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Tag: 2016

  • Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2016 to Question 42682, whether he is taking steps to reduce the number of spoilt ballots in elections.

    Chris Skidmore

    The Government has made improvements to ballot papers, forms and instructions used by voters at elections and referendums in order to make voting as accessible as possible. This involved public user-testing of the revised voting forms. The Government will consider reports from the Electoral Commission and other organisations on the polls held during 2016 and decide whether any further action is required.

  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what the average salary is for employees of the House of Commons.

    Tom Brake

    The average salary (basic pay) of staff employed by the House of Commons was £36,784 as at 31 December 2015.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent steps she has taken to improve the energy efficiency of small to mid-size properties.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are helping households to improve the energy efficiency of properties of all sizes through policies such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which has already improved over 1.35 million properties. A reformed supplier obligation from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year.

    Our Private Rented Sector Energy Efficiency Regulations made law from March 2015, will help up to 1 million domestic tenants in the private rented sector. This is expected to grow over time as people move from property to property.

  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to her oral contribution of 2 March 2016 to the Ninth Delegated Legislation Committee on the draft Renewables Obligation Closure Etc. (Amendment) Order 2016, what the evidential basis is for the statement that, with reference to the solar industry, it is not true to say that there are thousands of job losses and that there will be thousands more.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We see a strong future for solar PV in the UK.

    In order to support the path to subsidy-free solar deployment, we have decided to keep the Feed-in-Tariff scheme open, and expect that the scheme could support 15,000-23,000 jobs in the sector. There will continue to be jobs in the operation and maintenance of existing solar installations.

    We also expect subsidy-free solar to be an increasingly attractive option. Lightsource, the biggest solar developer in the UK, have said publically that they will be installing and connecting subsidy-free sites in 2016.

    Support for solar comes directly from people’s bills, so when costs come down, so should support. Therefore we have taken steps to control the costs of support schemes and put solar on a path to delivering without subsidy.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of changes in the number of nursing, medical and other shifts that have not been filled since the introduction of national price caps for NHS agency staff.

    Alistair Burt

    Information on temporary staff fill rates is not collected centrally.

    NHS Improvement has calculated that since the introduction of the price caps, agency spending by National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts has fallen from £303 million in October 2015 to £287 million in February 2016.

    Monitor has previously released information on the number of trusts reporting using shifts in excess of the price caps from 23 November to 28 December 2015. This can be accessed here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497353/FOI_agency_staff_payments.pdf

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans NHS England has to conduct a public consultation on the commissioning of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is in the process of reconsidering its decision in relation to the commissioning of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The outcome of this decision, which is expected at the end of May, will determine whether NHS England will then conduct any form of public consultation on the commissioning of PrEP.

  • Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance he provides to local councils to help them secure faster build-out rates from new developments.

    Brandon Lewis

    The National Planning Policy Framework clearly sets out that local authorities should work proactively with developers to secure developments that improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of their areas. We are taking forward measures to speed up the process of discharging planning conditions, which will help ensure work starts on site quickly once planning permission has been granted. In addition, in their statement on 11 May 2016, the House Builder’s Federation announced steps they would take to improve transparency about build out and help inform both plan making and planning decisions.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what advice his Department has issued on whether there are maximum or minimum permitted size of the population to be served by (a) district councils, (b) unitary councils and (c) combined authorities in England.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Where an area has plans for its governance arrangements to be changed and proposes this to the Secretary of State, it must provide evidence as to how its proposals are likely to result in the provision of better local public services, significant cost savings, greater value for money, stronger and more accountable local leadership, and sustainability in the medium to long term. It is of course open to any body or person to make representations to the Secretary of State either in support of or in opposition to such proposals.

    As we have made clear during discussions with areas, whilst size is an important consideration for areas considering governance changes, there are no maximum or minimum permitted sizes.

    The level of council tax of any new authority is a matter for the local councils concerned. The government will however maintain council tax referendum thresholds at a modest level in order to help keep bills down for hardworking people. This is always the case including in cases of governance change.

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

    Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2016-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of buses, taxis, and other public transport road vehicles are wholly electrically powered.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    We do not have detailed numbers on the information requested.

    According to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) statistics some 133 public transport buses, coaches and minibuses are wholly electrically powered. There are no purpose built electric taxis recorded on the DVLA records, although electric cars are used as minicabs and private hire vehicles, and a number of plug-in hybrid purpose built taxis are in development.

    This Government has a comprehensive £600 million package of measures over the course of this parliament to keep Britain at the forefront of the ultra-low emission vehicle technology. This includes grants encouraging low emission buses and taxis.

    The proportion of wholly electric vehicles operated by central Government is not recorded by the DVLA. However, the total number of central government electric vehicles that have been purchased via the Crown Commercial Service framework is 20. Just over 300 ultra-low emission vehicles are being integrated into public sector fleets under the ULEV readiness project; with over 70% being fully electric.

