Tag: 2016

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will review planning permissions granted to developments that are yet to be started on floodplains that have been affected by recent flooding.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is primarily the responsibility of local planning authorities to determine applications for planning permission. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. If there are better sites in terms of flood risk, or a proposed development cannot be made safe, it should not be permitted. Any new buildings that are permitted in flood risk areas should be appropriately flood resistant and resilient.

    Local planning authorities and developers are best-placed to understand the details of the development proposed and the local circumstances and risks to determine if a review is needed. It is in the interest of both the local planning authority and the developer to review a planning permission that has yet to be implemented in an area affected by the recent flooding. This can lead to an entirely new planning application being submitted by the developer to deal with the flooding issues now known. If adjustments can be made to the development, an application to make a non-material amendment under section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 may follow. This would allow the local planning authority to impose new conditions and remove or vary conditions attached to an existing planning permission, and may include a requirement to submit an updated flood risk assessment.

    If needed, local planning authorities also have powers under section 97 of the 1990 Act to make an order revoking or modifying a planning permission, prior to completion of the development.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what transitional arrangements her Department has made for learners currently on the Youth Contract which is set to come to an end in March 2016.

    Nick Boles

    Recruitment of new participants to the Youth Contract programme for 16 and 17 year olds closed on 31 March 2015, with the programme ending on 31 March 2016.

    In exceptional circumstances, where young people have not achieved this outcome before the programme closes, Youth Contract providers will direct them to other re-engagement provision or to their home local authority for appropriate support.

    Overall responsibility for supporting and encouraging young people, including the most vulnerable, rests with local authorities.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the future of the EU sanctions regime against Russia; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK strongly supports the EU’s strategy for resolving the Ukraine crisis through diplomacy underpinned by sanctions pressure. Sanctions on Russia are an important way for the EU to support a peaceful resolution of the crisis through full implementation of the Minsk agreements. As the European Council made clear in March 2015, sanctions against Russia must remain in full until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the recommendations of the First Report of Session 2015-16, from the Women and Equalities Committee, HC 390, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the implications for sex-specific health planning and provision of amending the Equalities Act 2010 to remove the protection for single-sex provision; and if she will make a statement.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government has welcomed the report from the Women and Equalities Select Committee into transgender equality.

    The report provides a substantial number of recommendations covering almost a dozen public bodies, including several recommendations which call for significant changes to legislation and reforms to the NHS. Government is carefully considering these recommendations.

    We continually engage with stakeholders from women’s and transgender communities and we would consider their views before making any changes to legislation.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of the vote to leave the EU on her policy on the EU nature directives; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Until we leave the EU, current arrangements for farming, fisheries, food and drink, rural affairs and our environment remain in place.

    Defra will continue to ensure the right policies are in place for a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.

    The priorities for negotiating our exit from the EU will be a matter for the new Prime Minister and their Cabinet.

  • Baroness Redfern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Redfern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Redfern on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cancer referrals in England were not made within the two week waiting time target for each of the last three years.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    The Handbook to the NHS Constitution, which is attached, sets out the right for patients to be seen by a cancer specialist within a maximum of two weeks from general practitioner (GP) referral for urgent referrals where cancer is suspected. The operational standard is that 93% of patients should wait less than two weeks from GP urgent referral to first consultant appointment. This standard has been met in each of the last three years.

    The information for how many patients waited more than two weeks from GP urgent referral to first consultant appointment is shown in the table below.

    Table: Two week wait from GP urgent referral to first consultant appointment, in England, 2013/14 to 2015/16

    Year

    Number of patients that waited less than two weeks to be seen

    Number of patients that waited more than two weeks to be seen

    Total number of patients referred

    Performance against the standard

    2013/14

    1,297,849

    63,496

    1,361,345

    95.3%

    2014/15

    1,459,084

    90,610

    1,549,694

    94.2%

    2015/16

    1,624,981

    101,140

    1,726,121

    94.1%

    Source: Cancer waiting times quarterly time series, NHS England

  • Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Harriet Harman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) timing of the consultation on the proposed Bill of Rights and associated measures and (b) effect of the purdah of the Scottish Government and dissolution of the Scottish Parliament on that timing.

    Dominic Raab

    We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

    We will adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods. We have and will continue to seek to work with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for all of the United Kingdom.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was to be assessed by an occupational therapist for disabled facilities grants in each year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

    Brandon Lewis

    This data is not collected centrally.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Jenrick on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s timetable is for the release of sanctioned Iranian assets; and what value of those assets the Government expects to release in 2016 and 2017.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Financial sanctions are implemented in the United Kingdom by HM Treasury. When assets are frozen they remain where they are held and are not seized or confiscated by the government or the Treasury. As such, the government does not hold frozen assets belonging to designated Iranian or other persons subject financial sanctions.

    Every year the Treasury requests information from businesses on funds they hold that are frozen under financial sanctions legislation. The most recent data from September 2015 showed that there was approximately £728,450,000 of funds frozen under the Iran (non-proliferation) sanctions regime.

    In July 2015 the EU/E3+3 and the Islamic Republic of Iran reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). On 16 January 2016 the initial sanctions relief provided for under the JCPoA came into effect. Part of this relief included the lifting of the asset freeze against certain individuals and entities with frozen balances of approximately £657,830,000. Therefore approximately £70,620,000 remains frozen.

    The next phase of sanctions relief under the JCPoA is due on Transition Day in eight years’ time, or when the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that all nuclear material in Iran remains in peaceful activities, whichever is earlier.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding was allocated to the counter-proliferation programme in each of the last six financial years; and how much funding has been allocated to that programme for the 2016-17 financial year.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The current allocation for the FCO Counter Proliferation Programme in 2016/17 is £3,490,591. Figures for the amount spent in previous years are provided below:

    2015/16 – £2,495,771 (subject to end of financial year adjustments)
    2014/15 – £1,616,576
    2013/14 – £1,965,240
    2012/13 – £3,133,999
    2011/12 – £3,252,471
    2010/11 – £2,416,828