groups such as ‘Break the Stigma’ and other national mental health campaigns.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which companies have failed to pay the national minimum wage since the introduction of the new naming and shaming regulations on 1 October 2013.

    Nick Boles

    Since the introduction of the revised naming and shaming scheme, details of employers who have failed to pay the National Minimum Wage have been published on gov.uk. Details can be found via the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-october-2015

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed (July 2015)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed (March 2015)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-largest-ever-number-of-national-minimum-wage-offenders (February 2015)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-37-national-minimum-wage-offenders (January 2015)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-the-national-minimum-wage (November 2014)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-minimum-wage (June 2014)

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gets-tough-with-employers-failing-to-pay-minimum-wage (February 2014)

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  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the role of his Department is in overseeing the operation of the Pilotage Act 1987 and in ensuring compliance with the provisions of that Act.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport has no powers to oversee or direct Competent Harbour Authorities in the execution of their duties to provide pilotage services in accordance with the 1987 Pilotage Act.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-05-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are in place to ensure that existing secondary schools in areas where a new school is planned do not suffer from inappropriate competition for places or other disadvantages.

    Lord Nash

    The Department for Education’s published document ‘Free schools applications: criteria for assessment’ sets out the criteria which will be used to assess proposals to establish new free schools. This document is attached.

    Prior to the school opening, the Secretary of State considers the impact the new school will have on all schools in the area in which the institution is proposed.

  • Martin Docherty-Hughes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martin Docherty-Hughes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assist those fleeing repression in Venezuela.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    This Government shares international concerns about the situation in Venezuela. Inflation and shortages of food and medicine are having a significant impact on ordinary Venezuelans, with many traveling temporarily across the border with Colombia to purchase basic goods.

    Earlier this year 60 Venezuelan non-governmental organisations called on the Venezuelan Government to accept humanitarian aid, highlighting the reported scarcity of 80% of medicines and medical supplies.

    We continue to encourage constructive dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and opposition political parties. We have raised our concerns over the deteriorating situation in the country directly with Venezuelan Ministers, urging respect for human rights and democratic values. We continue to encourage the Government to change its stance on humanitarian aid.

    Our Embassy in Caracas promotes human rights, democracy and good governance. In April, Venezuela was designated a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights priority country for 2016/17. This allows us to expand our work, collaborating with both Venezuelan and international partners, including using British Overseas Development funding, to help resolve issues around food and medicine shortages.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of dental treatment available to armed forces personnel.

    Mark Lancaster

    Delivering high quality dental care is fundamental to the health and deployability of the Armed Forces. Examinations and treatment provided by Defence Primary Healthcare are delivered against detailed standards that differentiate military dentistry from other oral healthcare systems. All care is subject to a comprehensive assurance regime, externally validated by the Care Quality Commission, and a system exists to centrally capture patient complaints, suggestions and compliments, all pursuant to quality improvement.

    We are committed to improving dental care further. A Strategic Oral Health Needs Assessment has recently been undertaken that will lead to an improved distribution of dental clinical capacity. It will also act as the precursor to a revised Armed Forces’ Oral Health Strategy. Other improvements we are making include a three year pilot to assess how dental therapists can contribute to the oral health outcomes required by Defence.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many mobile pumps the Environment Agency owns.

    Rory Stewart

    The Environment Agency owns a total of 245 mobile pumping units which can be deployed to respond to flooding incidents.

    During the flooding in December 2015, 425 mobile pumping assets owned and held by responding organisations, including the Fire Services and the Environment Agency, were identified as being available to Strategic Coordination Groups (Gold Controls).

  • 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 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons use animals as part of their rehabilitation schemes; and which animals are used in such schemes.

    Andrew Selous

    This information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.