Tag: 2016

  • Kit Malthouse – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kit Malthouse – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kit Malthouse on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to support the life sciences industry.

    George Freeman

    This Government recognises that health and life sciences industries are a key source of future growth and is committed through the Life Sciences Strategy to providing a supportive wider business environment in which these industries can flourish, so that the UK can be the best place in the world to develop and launch innovative medicines, technologies and diagnostics. Priorities include: simplifying the adoption of transformative products within the NHS through the Accelerated Access Review; supporting new and growing markets and disruptive technologies – such as digital health and genomics; and working across Government to improve the UK’s competitiveness to stimulate investment and drive export growth. Our latest estimates show collective Government support since the Life Science Strategy launched has stimulated more than £6bn in new investment by the life science industry linked to more than 17,000 new sector jobs.

  • The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The Earl of Clancarty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Clancarty on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether arts organisations registered as charities receiving grants for arts purposes provided through National Lottery funding will be subject to the new government policy restricting how such grants may be used.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The anti-lobbying policy covers exchequer-funded grants and does not cover Lottery funding. Arts Council England grants, funded through the National Lottery, are allocated and ring-fenced to support statutory good causes.

  • 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 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2016 to Question 30123, on prescriptions: learning disability, what he plans to include in the programme of work to reduce inappropriate prescribing; and what the timetable for that programme is.

    Alistair Burt

    I am planning to meet NHS England officials in April to discuss action to reduce the inappropriate prescribing of medication for people with a learning disability. The work programme and timeframe have not yet been agreed.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staple foods in the UK are subject to mandatory fortification.

    George Eustice

    Wheat flour is the only food with mandatory fortification requirements in the UK. All wheat flour (except wholemeal) is required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin and thiamin at specific levels prescribed in the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of research that shows that lack of physical activity is negatively affecting more people than obesity, whether they have a strategy on how to support grassroots attempts at getting citizens to take part in more and sustained physical activity.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Government is determined to tackle physical inactivity. Around one in two women and a third of men in England may be damaging their health through a lack of physical activity. Ministers across government continue to work together to identify opportunities to get people active in a range of ways including active travel, health initiatives, planning and sport.

    In December 2015 Government published ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation’ – the first comprehensive government strategy for sport for 13 years – it sets out a new vision for a successful and active sporting nation. It has a strong focus on reaching inactive people and helping them to get moving in ways that suit them.

    Sport England’s new strategy ‘Towards an Active Nation’, published on 19 May, states that tackling inactivity is a major priority for the organisation, it is tripling its current investment to over £250 million over 4 years, making it the largest single national investor in tackling inactivity.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2016 to Question 42168, what legislative options are being explored by his Department to prevent more people from becoming homeless.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We are considering a broad range of possible options, including legislation, to put prevention at the heart of how we tackle homelessness. We are keen to learn from the changes implemented in Wales and want to understand whether similar changes would work in the very different English housing market.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government expects to host the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council; what he expects to be on the agenda for that meeting; and what outcomes he expects to achieve from that meeting.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) brings together political leaders from the Overseas Territories and UK Ministers. It will meet this year in London from 1-2 November and will be hosted by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE.

    An agenda is being developed in partnership with territory leaders and reflects areas key to our shared interests. It is likely to include, but not be limited to, sessions on economic development, good governance and human rights (including child safeguarding), as well as the challenges and opportunities arising from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. A communiqué will be issued following the conclusion of the JMC. The UK Government will update the House by written ministerial statement afterwards.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of round 2 of the Build to Rent scheme in delivering new homes; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Build-to-Rent programme has helped to catalyse funding from other sources. Developers are now proceeding with schemes that will deliver over 3,000 homes using alternative finance after having originally made an application to the Fund.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on levels of exports of changes in the budget of UK Trade and Investment between 2015 and 2020.

    Anna Soubry

    Savings will broadly be delivered through implementing a new digital infrastructure to provide cost-effective access to export services; contractual efficiencies; and prioritising market and sector opportunities that will add most value to UK export levels. This is about being more efficient and delivering for UK businesses, including through enhancing direct support and developing the private sector market.

    HM Treasury has recognised the importance of the exports agenda by agreeing that £175m of further proposed savings between 2016-17 and 2019-20 should be reinvested in priority areas. The Government is committed to driving a step-change in UK exports and the reinvestment secured to refocus UK Trade & Investment will help us deliver this.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the study of STEM subjects by girls at GCSE.

    Nick Gibb

    The number of girls studying mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology at GCSE is broadly similar to boys and the inclusion of science GCSEs in the EBacc will support greater take up of these subjects by all pupils. The Government wants to see more girls progressing to mathematics and science subjects at A Level, building on the 12,000 additional A Level entries in these subjects by girls since 2010. Improving the quality of teaching is vital and we are taking action by investing £67 million over the term of this Parliament to recruit and train more mathematics and physics teachers, and by offering bursaries and scholarships to attract top graduates into mathematics and science teaching.

    We are also providing support to schools to raise the quality of mathematics and science teaching through the network of mathematics hubs and science learning partnerships, and other programmes such as the Stimulating Physics Network which has a particular focusing on engaging more girls in physics.

    The Government supports the “Your Life” campaign which aims to change the perceptions of science and mathematics among all young people, but with a focus on girls.