Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Patina Rail, the owners of Eurostar, about human trafficking and the creation of a commuter route between St Pancras and Ashford that mirrors the so-called Lille loophole.

    Lord Bates

    The UK Government takes child trafficking extremely seriously. All Border Force officers at the Eurostar ports in the UK France and Belgium have received training in keeping children safe and all operational processes involving children comply with requirements as set out in the Children and Young Persons Act. Border Force and Eurostar have daily contact on operational matters. When passengers are identified by Border Force officers as potential victims of trafficking, immediate action is taken to safeguard the individual by following Home Office guidance on the treatment of the victims of trafficking. Border Force collects data on these cases in order to notify the Human Trafficking Centre. Contact is also made with Camden Social Services Safeguarding Team as soon as possible in order to establish safe care of the child. Eurostar has its own policy on unaccompanied children travelling on its services which can be found on its website.

    Border Force has not provided training to French border officials on UK child trafficking patterns. All cases of suspected trafficking detected by the French border officials at St Pancras are handed to the BTP to action. In France and Belgium any concerns Border Force officers have about vulnerable children attempting to travel to the UK would be referred to the French and Belgian frontier control authorities. The Home Office has not had any discussions with Patina Rail about a proposed new routing between St Pancras and Ashford.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to close the higher education attainment gap between BME students and other students.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Higher Education Green Paper sets out steps the Government plans to take to improve outcomes for students, including BME students. We have consulted on how the Teaching Excellence Framework will recognise the efforts that providers make to improve the access and experience of students from all backgrounds, and the importance of this to the overall student learning experience.

    Ministers have also asked Universities UK to establish an expert advisory group on social mobility and higher education to identify what more can be done to address this gap, and other issues concerning social mobility. The group will provide advice to the Minister.

    In addition, new guidance from Ministers to the Director of Fair Access (DfA), published on 11 February, asks the Director to continue to address gaps in outcomes, including those for BME groups, through Access Agreements agreed with universities.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of those eligible for winter fuel payments in 2014-15 received a letter informing them about their rights to claim this benefit.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    The majority of Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically from information already held by the Department. We invite claims mainly from men under 65 who meet the eligibility criteria, as the largest group not identified and paid automatically. Claims can be made up to and including 31 March and are not accepted after that date.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Department’s advertisement on the Hays Recruitment Agency website for a temporary Senior Deputy Head of Media Planning and Strategy on a daily rate of pay, whether the post holder will be paid through (a) the Department’s payroll, (b) that agency or (c) a limited company.

    George Freeman

    The advertisement is for a position within NHS England’s established structure, and the individual will not be employed by, contracted to or paid by the Department.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the Specialised Services Committee of NHS England announcing its position on commissioning pre-exposure drug prophyaxis for HIV for the at-risk population.

    Jane Ellison

    The outcome of this decision is expected at the end of May and NHS England will be communicating with stakeholders following the meeting of the Specialised Services Committee.

  • Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sheikh on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the visit by the US’s Special Envoy for Sudan, Donald Booth, to Sudan in June, and of any lessons that could be learnt from that visit for UK–Sudan relations.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK continues to work closely with its Troika partners the US and Norway. The visit by the US’s Special Envoy to Sudan underlines the benefits of the ongoing strategic dialogue between the UK and the Government of Sudan, which allows us to raise issues of concern directly with the Government of Sudan.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what further devolution is being considered to the Mayor of London; and how his Department is working with the Mayor to tackle rail challenges facing the capital.

    Paul Maynard

    The Secretary of State for Transport has asked the Mayor of London to submit a business case for running London suburban rail services. This was submitted on Friday 14 October. We will now consider this and decide whether it will improve services for all passengers,‎ including longer distance commuters. We will also need to understand how the Mayor intends to fund his proposals. A decision will be made in due course.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans the Government has to change the rate of interest on student loans (a) retrospectively for recent graduates and current students and (b) for future students during the current Parliament.

    Joseph Johnson

    There are no plans to change the rate of interest on student loans retrospectively for recent graduates and current students.

    The interest rates are reviewed annually and the rates set from 1st September for the following 12 months. This is set out in the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations. It is too early yet to say what the rate will be from September 2016.

    For the pre-2012 scheme, the rate used is the March Retail Prices Index (RPI) figure which applies during the 12 month period commencing 1st September. If, however, the base rate plus 1% across a specified group of banks is lower than RPI, then this lower rate will be applied instead.

    For the post-2012 scheme, the rate is also set by reference to the March RPI figure (2.5%):

    • RPI plus 3% is applied whilst the borrower is studying and up until the April after leaving their course;
    • After April 2016, variable rates of interest dependent on the borrower’s income will apply for those in repayment. These range from RPI for those earning £21,000 or less to RPI plus 3% for those earning £41,000 or more; and
    • Borrowers who lose touch with the SLC after they leave their course will be subject to an interest rate of RPI + 3%.
  • Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 July 2015 (HL1470), whether the review of the failures that caused the cost of the recent A1 roadworks near Gamston Airport to escalate has been completed, and what conclusion and lessons have emerged from that review.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The close out of the scheme and associated financial reconciliation is pending and therefore it would be premature to draw conclusions at this time.

    Landscaping for the scheme and remedial works are nearing their final stages and completion of the contract is expected at the end of March. A “lessons learned” review will be held as soon as possible in April.

  • Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Corri Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Corri Wilson on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of employment and support allowance are (a) undergoing treatment for and (b) recovering from cancer.

    Priti Patel

    The specific information requested is not available as details of any treatment received are not recorded centrally.

    The information we have for Employment and Support Allowance claimants by medical condition is published and available at:

    https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp

    Guidance for users can be found at:

    https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

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