Tag: 2016

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2016 to Question 29811, on further education, if she will publish the minutes of each of those meetings.

    Nick Boles

    Minutes of the steering group meetings are not published as they are a series of internal discussions during which local stakeholders review post-16 provision in their area and work towards a set of recommendations. As such, each local steering group has space and autonomy to develop their proposals and discuss local issues effectively.

    The Department is committed to making the outcomes transparent, and once each review reaches its conclusions, there will be a summary report published at the end of each Area Review process.

  • Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of quality assurance procedures for registered intermediaries.

    Mike Penning

    Registered Intermediaries are required to adhere to professional standards as set out in a Code of Conduct and a Code of Ethics. Instances where performance falls below the required level can be investigated by the Quality Assurance Board which oversees and monitors quality issues and reports to the Ministry of Justice. A number of options are available for the board to take, including disciplinary action where it sees fit.

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

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GPs are able to routinely to offer 15 minute, or longer, consultations where necessary for patients with greater needs.

    Alistair Burt

    It is important that practices are free to meet the needs of individual patients according to clinical need. Therefore there is no requirement on general practitioner practices to offer appointments of a specific length or a specific mix of workforce to meet population need.

    However, in recognition of the increased demands being placed on general practice, NHS England has:

    1. Placed a requirement on clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS Planning Guidance for 2016/17 to develop and implement a local plan to address the sustainability and quality of general practice, including workforce and workload issues. This is the first time specific requirements have been placed on local commissioners to support and develop general practice.

    2. Provided advice about specific ways to invest in general practice for National Health Service leaders as they prepare Sustainability and Transformation Plans for the future. In both of these, there is a dual focus on maintaining quality and access to care in existing services, while also supporting the introduction of new ways of working. Areas where support is required include increased funding, growth and diversification in the workforce, development of premises and information technology, and specific help to develop networks and federations with patient benefit at their heart.

    The ‘General Practice Forward View’ released in April 2016, announced a major new programme of development and improvement support for practices over the next three years. This will help groups of practices to redesign care in order to simultaneously release staff time and improve care for patients. As part of the development programme, support and advice will be provided to federations and CCGs on ways to engage patients and voluntary and community sector groups as partners. This will help local people shape priorities, contribute to the co-design of improved services and build assets in the community.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to progress reforms to Disabled Student Allowances.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government set out, in a Written Ministerial Statement dated 2 December 2015, a number of reforms to Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs). These changes apply to students making an application for DSAs for the first time from the 2016/17 academic year.

    The aim of these reforms is to ensure that HE Institutions are properly adhering to their Equality Act 2010 duties to make reasonable adjustments to ensure higher education is accessible for disabled students, while re-balancing support between HE providers and DSAs and improving value for money.

    The changes are as follows:

    • Institutions are expected to take primary responsibility for less specialist non-medical support roles, with the exception of sighted guides for which DSAs will retain primary responsibility.

    • DSAs funding will remain primary for the most specialist non-medical help support, with the exception of specialist transcription services for which HE institutions are expected to take primary responsibility.

    • DSAs funding is not available where specialist accommodation is provided by the institution or their agent, other than by exception. HE institutions should no longer pass any additional costs for accommodation on to the student.

    • Devices for printing and scanning will continue to be funded through DSAs, but institutions are expected to reduce the need for their purchase through improved library services and access to printing and scanning services.

    • Standard computer peripherals and other accessories are now funded by exception only. Laptop carry cases continue to be provided as standard to help students protect their equipment.

    Students who are in dispute with their HE provider over the making of reasonable adjustments are able to invoke a new Exceptional Case Process to consider DSA support in the interim.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the recent change in the proportion of rape cases that result in a conviction; and if he will make a statement.

    Robert Buckland

    In 2015-16 the CPS conviction rate in rape cases rose to 57.9% from 56.9% in 2014-15. The volumes of convictions reached 2,689. This is the highest volume ever recorded and represents a rise of 108 defendants (4.2%) since 2014-15.

    The CPS continues to prioritise its response to cases involving allegations of rape and other forms of serious sexual offending and has taken a number of steps to improve the conviction rate. These include increasing the number of specialist staff within its dedicated Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Units; providing revised and up-dated specialist training for prosecutors, and developing closer working arrangements with the police, including enhanced arrangements for the provision of early investigative advice to assist the police to build stronger cases.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the Armed Forces Covenant has been enacted in Northern Ireland.

    Mark Lancaster

    Since the launch of the Armed Forces Covenant in 2011 the Ministry of Defence has worked closely with Northern Ireland Government Departments, Service charities and other groups to build on existing measures to support the Armed Forces Community. In 2013, the Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs reported that, less some specific areas, Covenant measures were being applied in Northern Ireland.

    I acknowledge that the Armed Forces Covenant does not enjoy the same level of awareness or appreciation in Northern Ireland as in other parts of the UK. However, I am clear that every effort is being made to implement the Covenant against the particular nuances of the Northern Irish political and legal environment. The Ministry of Defence and other parties work tirelessly to ensure good relationships help develop improved understanding of specific needs and I have been impressed by the way in which solutions to these needs are generated in a focussed and professional manner. Such provision is fully commensurate with the aims and objectives of the Covenant, whether it is branded as such or not.

    Service personnel in Northern Ireland are well-catered for under the auspices of the Covenant and are at no particular disadvantage, although more work is needed to identify the needs of those within the veterans community. This work is ongoing, well-resourced, and fully recognised as activity provided within the scope of the Armed Forces Covenant.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Chinese government on the human rights situation in Hong Kong and the alleged abduction of Lee Bo.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave on 4 February 2016 to question number 24423.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of planned budget changes to her Department’s Afghanistan Project on economic security in that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK remains committed to a long term partnership with Afghanistan, as I communicated to President Ghani when I visited in June 2015.

    It is worth noting that Afghanistan has made significant progress over the last decade, and the UK will continue our support to protect these hard-won gains. For example, UK support has helped ensure that more than 60% of the population now live within 2 hours walking distance of public health facilities, compared to only 9% in 2002. We have committed to spend £178m million in bilateral aid per year until at least 2017, and future commitments will be determined as part of the Bilateral Aid Review, due to be published shortly.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent violence in Israel and the West Bank on relations in that region.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which has had a negative impact on relations. Since the start of the current violence, Ministers and officials have spoken regularly to both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority on the urgent need to de-escalate the tensions. The current violence underlines that a just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians is long overdue.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s expenditure was on external room or venue hire in each year from 2010-11 to 2015-16; and what the proportion of such expenditure was on such hire in London in each of those years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The following table shows the expenditure on external room and venue hire in the financial years listed:

    Financial year

    2010-11

    £859,964

    2011-12

    £455,641

    2012-13

    £663,479

    2013-14

    £741,825

    2014-15

    £797,156

    2015-16

    £940,775

    Over the above 6 years the average annual expenditure was £743,140. The spend in 2009-10 was £819,612.

    The response covers the core department and three of its four executive agencies (Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency). The Vehicle Certification Agency’s finance system does not separately identify expenditure on room and venue hire.

    It is not possible to identify the proportion of this expenditure incurred in London.