Tag: 2016

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have paid more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company handling their claim in each of the last three years; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent those companies from taking commission of more than 24 per cent.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally.

    Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who were eligible to receive a Christmas bonus on their benefits had not received it on 24 December 2015.

    Priti Patel

    Everyone eligible for a Christmas bonus will receive their payment in full. A technical error meant that 327,379 people had a delayed payment.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will conduct an assessment of the extent to which Atos and Capita use supporting letters when conducting personal independence payment assessments.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Healthcare Professionals and DWP Decision Makers give full consideration to all information provided when assessing Personal Independence Payment claimants.

  • Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the publication of the findings of the Accelerated Access Review.

    George Freeman

    Sir Hugh Taylor published his interim report to the review on 27 October 2015. The review will conclude with Sir Hugh’s final recommendations to Government which are expected in spring 2016.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will issue guidance to schools on the terminology used for children who do not reach the national standard grade under the proposed reforms to Key Stage 2.

    Nick Gibb

    Schools have been informed that pupil outcomes will be described as meeting or not meeting the expected standard in the Key Stage 2 (KS2) tests. Pupils who do not meet the expected standard in the teacher assessment of writing will be awarded one of a number of standards: Foundations for the expected standard, Early development of the expected standard, Growing development of the expected standard or Working towards the expected standard. The Standards and Testing Agency will provide additional guidance on scaled scores in July 2016.

    Schools are required to report to parents of year 6 children their child’s scaled scores for the KS2 tests; whether they have met the expected standard or not; and their teacher assessed standards for English writing, English reading, mathematics and science. Schools are also required to give parents more general information about the child’s achievements, general progress and attendance record. This is intended to give a more comprehensive view of a child’s overall achievements at the end of the key stage than just their attainment in the national curriculum assessments. The Department does not prescribe the terminology to be used in these reports.

    We expect schools to ensure that children’s achievements are reported in a professional and appropriate manner.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 18 April (HL7718), what action they will now take to protect land designated as a future Palestinian state.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to robustly raise our concerns over Israel’s expropriation of land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Such steps damage the prospects for a two state solution. The UK has consistently called for an end to settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law. If the Israeli government is committed to a two-state solution then it will reverse its policy.

  • Lord Shipley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Shipley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Shipley on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect work to begin on the new court complex in Sunderland under the Court Reform Programme.

    Lord Faulks

    No decisions have been taken regarding the court estate in Sunderland.

    Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) keeps its operational estate under review to make sure that it aligns with the delivery of reformed court and tribunal services. The reform of court and tribunal services which is underway will provide greater access to the courts using modern technology, reducing the need for attendance at court.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take following reports from the UN envoy that, since the diplomatic Quartet called for a halt to the construction of Jewish outposts on Palestinian land, Israeli settlement expansion has increased.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to raise our serious concerns over this issue with the Israeli Government at all levels. On 07 September, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) emphasised our concerns about settlements with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman during their meeting.

  • Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will meet representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.

    Richard Harrington

    I am responding on behalf of the Secretary of State (SoS), as Minister for Pensions with overall responsibility on this issue.

    The previous Minister Baroness Altmann and Minister Shailesh Vara (the previous Under-Secretary of State for DWP) met with representatives of the WASPI group on 29th June 2016 to listen to their concerns. Although WASPI’s ask was unclear, at the time, Ministers indicated that the DWP did not have the available funds to deliver further concessions.

    One other outcome from that meeting was that WASPI agreed to explore options with the relevant All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). A meeting between APPG representatives, the SoS and myself is being taken forward, and consequently there is nothing further to be gained from meeting WASPI representatives directly.

    I should add that I have been quite clear that the Government will make no further changes to the pension age or pay financial redress in lieu of a pension.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many computers each jobcentre in (a) Burnley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West has available for recipients of universal credit to access benefits online.

    Priti Patel

    The number of computers available in jobcentres for recipients to access benefits online are as follows:

    Burnley 6

    Lancashire 191

    North West 474

    In addition, claimants who do not have their own internet access can be signposted to local services such as libraries or local authority facilities.