The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of relative levels of productivity in community pharmacies and other primary care professions in each year since 2015.
David Mowat
We have made no assessment of productivity in community pharmacies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on international services stopping at Stratford International station; and if he will make a statement.
Claire Perry
I recognise the international importance of the HS1 network in allowing high-speed rail services from London to reach Europe, whilst noting that no international services currently serve Stratford International station. Eurostar, in which the government recently sold its 40% stake, accesses the HS1 network on an open access basis and is not subject to the terms of a franchise agreement or a contract let by government. Government has no power to direct or specify that Eurostar stops at Stratford International station. A decision made by Eurostar not to serve Stratford International would be as a result of commercial imperatives and priorities, for example, the potential revenue derived from customers using the station or the increased journey time which a further stop would involve. It would not be appropriate for government to interfere with that decision-making process. I have not received any recent representations on this matter from potential or actual train operators; who in any event, should address their questions to HS1 Ltd, as the infrastructure manager, in the first instance; nor have I held any discussions with Eurostar on the matter of services to Stratford.
Regarding any aspirations of Deutsche Bahn to commence operation of international services from St Pancras International, this is rightly a matter for HS1 Ltd as the infrastructure manager, who I understand have held discussions with a number of potential new entrants, including Deutsche Bahn. It would not be appropriate to comment on any ongoing commercial discussions between those parties.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, what the stages will be in the staged investment programme for the Successor submarine programme; and what the estimated timetable for each of those stages is.
Mr Philip Dunne
In line with normal Ministry of Defence processes, a business case for the additional investment referred to in the Strategic Defence and Security Review is going through the formal approvals process.
Options for the subsequent investment stages, including scope, time and cost are currently under consideration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will ensure that all standards explicitly linked to the Renewable Heat Incentive are non-commercialised and publicly available to all relevant parties who may wish to offer services related to the implementation of that initiative.
Andrea Leadsom
The Department is currently working with industry to establish the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) as a legal entity. The accessibility of MCS standards referenced in the RHI regulations will be considered as part of that process to ensure that those standards which are mandatory for the purpose of the RHI remain publicly available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-03-15.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what (a) policy and (b) operational reasons HM Revenue and Customs decided to pilot Codentify as a tobacco product authentication tool.
Damian Hinds
Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.
To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.
Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.
The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.
A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.
HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.
The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,
HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.
In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department plans to provide to the Pubs Code Adjudicator; and which directorate of his Department will oversee that support.
Anna Soubry
The Department is providing support to Mr. Newby to set up the Pubs Code Adjudicator office and prepare for the service it will deliver. The support includes finalising the office location and helping with logistical matters such as staff recruitment, IT provision, communication and stakeholder planning, financial modelling and service design. As the Pubs Code Adjudicator office becomes staffed, the Department will reduce its support.
Following commencement of the Pubs Code, the Department will perform a sponsorship role to ensure that the Pubs Code Adjudicator is accountable and delivering value for money services whilst maintaining its independence.
The Consumer and Competition Directorate in Economics and Markets Group will provide the ongoing support and the sponsorship function.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Immigration of 3 May 2016, Official Report, column 45WH, on asylum seeker dispersal, if she will provide the names of the (a) 103 local authorities that are currently asylum dispersal areas, (b) 20 local authorities signed up to be asylum dispersal areas and (c) 28 local authorities that her Department is in discussions with to become asylum dispersal areas.
James Brokenshire
Recently published Home Office data confirms that, as at the end of March 2016 there were 107 local authorities accommodating dispersed asylum seekers. This data can be accessed via the following link:
Not all dispersal areas are currently housing asylum seekers; future published data will detail new dispersal areas as asylum seekers are dispersed to them.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to make personal devices for instant monitoring of insulin levels available to people with diabetes on the NHS.
Nicola Blackwood
We are not aware of any clinical utility associated with the instant monitoring of insulin levels. However, continuous glucose monitoring devices can measure glucose levels 24 hours a day and it is for National Health Service commissioners to decide whether to make these available to their local populations.
In August 2015, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidelines which recommend that such devices should not be made routinely available to people with Type 1 diabetes unless they are willing to commit to using them at least 70% of the time and to calibrate them as needed (as well as meeting certain other criteria).
NICE has found that, for some people, continuous glucose monitoring can have clinical benefit but generally it is not more effective than current methods of self-monitoring.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of people rehabilitated in UK prisons.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The government is committed to making prisons in England and Wales places of safety and reform.
We have already taken steps to reform the prison estate to make it more efficient, safer and focused on supporting offenders coming out of prison to be better able to find work, better able to support their families and less likely to re-offend. We have invested £10m of new funding to support governors in improving prison safety, are investing a further £14 million to provide more than 400 extra staff in in ten prisons to allow staff more time to supervise and support prisoners. Alongside that, we have established six Reform Prisons to trial what significantly greater freedoms for governors can achieve. We are investing £1.3bn to reform and modernise the prison estate.
We will set out full details of our plan for prison safety and reform in a White Paper in the coming weeks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects Network Rail’s review of the delivery programme of the Great Western Main Line electrification to be completed.
Claire Perry
Network Rail’s review of the delivery programme of the Great Western Main Line electrification has been completed as part of the Hendy review and details will be included in the Enhancement Delivery Plan update to be published in early 2016.