Tag: 2016

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what contribution his Department is making to Government steps to reduce the incidence of serious youth violence.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This Government is committed to reducing youth violence. On 13 January 2016 the Home Office published the new Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation approach. This has a twin focus concerned with both reducing violence and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation by gangs, and how the Home Office want to work with national and local partners to respond to this.

    The Home Office’s Modern Crime Prevention Strategy, published on 23 March 2016, sets out a range of measures they are taking, including working with the police and industry to ensure there are effective controls on the sales of knives, particularly to under-18s. The Home Office has agreed a set of principles with major retailers and the British Retail Consortium to prevent the underage sale of knives and to ensure knives are displayed safely.

    Government is also supporting police action taken against knife crime. Most recently, in February 2016, the Home Office supported thirteen police forces who undertook coordinated action against knife crime. This involved targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers, and use of surrender bins.

    In addition, DCMS launched the Sport Strategy in December 2015, which sets out how sport can play a role in inclusivity and giving everyone the best chance in life.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what role his Department has played in the negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); and what negotiations on TTIP he has attended as a representative of the Government.

    Anna Soubry

    The European Commission conducts trade negotiations – including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – on behalf of the EU and its Member States. In the UK, the Department, for Business, Innovation and Skills has the lead policy responsibility for TTIP. Ministers and officials are in regular formal and informal contact with officials from the European Commission, EU Member States and US, as we work to secure an agreement that benefits UK businesses, workers and consumers. This includes discussions with negotiators, legislators, administrations, and various other stakeholders from the EU and US.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how frequently the funding caps on apprenticeship standards and frameworks will be reviewed.

    Nick Boles

    Provisional funding bands will be published in June 2016, and finalised in October 2016. The Institute for Apprenticeships will play a role in reviewing them once it is operational. The frequency of this will be agreed at that point.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the government of India encouraging it to (1) ratify the UN Convention against  Torture and its optional protocols; and (2) permit a visit  to India, including Jammu and Kashmir, by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK engages on human rights matters with India, both bilaterally and through the EU-India Human Rights dialogue. We continue to call on the Indian government to expedite the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol, and adopt robust domestic legislation to this effect. The UK made a specific recommendation on this issue during India’s Universal Periodic Review in May 2012. The EU Delegation in Delhi has also hosted a number of events on the importance of ratifying the Convention.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 16 September (HL1580), whether they plan to run a similar programme for Islamic extremists still in prison.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    In line with the former Prime Minister’s commitment, we are currently considering how the Desistance and Disengagement programme can best be introduced within the prison estate.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many take-off tests for the F35B Lightning II have been completed using the Queen Elizabeth-class simulating ski ramp at US NAS Patuxent River.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    F-35B ski ramp jump testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River began in 2015 and, as at 31 December 2015, 20 test launches had successfully been completed. The programme of test launches from the land-based ski jump ramp is scheduled to be completed in late 2017.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to take account in its policies of the conclusions of the Muslim Brotherhood Review, HC 679, published on 17 December 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    The Review into the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has highlighted concerns about the Brotherhood and concluded that aspects of its ideology and tactics in the UK, and overseas, have been contrary to our values, national interests and national security.

    The Government will intensify its scrutiny of the views and activities that Brotherhood members and associates promote, both here and overseas. It will also continue to consult, and share information and analysis, with other governments in the Middle East and North Africa as appropriate.

    We have looked carefully at the findings of the review and will continue to:

    • refuse visas to members and associates of the Brotherhood who are on record as having made extremist comments, in line with our existing policy guidelines and approach to extremism in all forms; • seek to ensure charities that have links to the Brotherhood are not misused to support or finance the Brotherhood instead of their lawful charitable purpose; • strengthen liaison arrangements with international partners to ensure that allegations of illicit funding or other misuse of charities are robustly investigated and appropriate action taken; • enforce the EU asset freeze on Hamas; and • keep under review whether the views and activities of the Brotherhood meet the legal test for proscription.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review entitlement to universal credit of people whose wages are paid two weeks in arrears after their temporary employment contract has ended.

    Priti Patel

    Universal Credit takes earnings into account in a manner that is fair and simple to understand. Earnings are taken into account in the assessment period in which they are received and the Universal Credit award adjusted accordingly. We have no plans to change this policy.

    Claimants have access to help and support from the first day they make a claim to Universal Credit, regardless of when earnings are received.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce variations in mental health spending and services between clinical commissioning groups.

    Alistair Burt

    Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning non-specialised mental health services to meet the needs of their local communities. NHS England has made the requirement of CCGs through the planning guidance document, Delivering the Forward View: NHS Planning Guidance 2016/17 to 2020/21 (December 2015), that they should increase their spending on mental health each year at least in line with the growth in their overall funding allocation.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of clinical negligence cases dealt with by the NHS Litigation Authority are discovered to be unfounded upon the release of medical records.

    Ben Gummer

    The timetable for the release of medical records in clinical negligence cases is determined by the Pre Action Protocol for clinical negligence claims. This prescribes 40 days for the release of the records, or the ability to request an extension to that time.

    The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) works with National Health Service trusts to ensure prompt release of medical records and other information which will inform the outcome of a claim for compensation. Often expert evidence will be required to give conclusive evidence as to whether there was negligence and if so, whether that caused injury to the claimant. As claims are often resolved in-house by the NHSLA, any costs which arise as a result of delays in receiving medical records are not recorded separately as they will fall within overall administration costs.

    46% of claims were resolved without payment of damages in 2014/15; however, as above, it is often necessary to obtain expert medical advice to determine whether compensation is due.