Tag: 2016

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure levels of bursaries and salary support for trainee clinical psychologists for the 2017-18 cohort are adequate to ensure a diverse future workforce.

    Ben Gummer

    Health Education England (HEE) funding for trainees in clinical psychology is currently determined at a local level based on local need and is subject to annual workforce planning. For 2016-17, HEE will fund those commissions set out in the HEE Commissioning and Investment Plan for 2016-17. HEE’s plans for training clinical psychologists remain unchanged from 2015-16 with 526 commissions proposed for 2016-17. HEE will set out its plans for 2017-18 training commissions in its next annual Commissioning and Investment Plan or Workforce Plan for England which is expected to be published in December 2016 prior to the start of the financial year.

    The Government is currently consulting on the implementation of the education funding reforms for pre-registration undergraduate and postgraduate nursing, midwifery and allied health courses which are currently funded through both HEE funded tuition, a National Health Service bursary and reduced rate loan for maintenance. Respondents to the consultation may wish to raise issues relating to the funding for courses operating outside of this model, such as clinical psychology training programmes. The Government will consider these in the context of its consultation response.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Rural Payments Agency to resolve the backlog of 2015 Basic Payment Scheme payments.

    George Eustice

    I have regular discussions with the Rural Payments Agency on the progress of Basic Payment Scheme payments.

    As of 3 July 86,760 (99.6%) farmers have received a payment on their 2015 BPS claim. The Rural Payments Agency continues to focus on making top up payments to those farmers who have already received a bridging payment.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many times his Department has used the services of (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms since his Department was established; and what (i) work was undertaken and (ii) the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

    Greg Hands

    The information will take time to collate. I will place this in the libraries of the House as soon as the information is available.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the affordability of public transport for people in full-time education; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The legislation which regulates the bus industry does not require bus operators to offer reduced fares to young people. However, bus operators in most areas do offer discounted travel tickets to various groups of young people on a commercial basis. Government recognises the importance of accessible transport to all young people and we are working with the sector to encourage operators to continue to improve their offers.

    Whilst there is no requirement for local authorities to provide free transport for 16-19 year olds attending further education, some local authorities do also provide discretionary travel concession schemes for young people.

    Current estimates indicate that around 50% of young people aged 16 to 19 receive at least a third off standard bus fares.

    In terms of rail services, young rail passengers are able to purchase a 16 – 25 Railcard where they can save a third on most standard class rail fares.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a final decision was made to close 15 HM Passport Office interview offices; and what discussions her Department has had with staff representatives on those closures.

    Karen Bradley

    The decision regarding the changes to the passport application interview estate was taken on 21 December 2015.

    Affected staff, and their trade union representatives, were informed of this decision on 28 January 2016. This launched a formal period of consultation about the impact upon staff following the changes to the passport application interview estate. This consultation is ongoing.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of his Department’s (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) core policy civil servants are based in London.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    89% of Senior Civil Servants in the Department for Transport are based in London.

    Information on the profession of civil servants is not stored on the central system and therefore we are unable to confirm which civil servants who define themselves as a Policy professional are based in London.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have yet considered the remainder of the Law Commission’s recommendations on the reform of level-crossing legislation.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport is continuing to develop its response to the Law Commission’s recommendations on the reform of level crossing legislation in conjunction with stakeholders.

    We expect to finalise our deliberations shortly with a view to a consultation on preferred options later this year.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rate of smoking is in England for 15 year olds.

    Jane Ellison

    In 2015, figures showed smoking prevalence rates in adults and 15 year olds in England to be at 18% and 8% respectively. The most recent quarterly information on prevalence of smoking among pregnant women, published in March, show this to be 10.6%.

    Smoking prevalence is at its lowest ever level with official figures showing that the Government met each of the targets set out in its Tobacco Control Plan – Healthy Lives, Healthy People. A new Tobacco Control Plan is currently being developed.

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which UK drug and alcohol treatment is dependent on EU funding streams; whether such streams will remain open until such time as Article 50 is enacted; and what measures his Department plans to put in place to maintain the level of that funding from the public purse after Article 50 is enacted.

    Jane Ellison

    Drug and alcohol treatment services in England are funded by local authorities from the public health grant, which does not include European Union funding streams. Individual drug and alcohol treatment services may have applied for and received EU funding, however this data is not collected centrally.

    As the Prime Minister has made clear, while the United Kingdom remains a member of the EU, current EU funding arrangements continue unchanged. It will be for the Government under the new Prime Minister to begin the negotiation to leave, and set out arrangements for those schemes currently in receipt of EU funds.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions after the UK leaves the UK.

    Margot James

    The UK has continued to participate in the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) since the EU referendum vote. Future engagement between the UK and Eurofound will be considered as part of the broader EU exit negotiations.