Tag: 2016

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 26625, on the Twynham Learning Federation, for what reason it is not possible to place the documents in the Library prior to publication on the Department’s website in May.

    Edward Timpson

    As previously agreed, the application will be published alongside other successful direct free school applications in May 2016. This is in line with the established timetable of publishing applications three months after each announcement. However, the Secretary of State and Twynham Learning Federation have exceptionally agreed to also place a copy of the application and the decision letter signed by Sir David Carter, the former Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West in the House of Commons library. This will be done as soon as both commercially sensitive information and personal information, that may contravene the Data Protection Act, has been redacted. We will write to the Honourable Member when this has been done.

  • Nick Herbert – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nick Herbert – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Herbert on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of Common Agricultural Policy funding that (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland will receive in each year between 2014 and 2020.

    George Eustice

    The tables in the attached show, for Pillar 1 (direct payments) and Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), allocations for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  • 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 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis in the prevention of HIV.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new use of HIV drugs which has shown clinical effectiveness in research trials at preventing HIV in people at high risk of getting HIV such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and people with HIV-positive partners. The drug used in the trials, Truvada, is not yet licenced for use as PrEP. Public Health England (PHE) has undertaken modelling work looking at cost-effectiveness of PrEP. Much depends on the price of the drugs and HIV prevalence in the target group. However, as with any new intervention, PrEP now needs to be properly assessed in relation to cost effectiveness to see how it could be commissioned in the most sustainable and integrated way and how it compares with other cost-effective approaches. The Department is considering this with PHE, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

    NHS England has agreed to carefully consider their position on commissioning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Planning continues on the early implementer tests sites in the meantime. Irrespective of the commissioning arrangements for PrEP, decisions to fund will depend on full assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness and how it can be integrated with other HIV prevention efforts.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on specific support under the Youth Obligation programme to enable young people with backgrounds of homelessness to access apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    Preparations for the Youth Obligation have been discussed at the Earn or Learn Taskforce. These discussions have included how to help Youth Obligation participants of all backgrounds into apprenticeships.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will provide assurances that the North West Coast Connections Project will include underground cables through the Lake District National Park.

    Jesse Norman

    It will be for the developer to bring forward an application for consent for their proposal for examination by the Planning Inspectorate. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will take the decision on the application and it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the merits of the project in advance of his decision.

    The application for the Project will be considered as part of the appropriate consent process which will take account of any Government policies and guidance, including that set out in National Policy Statements and other material considerations. Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1) sets out policy for energy developments proposed within nationally designated landscapes.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of how many households affected by Pay to Stay will receive funds from Right to Buy.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Government believes that, as a matter of fairness, tenants on higher incomes should contribute a fairer level of rent. This might lead to more tenants exercising their Right to Buy, but the two policies are not linked.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Anglican churches within the Diocese of Blackburn were damaged by flooding in December 2015; and what the extent of damage to each such church was.

    Mrs Caroline Spelman

    Within the Diocese of Blackburn seven churches and churchyards, the diocesan retreat house at Whalley Abbey and three Church of England primary schools were damaged by floodwater. Many have also found that the boilers and heating systems have been damaged beyond repair and extensive programmes of works will need to be undertaken to both dry the buildings out and restore or replace furniture, carpets and school materials.

    Reports of damage are still being registered across the Dioceses of Blackburn, Carlisle, Manchester, West Yorkshire and the Dales and York. To date 129 church properties have registered substantial damage from the December storms with our insurers, though I expect that figure to rise. The Cathedral and Church Buildings Council of the Church of England will be working with the dioceses to develop robust disaster management and recovery plans and flood adaptation measures for churches and other buildings.

    Within the Blackburn Diocese

    Parish Name / building

    Grade or * listing / Status

    Type of damage

    St Michael’s on Wyre

    Grade 1

    Water damage and damage to the boiler

    St Michael’s, Much Hoole

    Grade 2*

    Water damage and damage to the boiler

    St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston

    Grade 2*

    Water damage

    St Michael & All Angels, Croston

    Grade 2*

    Severe water damage

    St John the Evangelist, Lancaster (Incare of Churches Conservation Trust)

    Grade 2*

    Severe water damage

    St John the Baptist, Tunstall

    Grade 1

    Damage to the boiler

    St Wilfrid’s, Ribchester

    Grade 1

    Damage to the graveyard and loss of many burials and monuments

    Whalley Abbey

    Grade 1 and Scheduled Ancient Monument

    Major water damage to the Abbey building

    Kirkland & Catterall St. Helen’s CofE School

    Primary School

    Severe water damage

    St. Michael’s on Wyre C of E School

    Primary School

    Major water damage

    Whalley CofE School

    Primary School

    Basement flooded and water damage

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

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-01-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what independent research is being carried out on the availability and affordability of flood insurance for small businesses in flood affected areas.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    We have recently published a report, carried out on our behalf by Ipsos MORI that considers the availability of flood insurance for small businesses in areas of high flood risk.

    The study found that uptake of insurance in small and medium sized businesses is high, with 95% of businesses having commercial insurance cover and only 2.5% reporting any difficulties in accessing insurance.

    The report is available on-line on the science and research section of Defra’s website, under the heading “Affordability and Availability of Flood Insurance – FD2688”.

    We continue to keep this important issue under review.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote collaboration between farmers by setting up producer organisations in the dairy sector.

    George Eustice

    Collaboration is a powerful way for groups of farmers to share knowledge and expertise, market information and good farming practice, exercise joint purchasing power and strengthen their negotiating position within the supply chain.

    We have put in place the legal framework that allows dairy producer organisations (DPOs) to form and provided some initial funding through the launch of the £5m Dairy Fund in 2013. The first domestic DPO, Dairy Crest Direct, was formally recognised by the Rural Payments Agency in May 2015, bringing together 1,050 dairy farmers across England and Wales.

    In 2015, AHDB Llaeth/Dairy commissioned Promar International to carry out a study into ‘The Feasibility of a Dairy Producer Organisation in Wales’ on behalf of a group of Welsh dairy farmers. A report is available at: http://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/resources-library/market-information/adhoc-reports/the-feasibility-of-a-dairy-producer-organisation-in-wales-report/

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) DESMOND and (b) DAFNE programmes, in which areas, are provided by clinical commissioning groups in England.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not held centrally.