UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2016

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what aid has been given to Greece to assist that country in supporting migrants and refugees.

    Baroness Verma

    Since the start of the Mediterranean migration crisis, the Department for International Development has provided £55 million in response, including over £19 million in Greece. Assistance through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non-governmental organisations has provided life-saving aid to migrants and refugees to support reception, protection, accommodation, and meet basic needs. We are monitoring the situation closely. We stand ready to meet additional priority needs and are sending a team to Greece to assess the situation.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that all women undergoing abortions are given the opportunity to decide on disposal arrangements following a termination.

    Jane Ellison

    The Human Tissue Authority has produced guidance The disposal of pregnancy remains following pregnancy loss or termination. A copy of the guidance can be found at:

    https://www.hta.gov.uk/faqs/disposal-pregnancy-remains-faqs

    All providers of termination of pregnancy services are expected to follow this guidance.

    “

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the proposed TTIP agreement provides equality of competition for US and EU companies in the tendering of public service contracts.

    Anna Soubry

    The Procurement Chapter in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will not require the Government to outsource public services, and it will only apply to specified services sectors. The Procurement Chapter is still being negotiated – the EU and US made their first exchange of offers in February. Our aim is to enhance the opportunities for UK companies seeking to operate in the US. An assessment for the European Commission suggests that around 10% of the EU’s potential economic gains could come from liberalisation of procurement in the US. Therefore, the Procurement Chapter is expected to contain an obligation not to discriminate in favour of domestic firms when procuring services.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2016 to Question 39527, on bus services, what consultation he undertook on the role of municipal bus companies on the proposals in Clause 21 of the Bus Services Bill; and what research he has commissioned on the potential effects of that clause on (a) passengers and (b) the bus services market.

    Andrew Jones

    This policy will not impact on existing municipal operators.

    Currently there are only 8 existing municipal bus companies operating services in England, and we are not aware of any current plans to establish new municipal bus companies.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils on the National Schools Database are not assigned to a specific school or registered for home tuition.

    Edward Timpson

    The information requested is not held centrally.

    We do not recognise the term ‘National Schools Database’ but interpret it to mean one of two things:

    1. The database for schools, Edubase, is a register of educational establishments in England and Wales, maintained by the Department for Education. It provides information on establishments providing compulsory, higher and further education. It provides information about the establishments (e.g headteacher details), but nothing related to individual children.
    2. The National Pupil Database contains detailed information about pupils in schools and colleges in England and includes information about pupils’ characteristics, such as: gender, ethnicity, first language, eligibility for free school meals, special educational needs (SEN), pupil absence and exclusions. It only contains data about pupils registered at schools. Therefore children not attached to schools/colleges or an alternative provision institution are not covered.

    The welfare of children unassigned to maintained schools or home educated is a Local Authority responsibility.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that workers in the care sector are paid the full national living wage.

    David Mowat

    Social care continues to be a key priority for the Government. This is why, against the context of tough public sector finances; the Government has taken steps to protect social care services. The Government is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. This should mean local government has access to the funding to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament. This will support councils to continue to focus on core services and to pay fees which reflect provider costs including the National Living Wage.

    The Spending Review took into account a range of financial and economic factors, including projections and data on the National Living Wage from the Office of Budget Responsibility and Skills for Care.

    Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must have regard to fostering an effective workforce with the appropriate capabilities when shaping their local markets. The Act and its statutory guidance make clear that prices and fee rates agreed with providers must reflect these new duties, including the National Living Wage.

    Social care workers play a vital role in our society and it is unacceptable that there are some circumstances where they are not being paid properly. Non-compliance with the National Living Wage is illegal and the Department is working with HM Revenue and Customs to help eliminate it from the home care sector.

    The Department has regular meetings with the trade bodies that represent the care sector and is grateful for the information provided that adds to our understanding of financial challenges including the National Living Wage. In addition major providers and associations in the care industry have formed their own taskforce to discuss key issues for the sector. The Department attends as an observer.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt Hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016 to UIN: 21952.

  • Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Wasserman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wasserman on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the purdah period begins in respect of the forthcoming elections of Police and Crime Commissioners.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The purdah period for Government departments in respect of the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner elections will begin on 14 April 2016.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the proposals contained in Separation: Putting a Border on the Conflict published on 29 February by the Chairman of the Zionist Union and of the Israeli Labour Party.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not made any assessment of the proposals contained in the document ‘Separation: Putting a Border on the Conflict’. We will judge any proposals on the basis of whether we assess they support progress towards the two-state solution.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the average cost per mile to upgrade a motorway to a smart motorway.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England has an improvement programme to create additional network capacity by utilising the motorway hard shoulder as an additional lane. This is known as the Smart Motorway Programme.

    The cost depends on the scope and nature of each scheme and is heavily influenced by factors such as the number of junctions and the extent of work needed to existing structures.

    Based on the actual or forecast actual cost of relevant schemes started over the past five years, the total cost ranges from £7.5-£8.8m per mile of additional network capacity (using a common price base of March 2015).