Tag: 2016

Chris Heaton-Harris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-12-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total number is of national insurance numbers registered to EEA nationals and linked to (a) an active claim for benefits, (b) an active claim for tax credits and (c) active payments under PAYE; and how many in each such category are for EEA nationals who received national insurance numbers in the last four years.

Mr David Gauke

The Department for Work and Pensions has published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations, including nationality at point of NINo registration, of those of working age who were in receipt of a Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-insurance-number-allocations-to-adult-overseas-nationals-entering-the-uk

HM Revenue and Customs are planning to publish further information early in 2016 once it has been properly collated.

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01/01/2023
Lord Lingfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are taking in response to (1) the finding of the National Autistic Society publication School report 2015, in particular on parents’ and carers’ views of the new system for children and younger adults with special educational needs and disabilities introduced under the Children and Families Act 2014; and (2) the October 2015 Driver Youth Trust report Joining the Dots.

Lord Nash

The Department is monitoring the implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) reforms and securing a wide range of feedback. This feedback is collected through statutory data collection; regular surveys of local authorities, parents and carers; regular inputs for the Special Educational Consortium (which represents more than 30 organisations); and reports from contractors such as the Council for Disabled Children, which provides Independent Support services in all local authority areas, and Contact a Family, which runs a national helpline for parents of children with SEND. The reports from the National Autistic Society and the Driver YouthTrust have added to this picture.

The Department has already demonstrated its willingness to listen and respond to questions of national policy and policy implementation. In 2015, the Department adjusted the time allowed for the process of transfer from a statement of SEN (or post-16 Learning Difficulty Assessment) to a new Education, Health and Care Plan.

From May 2016, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) plan to begin an inspection of the effectiveness of local areas in fulfilling their new SEND duties. The SEND inspections will evaluate local areas’ effectiveness in identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs or a disability. Inspections are expected to begin in May 2016 and all local areas will be inspected over a five year period. Feedback from these inspections will also add to the national level picture.

01/01/2023
Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people have had their Mobility Scheme vehicle taken away as a result of personal independence payment replacing disability living allowance.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department does not hold this information. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme, including collating its own management information and client statistics. Whilst the Department meets regularly with Motability to discuss scheme performance, questions relating to the details of the scheme’s operation should be directed to Motability itself.

We recognise that the transition from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be challenging for individuals, which is why the Department worked closely with Motability as we developed our plans for the introduction of PIP. The Motability charity provides a one-off package of transitional support and advice to support customers who no longer meet the eligibility criteria for the Motability scheme. For most of these customers who entered into their first lease agreement with Motability before January 2013, Motability will provide transitional support of £2,000. This will enable many former Scheme customers to continue to meet their mobility needs by purchasing a used car.

For customers who entered into their first lease agreement with the scheme after January 2013 and up to December 2013, Motability will supply transitional support of £1,000 to assist with mobility costs. Motability is also providing help with the cost of adaptations made to non-scheme vehicles and information on non-scheme motoring and insurance. The Scheme also offers customers an opportunity to purchase their vehicle after the end of the lease.

01/01/2023
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2016-03-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether planting more trees in England is one of their policies and what assessment they have made of whether planting more trees constitutes a public benefit.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The Government is committed to planting 11 million trees during this Parliament, primarily through the Rural Development Programme’s Countryside Stewardship scheme.

In July 2012 the Independent Panel on Forestry reported to the Government that England’s woods and forests provide significant public benefits, including through improving water quality and biodiversity as well as access and recreation.

The Government recognised these benefits in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January of 2013 which included the response to the Independent Panel Report.

01/01/2023
Naz Shah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the affordability of motor vehicle insurance in the UK.

Andrew Jones

The Autumn Statement 2015 announced the government will bring forward measures to reduce the excessive costs arising from unnecessary whiplash claims. As the industry is competitive we expect average savings of £40 to £50 per motor insurance policy to be passed onto customers. Some insurers have already committed to pass on all savings to consumers as a result of the proposed changes.

