Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-10-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the educational resources available to (1) teachers, and (2) parents, to encourage healthier living among children and young people.

    Lord Nash

    This Government wants all children to lead healthy and active lives and schools have a key role to play in teaching children about healthy lifestyles. Schools have the flexibility to choose which educational resources they use to support their teaching and there are opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to be taught the knowledge and skills they need to support heathy living.

    The national curriculum is compulsory in state maintained schools and sets the expectation that across a variety of subjects, pupils are taught about the importance of leading a healthy active lifestyle. Physical education (PE) is compulsory at all four key stages in the national curriculum and should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way that supports their health and fitness. Across science and design and technology, pupils are taught about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition.

    Change4Life is the Government’s flagship social marketing programme aimed at inspiring everyone to eat well, move more and live longer. In 2015 more than 385,000 families signed up to the “10 Minute Shake up” campaign, which are designed as fun activities for children to squeeze short 10-minute bursts of activity into their day. In January 2016, Change4Life launched the Food Detective campaign. Developed by educational experts, these curriculum-linked resources encouraged pupils to become Food Detectives and to learn more about sugar and 5 a day to support a healthy and balanced diet.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken to ensure the maximum number of people meet the 31 January 2016 deadline for providing their tax returns.

    Mr David Gauke

    The vast majority of Self Assessment customers complete their returns on time (92% last year).

    This year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is sending millions of targeted emails and texts to remind customers to submit their return by 31 January, for instance to customers who missed the deadline last year or those who are new to Self Assessment. Alongside this, HMRC is running a national marketing campaign to remind customers of the 31 January deadline. Support is available to those who need it as HMRC is putting hundreds of extra people on its helplines during this very busy period, and has introduced new support channels like webchat and online video guidance.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether meetings of Rail North will be held in public.

    Andrew Jones

    Whether Rail North holds its meetings in public is a matter for that organisation.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Indonesian counterpart on freedom of access by journalists to West Papua.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We welcome the Indonesian government’s commitment to improving the situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. President Joko Widodo has visited 3 times since his election, most recently spending New Year in Papua. During his visit in May 2015, he granted clemency to a number of prisoners and announced the lifting of travel restrictions for foreign journalists and international organizations. Since then, a number of foreign journalists have successfully visited and reported from Papua and West Papua. Our Ambassador in Jakarta last visited Papua in January. As well as raising these issues, he also discussed ways to ensure the sustainable and equitable development of the provinces with members of the police, and religious and community leaders.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment she has made of which of her Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

    Nick Gibb

    Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires. The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

    The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. The Treasury regularly raises these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report, General Practice Forward View, published in April 2016, how much of the £2.4 billion increased funding for GP surgeries will be spent in Lancashire and the North West.

    Alistair Burt

    How much of this funding which will be spent in Lancashire and the North West will depend on future decisions by NHS England and the local clinical commissioning groups.

    Local primary care allocations are published on the NHS England website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/pc-medical-allocations.pdf

    “

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions each local authority has brought under the provisions governing a blind person’s right to travel in licensed taxis with their guide dogs of the Equality Act 2010.

    Dominic Raab

    It is an offence under section 168 of the Equalities Act 2010 to refuse to take an assistance dog in a taxi or private hire vehicle. The maximum penalty is a level 3 fine (up to £1,000).

    The number of offenders sentenced at all courts (with fines and average fines specifically identified) for failure to comply with a section 168 duty in relation to an assistance dog for a disabled person, in England and Wales, from 2011 (earliest separately identifiable information available) to 2015 can be viewed in table 1.

    The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for failure to comply with a section 168 duty in relation to an assistance dog for a disabled person, listed by local authority prosecuting the case in England and Wales, from 2011 (earliest separately identifiable information available) to 2015 can be viewed in table 2.

    Centrally held data by the Ministry of Justice includes information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. Data on whether a guide dog for the blind or a different type of assistance dog was involved in such a case is not held centrally, or reliably recorded where there is no operational reason to do so.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 July 2016 to Question 42832, if he will allow part payments to cover the one to six day period between people reaching State Pension Age and their allocated pension payday.

    Richard Harrington

    New rules apply in the new State Pension scheme introduced from 6 April 2016. Individuals who reach State Pension age on or after that date are paid their new State Pension from the date they reach their State Pension age. Payments are made in arrears on a payday based on the individual’s National Insurance number. This means that in most cases the first payment may be in respect of a part of a week – that is from the day the individual reaches State Pension age to their first normal payday. The new State Pension is payable until the date of their death and a part week payment may also apply at the end of their claim.

    Under the State Pension system that applies to people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, for those who did not move from a working age benefit to State Pension, the State Pension is payable only in full benefit weeks. This means that depending on the individual’s payday, as determined by their National Insurance number, their payment may not have begun from the day they reached their State Pension age. These arrangements for full week payment apply to both the start and the end of their claim for their State Pension and a full week is paid in respect of the week in which their death occurs.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Attorney General, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

    The Attorney General’s Office does not have departmental responsibility for the transposition of directives.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what tendering and commissioning process was followed in selecting builders at the direct commissioning site at (a) Daedelus Waterfront, (b) Lower Grayling Well, (c) Connaught Barracks, (d) Northstowe and (e) Old Oak Common.

    Brandon Lewis

    These will be detailed commercial arrangements that will be established through a competitive procurement process. Existing public procurement processes will apply.