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Tag: 2016

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent the rise in cases of scarlet fever in children.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Public Health England (PHE) has endeavoured to keep healthcare professionals, schools and the general public informed of the increased incidence of scarlet fever through timely information, news stories and updates on the PHE website and by using social and other media. These awareness raising measures assist general practitioners and other frontline healthcare professionals in reaching a correct diagnosis more quickly and encourage patients to seek medical advice early so that suspected cases receive prompt antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of complications and limit further transmission. Guidelines have been developed by PHE to assist local Health Protection Teams in controlling outbreaks in schools, nurseries and childcare settings. In addition, investigations are underway to explore the possible reasons for the rise in scarlet fever and the impact on patients.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made representations to Sanef Tolling about the length of time taken between a penalty notice being issued under the Dart Charge scheme and the date of the offence.

    Andrew Jones

    Both my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State and I have held meetings with and written to Sanef during the opening year of the service, concerning performance issues and the timely issuing of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Highways England worked with Sanef to improve performance and currently the majority of PCNs are now being issued between 5 and 15 days of the contravention taking place.

  • Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) incidents have been reported to trading standards teams of and (b) prosecutions have taken place for packing and selling beef and poultry with an unknown origin in each of the last three years.

    Jane Ellison

    Monitoring food businesses to ensure compliance with legislation on food labelling and composition is the responsibility of county councils, unitary authorities, the London Boroughs and some but not all metropolitan borough councils. These local authorities are also responsible for taking enforcement action, including prosecutions, where non-compliance is found.

    Data are reported to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on the number of food and drink analyses undertaken in relation to compositional issues and labelling and presentation issues:

    23,599 analyses were undertaken in 2014/15, 16,899 for compositional issues and 6,700 for labelling and presentation issues.

    29,324 analyses were undertaken in 2013/14, 19,386 for compositional issues and 9,938 for labelling and presentation issues.

    26,940 analyses were undertaken in 2012/13, 16,982 for compositional issues and 9,958 for labelling and presentation issues.

    Data are also reported to the FSA on the total number of prosecutions concluded for food standards issues. This includes action in relation to composition, labelling and presentation but also for other issues such as chemical contamination. In 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13 respectively, 75, 57 and 78 United Kingdom food establishments were subject to prosecution.

    The FSA has recently established a central register of successful food law prosecutions. Analysis of data collected for the first year of operation of the register is not yet complete, but in future it will provide more definitive data on prosecutions for offences of this nature.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government is ensuring that programmes involving the regeneration of public land require a proportion of the new homes delivered to be accessible for disabled people.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Government is committed to addressing the supply of new land for housing. The Public Land for Housing programme has set an ambition to dispose of surplus government-owned land in England with capacity for at least 160,000 homes by 2020. And at Budget 2016 the Chancellor announced a local government land ambition to release land with the capacity for a further 160,000 homes.

    Individual local planning authorities will decide the type and number of homes developed on the land released – including those for disabled people – in order to meet local need.

    We have put in place new, flexible Building Regulations which allow local authorities to apply appropriate access standards for new homes to meet the needs of their communities while ensuring that development can happen. Building regulations require minimum standards of accessibility for all new dwellings. Local authorities are able to set policies for a proportion of new development to be built to higher standards of accessibility in order to meet local needs in accordance with national planning policy and guidance.

    The Government is committed to helping older and disabled people to live independently and safely in their own homes for as a long as possible. The Disabled Facilities Grant funds the provision of home adaptations (including stair lifts, level access showers and in some instances home extensions) to help older and disabled people to live as comfortably, safely and independently as possible in their own homes for longer. Since 2010 we have invested over a billion pounds into the grant providing around 250,000 adaptations to older and disabled people’s homes in England.

    Government is also boosting the supply of specialised housing through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, with 79 schemes receiving more than £84.2 million to develop up to 2,000 affordable homes over the next few years.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what forecast his Department has made of the change in international and EU investment in UK-based science research in the next five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government is determined to ensure that the UK continues to play a leading role in European and international science, research and innovation. The strengths of UK science and research draw in significant international and EU funding as evidenced by the £5.4 billion of overseas investment in UK research and development in 2014.

    The Government’s commitment to supporting international collaborations is demonstrated by the introduction of the Global Challenges Research Fund which will provide £1.5 billion over the next five years to support research on global issues affecting developing countries. Our international partnerships are also supported by the Newton Fund linking UK researchers with researchers in 16 partner countries. The Government is committed to ensuring that UK remains open for business and continues to grow and thrive.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Gerald Kaufman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she intends to answer the letter to her from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5 November 2015 with regard to Ms J Batsleer.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I replied to the rt. hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 23 December 2015, and I apologise for the delay in doing so.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of differences in the ability of the Green Investment Bank to promote the (a) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, (b) advance of efficiency in the use of natural resources, (c) protection or enhancement of the natural environment, (d) protection of enhancement of biodiversity and (e) promotion of environmental sustainability as a (i) public and (ii) private sector organisation.

    Anna Soubry

    The Green Investment Bank (GIB) contributes to UK green policy objectives by mobilising much needed private capital into green sectors, demonstrating that green investment can be profitable.

    GIB will continue to perform that role in private ownership – increasing investment and making profits from green sectors that are relatively mature but nevertheless suffer from a lack of investment.

    In private hands, GIB will have access to much more capital than if it remained in Government hands and will be able to have a bigger impact.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to respond to the Law Commission’s recommendations for change to UK electoral law published on 4 February 2016.

    John Penrose

    The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Law Commissions in their interim report of 4 February. This is a wide-ranging report that covers a number of complex issues and it is important that the Government give the report due consideration before a formal response is made.

  • Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Garden of Frognal – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal in the report from the charity Sense, Making the case for play, that play be instated as part of the ministerial brief for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare.

    Lord Nash

    I refer my Rt Hon. Friend to the answer given on 8 March to PQ 29735, which I have also set out below:

    The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is already recognised within the early years legislation covered by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education’s portfolio.

    Play is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework and states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.”

    Staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

    Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.

    In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have been awarded employment and support allowance (ESA) under regulation (a) 29 and (b) 35 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008; and how many such claimants were originally in the ESA support group.

    Priti Patel

    Information on the outcomes of initial Employment and Support Allowance claims awarded under regulation 35 of the ESA Regulations 2008 can be found in Table 5 of the published statistics:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-claims-made-to-jun-2015-and-appeals-to-dec-2015.

    The rest of the information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    “