The Department for Transport has also held a number of recent meetings with the motor insurance industry, for example to discuss young driver safety and technology measures which can reduce the cost of insurance

The pricing of individual insurance products is a commercial matter for insurers.

01/01/2023
Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken was to decide fee waiver applications in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire

The average time taken between January 2015 and December 2015 to consider whether an application meets the fee waiver requirements is 95 calendar days. These results represent the time taken with both asylum and non asylum based fee waiver considerations.

January 2015 – December 2015 was taken as the 12 month time frame to fall in line with data that is published.

01/01/2023
Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many extended Ministerial offices have been shut down since 13 July 2016.

Ben Gummer

There have been a number of Ministerial and government appointments announced recently. Administrative support for those appointments has yet to be concluded.

01/01/2023
Chris Elmore – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to promote investment in former coalfield communities.

Andrew Percy

In England, local investment is mainly determined by Local Enterprise Partnerships based on their local economic growth priorities and funded through programmes such as City Deals, Devolution Deals, the Local Growth Fund and Enterprise Zones.

My officials continue to work with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support former coalfields communities.

Local growth is a devolved issue in the rest of the UK.

01/01/2023

Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press and public relations staff are employed by (a) his Department, (b) the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, (c) the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, (d) the UK Hydrographic Office, (e) the National Army Museum, (f) the National Museum of the Royal Navy, (g) the Royal Air Force Museum, (h) the Single Source Regulations Office and (i) the Oil and Pipelines Agency; how many of these employees earn more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by each of those organisations in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mark Lancaster

The following table outlines the number of civilian and military press and public relations staff posts in Defence (including vacant posts) and press and public relations expenditure in the financial year 2014-15. This expenditure includes £30 million for Armed Forces advertising and marketing – the vast majority of which is advertising and marketing in direct support of Armed Forces recruitment campaigns. It also includes £12 million for staff costs.

Annual salaries are dependent upon grade/rank. Of those in press and public relations staff posts, there are:

No civil servants or military personnel with salaries of more than £100,000.

10 civil servants with salaries of more than £50,000.

24 military personnel with salaries of more than £50,000.

Department/Agency	Press and Public Relations Staff Posts	Salary £50,000 and above	Salary £100,000 and above	Press and Public Relations Expenditure Financial Year (FY)2014-15 (£000)[1]
Ministry of Defence[2]	49	9 Civilian 3 Military	0	5,772
Armed Forces (Royal Navy, Army, RAF and Joint Forces Command)	122	0 Civilian 21 Military	0	41,437 (Including advertising and marketing for Armed Forces recruitment campaigns)
Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA)	0	0	0	N/A[3]
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)	2	1 Civilian	0	76
United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO)	3	0	0	1,436
National Army Museum	4	0	0	550
National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN)	1	0	0	339
Royal Air Force Museum (RAF Museum)	2	0	0	429
Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO)	0	0	0	0
The Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA)	0	0	0	0
Total	183	34	0	50,038[4]

[1] All figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000, therefore the total may not be equal to the sum of rounded values.

[2] Including Directorate of Defence Communications, Defence Business Services, Ministry of Defence Police, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and Defence Equipment and Support.

[3] DECA was formed on 1 April 2015 as a Trading Agency following the Sale of the Defence Support Group therefore separate communications outturn for FY2014-15 is not available.

[4] This figure includes £30million for Armed Forces advertising and marketing – the vast majority of which is advertising and marketing in direct support of Armed Forces recruitment campaigns. It also includes £12million for staff costs.

01/01/2023

Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support the UN Secretary-General’s first high-level panel on women’s economic empowerment.

Baroness Verma

The High Level Panel on women’s economic empowerment, convened by the UN Secretary General, will bring together leading politicians, expert economists, leaders from business and civil society to lead a step change in improving economic opportunities and choices for women and girls globally.

The Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, is a founding member of the Panel. In addition to our policy and technical inputs, DFID will also provide support for the Panel’s independent Secretariat to conduct a global consultation process, produce a research synthesis, and build momentum around tangible actions to unleash the full global potential of women’s economic power.

01/01/2023