  • 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 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times (a) gold, (b) silver and (c) bronze command suites were opened in each prison in each of the last three years.

    Andrew Selous

    Violence in prisons has increased in recent years. The nature of offenders currently in custody and the widespread availability of new psychoactive substances have both contributed to making prisons less safe. There is no single, simple solution to the problems we face but we are making progress.

    We have launched a two year Violence Reduction project to help us to gain a better understanding of the causes and characteristics of violence in prisons and to strengthen the handling of this. We are also trialing the use of body worn cameras in prisons, training sniffer dogs to detect new psychoactive substances and have made it an offence to smuggle new psychoactive substances into prison. However, ultimately the only way to reduce violence in our prisons is to give governors and those who work in prisons the tools necessary to more effectively reform and rehabilitate offenders, which we are determined to see through.

    The safety of staff and prisoners is a priority. Gold Command is opened in order to deal with incidents as quickly and safely as possible. Not all incidents turn out to be serious, but Gold Command is opened as a precaution when incidents are regarded as potentially serious.

    Tables 1, 2 and 3 show the number of times Gold Command has been opened in each of the past three years by prison.

    The decision to open Silver Command is made at the local level. Data regarding Silver Command openings is not held centrally, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

    There is no “Bronze Command suite” within NOMS incident response procedures.

    Table 1: Number of times Gold Command Suite opened by prison in 2013

    Prison

    Number of Incidents

    Aylesbury

    2

    Cardiff

    1

    Doncaster

    2

    Elmley

    1

    Everthorpe

    2

    Featherstone

    1

    Full Sutton

    1

    Garth

    1

    Gartree

    1

    Glen Parva

    4

    Haverigg

    1

    Hewell

    2

    High Down

    2

    Holme House

    1

    Hull

    3

    Isis

    1

    Lewes

    1

    Lincoln

    2

    Lindholme

    3

    Long Lartin

    3

    Maidstone

    1

    Moorland

    2

    Morton Hall

    1

    National – Industrial Action

    1

    Northumberland

    1

    Onley

    1

    Pentonville

    1

    Peterborough

    1

    Preston

    1

    Ranby

    1

    Risley

    2

    Rye Hill

    1

    Stafford

    1

    Stocken

    3

    Swaleside

    1

    Swinfen Hall

    6

    Warren Hill

    1

    Wayland

    1

    Wealstun

    2

    Wetherby

    3

    Wolds

    1

    Woodhill

    1

    Wormwood Scrubs

    1

    Wymott

    1

    Table 2: Number of times Gold Command Suite opened by prison in 2014

    Prison

    Number of Incidents

    Altcourse

    2

    Aylesbury

    1

    Brinsford

    1

    Bristol

    1

    Bullingdon

    3

    Cardiff

    1

    Channings Wood

    2

    Chelmsford

    1

    Cookham Wood

    1

    Deerbolt

    3

    Doncaster

    1

    Elmley

    1

    Garth

    1

    Glen Parva

    7

    Harmondsworth

    1

    Haslar

    1

    Haverigg

    3

    Highpoint

    1

    Holme House

    1

    Humber

    4

    Leeds

    1

    Lincoln

    1

    Lindholme

    3

    Littlehey

    1

    Moorland

    3

    Morton Hall

    1

    National – Industrial Action

    1

    Northumberland

    2

    Norwich

    1

    Nottingham

    1

    Oakwood

    1

    Onley

    1

    Portland

    1

    Preston

    2

    Ranby

    3

    Rochester

    3

    Rye Hill

    1

    Stoke Heath

    1

    Swaleside

    4

    Swansea

    1

    Swinfen Hall

    3

    Wayland

    3

    Winchester

    2

    Table 3: Number of times Gold Command Suite opened by prison in 2015

    Prison

    Number of Incidents

    Brinsford

    1

    Deerbolt

    3

    Doncaster

    2

    Dovegate

    1

    Durham

    1

    Featherstone

    2

    Garth

    3

    Gartree

    1

    Glen Parva

    3

    Haverigg

    2

    Highdown

    2

    Highpoint

    2

    Hull

    1

    Humber

    3

    Isis

    3

    Isle of Wight

    1

    Lancaster Farms

    1

    Leeds

    2

    Leicester

    5

    Lewes

    1

    Lincoln

    2

    Lindholme

    3

    Liverpool

    2

    Long Lartin

    1

    Lowdham Grange

    1

    Manchester

    1

    Morton Hall

    1

    Nottingham

    2

    Onley

    1

    Pentonville

    2

    Portland

    1

    Ranby

    1

    Rochester

    1

    Stocken

    3

    Swaleside

    5

    Swinfen Hall

    2

    The Mount

    2

    Wandsworth

    5

    Wayland

    3

    Werrington

    1

    Whatton

    1

    Whitemoor

    1

    Woodhill

    1