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Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the membership and terms of reference of the group established to carry out their national flood review.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    A National Flood Resilience Review will be led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Letwin and include the Government’s Chief Scientist, Defra, DECC, DCLG, HMT and the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and the Met Office.

    We will look afresh at how we calculate flood risk, in light of recent events. This will see Government updating ‘worst case scenario’ planning, considering the future impacts of climate change.

    Work is already underway and we are testing the resilience of our critical infrastructure, including electricity substations, water treatments plants and telecoms. We have committed to keeping the public informed of progress, and will be providing an update in the coming months, and will publish findings from the review in the summer.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she was first made aware that the site initially secured for Harperbury Free School was too small for that school; and what steps she took in response to that information.

    Edward Timpson

    Approval to build the school on the site is subject to the views of the Local Planning Authority. They first raised concerns, alongside a range of other concerns arising from its location in the Green Belt, to my officials in March 2015.

    Discussions between officials at both Departments did identify that two adjacent properties could be purchased to provide additional car parking. However, the nature of the sale of the remainder of the former hospital site to a residential developer meant that further land could not be released for the school. Even if additional land were made available, there remain substantial risks associated with developing this Green Belt site.

  • John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Glen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions NICE has had with the EU institutions on the proposed Joint Action 3 on health technology appraisals.

    George Freeman

    In October 2015, the Department nominated the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a partner organisation in the planned third Joint Action on Health Technology Assessment (HTA).

    NICE has advised that it has had a number of discussions with European Commission officials, as well as other partner organisations, about NICE’s participation in this planned Joint Action.

    The Department is responsible for the policy framework for the assessment of health technologies and officials remain in close contact with NICE regarding the European Union collaboration in HTA, including the proposals for the production of joint products as part of the third Joint Action.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what responsibility NHS England has to fund HIV prevention programmes.

    Jane Ellison

    From 2013, local authorities became responsible for the commissioning of most sexual health services, including the testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted infections and HIV testing and prevention. NHS England is responsible for commissioning of treatment for HIV.

  • Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nick Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of dairy products procured for his Department was sourced from British producers in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Catering Services in 1 Horse Guards Road are provided at zero subsidy under our 35 year PFI agreement with Exchequer Partnerships Plc. (EP). Food is procured by a sub-contractor to EP.

    The latest period for which figures are available is July 2014 to September 2015. In this period, 84.81% of dairy products procured were sourced from UK producers.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to NHS England’s announcement, NHS England backs general practice with a multi-billion transformation plan, published on 21 April 2016, what formula his Department plans to use to determine the allocation of the £2.4 billion a year funding.

    Alistair Burt

    In December 2015, the NHS England Board published Allocation of resources to NHS England and the commissioning sector for 2016/17 to 2020/21, which set firm allocations for the years 2016/17 to 2018/19 and indicative allocations, to assist with planning, for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21.

    Part B of that paper is entitled Distribution of funds within each commissioning stream and paragraphs 34 to 38 describe the primary care allocation formula that was used to calculate the published allocations. Further details on the formula, including recent revisions and improvements to it, are outlined in annex E.

    Allocation of resources to NHS England and the commissioning sector for 2016/17 to 2020/21 is on the NHS England website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/04.PB_.17.12.15-Allocations.pdf

    In January 2016, the detailed NHS England Allocations Primary Care (medical) figures for 2016/17 to 2020/21 were published for clinical commissioning group (CCG) areas. These show firm allocations for 2016/17 to 2018/19 and indicative allocations, to help with planning, for 2019/20 and 2020/21. The paper is available on the NHS England website at:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/pc-medical-allocations.pdf

    In addition, the 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) areas have received indicative allocations, which include: CCG expenditure on general practice, which is funded from CCG allocations; shares of general practice access funding; and also the mental health allocation, which will fund the additional therapists mentioned in the General Practice Forward View.

    Together the above account for around £2.1 billion of the £2.4 billion increase.

    There are a number of elements not included in the commissioning or STP allocations, including the Estates and Technology Transformation Fund (formerly the Primary Care Transformation Fund), capital funding and funding for general practitioner (GP) trainers and GP trainees. These other elements account for around £0.3 billion of the £2.4 billion increase, and it is yet to be determined how this funding will be allocated across the country.

  • Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Altmann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Altmann on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many workers earning below the personal tax threshold were paying into net-pay pension schemes in (1) 2010–11, (2) 2011–12, (3) 2012–13, (4) 2013–14, (5) 2014–15, (6) 2015–16 and (7) 2016–17 to date.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government does not collect data on the number of workers earning less than the personal allowance who are also members of pension schemes that operate a net pay system. The Government does not hold employee level data on employees enrolled in net pay pension schemes, as such schemes are not obliged to report pension contributions to HM Revenue and Customs. The Government does not therefore hold information on the value of tax reliefs paid out to employees in net pay schemes.

    However, the Pensions Regulator provides guidance to employers on choosing a pension scheme for their staff in order to discharge their statutory obligations under automatic enrolment. This guidance covers the choice between net pay and relief at source schemes, and the implications of net pay schemes for employees who do not pay tax.

  • 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 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to set a limit on the amount GPs can charge patients for signing a debt and mental health evidence form.

    David Mowat

    General practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors who hold contracts with NHS England to provide primary medical services for the National Health Service. Under the terms of their contract, GPs are required to provide certain medical reports or complete certain forms, such as those required to support a claim for incapacity benefit, free of charge to their registered patients.

    Outside of contractual requirements, GPs also provide a variety of other services which successive governments have regarded as private matters between the patient and the GP providing these services. In such cases, decisions on whether to charge a fee and the level of the fee charged are at the GP’s discretion. Where GPs intend to charge for services to patients, the British Medical Association advises them to forewarn patients, at the earliest opportunity, of the likely level of fees.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will review Norman James’ case as raised in the letter from the hon. Member for Torfaen of 15 June 2015 to take account of recent developments in that case.

    Robert Buckland

    My office has no plans to conduct a review into this matter. The specific allegations raised by Mr James are ones that would be more appropriate to the police to investigate rather than the Crown Prosecution Service for which I am answerable to this House and which in any event does not have any investigatory powers.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the work of Taste of Ulster; and if she will introduce similar organisations throughout the UK to promote food products.

    George Eustice

    I fully support the excellent work that Taste of Ulster is doing to showcase the finest food and drink from Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink is running concurrently with the Year of Great British Food, and we are working closely with colleagues from Northern Ireland which includes some food pioneers from Northern Ireland’s food industry to ensure that our shared message about the wonderful food and drink produced throughout the UK and the outstanding food heritage of our nation reaches the widest possible audience.

    This year’s celebrations of food include promoting Protected Food Names. I am delighted that there are three Protected Food Names from Northern Ireland: Armagh Bramley Apples, New Season Comber Potatoes and Lough Neagh Eels and that there are four more in the pipeline.

    Food NI and the Taste of Ulster campaign provides a strong model of the food sector taking the lead in forming a consortium to promote the excellence of Northern Irish food. Similar initiatives exist in other parts of the UK, and I strongly encourage and support their work.