Tag: 2016

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many claimants for personal independence payment have been asked to pay for a letter from their GP explaining their impairments or disability whilst being moved from disability living allowance to personal independence payment.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Claimants are advised during the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim process that they should not request any documents from their GP that they may be charged fees for. Where an Assessment Provider requires further medical evidence to assist in completing the assessment report they may request a GP Factual Report (GPFR). GPs are paid a prearranged fee by assessment providers for GPFRs as the information requested is not included in their contractual agreement. As independent contractors GPs are permitted to charge their patient a fee as the provision of the report is outside their contractual obligations. The BMA provides guidance on appropriate levels of fees for different types of reports.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff of HM Revenue and Customs’ Large Business Service worked on each of that service’s investigations relating to the tax of companies in each of the last six years.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 31 March 2014, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Large Business Service (LBS) dealt with the tax affairs of around 800 of the largest businesses in the UK. From 1 April 2014 HMRC’s Large Business directorate (LB) deals with the tax affairs of around 2,000 large businesses.

    At 31 December 2015, the number of staff deployed in LB was 2,600.

    At year end (31 March), the number of staff deployed in previous years was:

    LB

    2014-15 2,350

    LBS

    2013-14 1,303

    2012-13 1,194

    2011-12 1,306

    2010-11 1,438

    These staff are supplemented by specialists in other parts of HMRC. It is not possible to say how many staff were deployed on each investigation.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent assessment the Commission has made of the level of electoral fraud in Tower Hamlets.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission works with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to collate data from police forces about cases of alleged electoral fraud reported each year. This data is published on the Commission’s website.

    The data show that 49 cases of alleged electoral fraud offences were reported in Tower Hamlets in 2014. Of these cases, no further action was taken following investigation by the police in 39 cases. This was either because the activity involved was not in fact an offence; there was no evidence that an offence had been committed; or there was insufficient evidence to identify a perpetrator. It also included cases which, following investigation, were found not to have involved electoral fraud offences.

    Five cases were locally resolved with advice from the police or the Returning Officer, and one case resulted in a caution being given. Of the remaining four cases, one resulted in court proceedings being initiated, one awaits prosecution advice and two remain under investigation.

    A total of 28 cases of alleged electoral fraud offences were reported in Tower Hamlets in 2015. No further action was taken following investigation by the police in 23 cases, and one case was locally resolved. One case awaits prosecution advice and three remain under investigation. The Commission will monitor the outcome of any investigations relating to electoral fraud offences.

    In advance of the May 2016 elections, the Commission is working closely with the police and electoral administrators in each of the 18 areas it has identified as being at higher risk of allegations of electoral fraud, including Tower Hamlets, to ensure that robust plans are in place to detect and prevent fraud.

    The Commission also encourages anyone who has evidence that an electoral offence may have been committed to report this to the police, either directly or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

  • Stuart Blair Donaldson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart Blair Donaldson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart Blair Donaldson on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many colleges and universities have had (a) sponsorship licences revoked and (b) faced other restrictions related to allegations of English Language Test fraud; and what steps she plans to take to reconsider those revocations and restrictions.

    Mike Penning

    This data is published on the following website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-february-2016

    As this is linked to ongoing litigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will issue a response to Early Day Motion 1424, Autism awareness.

    Alistair Burt

    Since the Early Day Motion was tabled on 26 April, Autism Awareness has been the subject of a full debate on 28 April 2016, Official Report, columns 1574-1630 having been selected for this by the Backbench Business Committee.

    The Department has promoted the awareness work of the National Autistic Society since its launch during World Autism Awareness week, alongside that which the Department is funding through the Autism Alliance UK, a network of autism charities. This is encouraging local organisations to become Autism Champions by making public commitments to train their staff in autism awareness. A total of £325,000 has been invested in this work and the next step is to evaluate and take stock of the outcomes and achievements. In the meantime our approach is to focus on work with specific groups on awareness such as general practitioners through the Royal College of General Practitioner’s Autism Initiative.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the programme managed by Capita to identify and remove overstayers; when the contract with Capita for that programme is due for renewal; whether she plans to make any amendments to the terms of that contract; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Capita was appointed to progress cases in the Migration Refusal Pool (MRP), which consists of those people who have received a negative decision on their cases, but have not left the country. The purpose of these arrangements is to contact manage cases and encourage voluntary departure and compliance. Capita does not remove anyone from the UK.

    Capita’s work on the Migration Refusal Pool has enabled a substantial reduction in the size of the MRP during the lifetime of the contract and has included the assessment of 659,400 cases and the identification of 143,400 departures. More statistics on the contract can be found in the Immigration Enforcement transparency data, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-may-2016

    The contract was signed in 2012 to run for four years and is due to expire this October.

  • Alison McGovern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alison McGovern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve ambulance response times.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    NHS England’s Urgent and Emergency Care Review is working to reform and improve the provision of urgent and emergency care in England. As part of the review, NHS England is considering how to improve responses to 999 calls and patient outcomes under the Ambulance Response Programme. We expect the programme will report its findings in autumn 2016.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether funding currently received by mayoral combined authorities from EU structural funds will continue after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    The Government recognises the importance of ensuring regions and organisations have stability and certainty in the period leading up to our departure from the European Union. At the same time, we are keen to use the opportunities that departure presents to set our own priorities. The Chancellor has announced that the Treasury will guarantee structural fund bids which are signed before the UK leaves the EU. This includes funding for projects agreed after the Autumn Statement, if they represent good value for money, and if they are in line with the government’s strategic priorities, even if these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

    Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. Over the coming months, the government will consult closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK‘s national interest, while ensuring appropriate certainty.

  • 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 2016-01-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are consulting the governments of Iraq, the United States and Italy about the Mosul Dam on the Tigris River, and in particular about the case for downstream flood warnings and preparations, and repairs and maintenance work, to prevent collapse.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are in close touch with the Governments of Iraq, the US and our European partners, as well as the UN, about the Mosul Dam.

    The Government of Iraq has begun to take measures to improve the structural integrity of the Mosul Dam as there is a risk the dam could fail. It is currently impossible to accurately predict if or when this might occur. A failure could lead to major flooding in the Tigris river valley, from Mosul to Baghdad.

    Alongside the US, we are working with the Government of Iraq, the UN and other partners to ensure Iraq has effective contingency planning in place, including early warning and humanitarian planning, to enable ordinary Iraqis and the international community to respond in the event of failure. Our Embassy has plans to ensure staff are safe and we have updated our travel advice to highlight the risk to the general public.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Zephyr 8 UAVs his Department plans to buy; what the estimated cost per unit is of that equipment; what the programme through life cost is of that equipment; and where he plans units of that equipment will be based.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As part of our commitment to providing next-generation battlefield intelligence capabilities to the UK Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence is planning to contract for the demonstration of two Zephyr Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. This contract will allow the UK to understand whether Zephyr can fulfil the requirement for a high-altitude persistent surveillance capability, as announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

    The £10.6 million contract, due to be signed imminently with Airbus Defence and Space, is for an operational concept demonstration rather than individual platforms, so unit costs are not held. Furthermore, as the Zephyr demonstrators will not be in-service, they will not be based at a particular location and there will be no related support or through-life costs.

    Tests are due to take place in 2017 to assess Zephyr’s capabilities and explore its potential.