Tag: 2016

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate her Department has made of the square mileage of the UK which has (a) permanent wind farms installed, (b) has been granted planning permission for wind farm installation and (c) is being considered for wind farm installation; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The renewable electricity planning database (REPD – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract) extracts data on planning from authorities across the country but it does not collate information on the square mileage of projects

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  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changing eligibility criteria for personal independence payment on people with long-term medical conditions; what estimate he has made of how many people will be affected by those changes; what type of work he expects people with long-term medical conditions to undertake; and what steps he has taken to (a) ensure that employers employ people with such conditions and (b) tackle any discriminatory practices against people with such conditions.

    Justin Tomlinson

    DWP has conducted a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided, through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), to help meet the costs of disability faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. No decision has yet been made as to whether any change should be made to the current system and the department does not have any preference between the five options presented in the consultation. We have also invited additional suggestions for change.

    If the Department decides that change is required, a full equality analysis will be conducted and considered prior to a final decision being made, in line with the Department’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010. This will include an estimate of the number who would be affected.

    PIP is payable both in and out of work. The Government is committed to giving all disabled people the opportunity to fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions. Work is an important part of this, which is why the Government has committed to halving the disability employment gap, requiring us to transform policy, practice and public attitudes. The government’s award winning Disability Confident was launched by the Prime Minister in 2013 and works to improve employer awareness and confidence in employing, retaining and unlocking disabled people’s talents.

    Employment programmes like Work Choice continue to help thousands of disabled people find, start and remain in work. Since 2010, Work Choice has achieved over 39,490 job outcomes for disabled people. The Equality Act 2010 also provides statutory protection against discrimination and applies to every stage of the recruitment process. Access to Work offers additional support beyond an employer’s statutory duty to provide reasonable adjustments and last year the scheme supported 36,800 disabled people in work.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 28083, when he expects the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme to (a) cover the whole country and (b) extend into other clinical areas including meeting the needs of children aged 0 to 5; and what other clinical areas he expects that programme to expand into.

    Alistair Burt

    The Children and Young People’s Improving Access (CYP IAPT) Programme is delivered by NHS England and Health Education England. The service transformation programme is aiming to cover community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Partnerships of commissioners and providers across the whole of England by the end of 2018.

    The CYP IAPT programme is expanding geographically and in scope. As part of this expansion NHS England has worked with Health Education England and set up a 0-5’s expert reference group (ERG). The ERG is in the final stages of development of a competency based educational programme for early years practitioners from a range of disciplines. Three other new curricula are also at the final stages of development.

    ― Combination Therapy – psychological and pharmacological interventions;

    ― Evidence Based Counselling; and

    ― Evidence Based Psychological Therapies for CYP with mental health problems and autism spectrum disorder and/or a learning disability.

    All four curricula will be ready for delivery in higher education institutions within the financial year 2016/17.

  • Lord Beith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Beith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beith on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Bomber Command clasp is not awarded to veterans who served with 205 Group and flew sorties over occupied Europe from Southern Italy, and what recent consideration they have given to this issue.

    Earl Howe

    We have enormous admiration and respect for the unique contribution and sacrifice made by bomber aircrew who served outside of the UK. Sir John Holmes, in his Military Medals Review, specifically included a reconsideration of recognition for Bomber Command, although he recommended not to award medallic recognition to those who flew from outside the UK. This decision was made independently of the Ministry of Defence and subsequently agreed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and Her Majesty The Queen.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to ensure that the next East Anglia franchise introduces new rolling stock on routes to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.

    Claire Perry

    The specification for the next franchise requires that bidders provide high quality rolling stock in their bids and 30% of the available quality points from the franchise evaluation (the highest level in any franchise) will be awarded for bidders’ plans for rolling stock improvements.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s factsheet on the Investigatory Powers Bill, dated 30 October 2015, on what date and through what process the use of equipment interference was avowed for use by the security and intelligence agencies.

    Mr John Hayes

    The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies was avowed on 6th February 2015 when the Government published a draft Equipment Interference Code of Practice detailing the procedures and safeguards that apply to the power. The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies is authorised under Sections 5 and 7 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and statutory oversight is provided by the Intelligence Services Commissioner.

  • Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tanlaw on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the use of British Summer Time, and what assessment they have made of the possible impact of maintaining BST throughout the year.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government has no plans to review the use of British Summer Time.

    In 2012, the Government published a review of the available evidence concerning the likely effects of moving to Central European Time (also known as Daylight Saving time) in the UK. This is attached, but is also available on the Government website at the following link.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34587/12-1036-review-evidence-putting-clocks-forward.pdf

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  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has for the number of full-time equivalent staff to be in the benefit cap processing team when the lower benefit cap is implemented; and what estimate he has made of the cost of those staff to the public purse.

    Caroline Nokes

    The implementation funding for additional benefit cap processing is circa £1.4m to provide an additional 44 FTE staff in steady state for Universal Credit and current benefit claimants.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the conduct of the first round of the general elections in the Central African Republic.

    James Duddridge

    I welcome the holding of presidential and legislative elections in the Central African Republic on 30 December. The people of the Central African Republic showed a strong determination to move towards a democratic future by turning out to vote in large numbers. The holding of elections, which passed off peacefully, is a huge achievement. It was however unacceptable that many refugees, largely from Muslim communities, were unable to vote in the elections.

    We will work with international partners and the newly elected President to ensure that an inclusive government is appointed which is representative of Central African Republic groups, regions and refugees.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of air quality in London.

    Rory Stewart

    We assess compliance annually for a range of pollutants covered by European directives for all UK zones, including Greater London. The latest compliance report Air Pollution in the UK 2014 was published in September last year and is available on the UK-Air website:

    http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport/viewonline?year=2014_issue_1

    The air quality plan we published in December last year sets out the measures we are taking to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide in London. The plan is available on the GOV.UK website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-in-the-uk-plan-to-reduce-nitrogen-dioxide-emissions

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