Tag: 2016

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage corporate sponsorship of the arts at a local level.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government believes that a thriving arts sector is vital for the cultural landscape of this country. We highlighted in the recent Culture White Paper that we would like to see a rejuvenated approach to corporate sponsorship of the arts. We are working with Arts Council England and other partners on this agenda, including looking at local level partnerships.

    Arts Council have already commissioned a new Private Investment Survey and is currently inviting all arts and cultural organisations in England to take part by April 29th. The new survey will be published in the autumn and will provide an updated overview of private investment in England’s cultural sectors, including at the local level. It will also bridge the gap in terms of data on how the sector has developed since the last survey was published covering data for 2011/12, which recorded business investment in the arts as £113 million.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Japanese and (b) South Korean counterparts on North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We have regular contact with key partners on this issue, including Japan and South Korea. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed this issue with his Japanese counterpart and others at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Hiroshima on 11 April.

    The G7 issued a joint communiqué [http://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000147440.pdf] strongly condemning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s nuclear tests and calling upon the international community to enforce the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions to respond to the clear and continuing threat to international peace and security that is posed by the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

  • Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2016-07-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have instructed Government Car Service drivers to turn off their engines while waiting in New Palace Yard to reduce air pollution, and if not, whether they intend to do so.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Government Car Service drivers are regularly reminded of the need to turn off the engine when parked to reduce air pollution and save fuel. A new reminder will be sent out immediately with particular reference to New Palace Yard and the Parliamentary Estate.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of NHS England’s decision not to fund second stem cell transplants on the long-term outcomes of patients.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Decisions related to the commissioning of National Health Service treatments in England are made by NHS England using a published process that involves an impact assessment. The Department has not made any further assessment of the decision related to the commissioning of second stem cell transplants.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that rail commuters have greater access to the cheapest available tickets (a) on the day they travel and (b) when booking in advance; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    We recognise the pressure on hardworking families and have put a stop to increases in regulated fares until 2020, extending the cap on rail fares which we regulate introduced in 2014. This will save the average season ticket holder £425 in this Parliament and means average earnings are outstripping rail fare increases for the first time in a decade. We are also taking a number of steps that will make it easier for people to obtain the best value ticket for their journey. We have committed to introducing more flexible tickets for people who work or commute part-time, which could enable customers to buy discounted advance carnet-style tickets. Arriva Trains Wales and Great Northern already offer flexible products and both GTR and c2c have commitments to introduce more flexible tickets on their smartcards.

    The evidence also shows that advance fares, which can offer good value for people who are able to book in advance, are a key rail success of recent years where we have seen huge growth. Unregulated advance tickets have increased from 8% of revenue in 2007/08 to 15% of revenue in 2014/15.

    In December 2014, I challenged the rail industry to improve the information they provide through ticket vending machines. The industry has responded positively with a code of practice on retail information published in March 2015. Most train operators now have actions underway and complete, including providing new messages on screens and improved availability of off-peak tickets through vending machines. The Department continues to monitor progress closely in this area.

  • Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nigel Adams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Adams on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the names of all insurers which have Flood Re-compatible products available to consumers on the day of launch of the Flood Re-scheme before that day.

    Rory Stewart

    Flood Re is on target to start operating on 4 April. Flood Re will publish a list of participating insurers shortly before its launch.

    For the first time it offers the prospect of available and affordable flood insurance to households at high flood risk.

    The insurance market will continue to adapt after Flood Re is launched – it will be important for people to continue to shop around for the best deal.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of officials of his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total sick leave that leave was in each such year.

    Brandon Lewis

    These statistics relate to absences recorded as “Mental Disorders” under the World Health Organisation categories of absence, which includes non-stress related absences such as depression. The figures therefore should not be read as being fully related to stress caused absence and it should also be noted that non-work related stress absences would also be recorded here.

    Sickness absence due to mental health absences, in the Department were as follows:

    Year

    Number of Officials Absent due to ‘Mental Disorders’ (Headcount)

    Proportion of Total Officials (Headcount)

    Absences due to ‘Mental Disorders’ as a Proportion of Total Working Days Lost

    2011

    109

    4.0%

    18.3%

    2012

    92

    4.2%

    25.0%

    2013

    104

    5.2%

    24.3%

    2014

    98

    4.8%

    20.1%

    2015

    113

    5.3%

    32.8%

    Back in the Summer of 2014 DCLG paid for two staff to become mental health first aid Instructors so that a programme of mental health first aid could be rolled out across the Department. 32 staff have since become mental health ambassadors. The increase in the level of absences due to mental disorders in 2015 is likely to reflect more honest and open reporting of absence by staff following the work done by our Mental Health First Aiders to reduce the stigma that is sometimes felt by sufferers of poor mental health.

    For the 12 month period ending December 2015, the Department’s overall absence rate was 6.5 average working days lost per member of staff. This is lower than the Civil Service average of 7.4 days, the public services average of 8.4 days and private sector services average of 8.2 days (figures from the October 2015 CIPD annual absence management survey).

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether it is planned that the BIS 2020 programme will make greater savings than the savings required under the Spending Review 2015 set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department has committed to reduce total operating spending by £350m a year by 2020, which is consistent with Spending Review 2015 outcomes. The BIS2020 programme aims to achieve the agreed savings by focusing on maximising efficiency so as to prioritise front line activity.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time on the organ waiting list for a kidney transplant was for people in Teesside in each year from 2010; and what that average such waiting time was for people from BAME backgrounds in that area in each of those years.

    Jane Ellison

    Information on waiting times is provided by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). This is provided by transplant centre rather than area.

    Patients in Teesside who require a kidney transplant are likely to be referred to the Newcastle Transplant Centre, where the average waiting time for a kidney transplant is 583 days. This is lower than the national average of 979 days. These averages are based on patients registered from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012.

    NHSBT does not hold waiting time figures broken down by ethnicity for each transplant unit.

    Note:

    The average is drawn from a median formula.

  • Neil Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Neil Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Carmichael on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to stimulate economic growth in Northern Ireland.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Government’s long-term economic plan is working for Northern Ireland. Last year legislation was passed to allow the devolution of corporation tax rate-setting powers which has the potential to boost investment and could bring benefits for an estimated 34,000 companies of all sizes in Northern Ireland.