The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent in addition to his Department’s obligations under franchise agreements on driver training or driver recruitment by each train operating company since May 2010.
Paul Maynard
None, as this falls under the franchise agreement and is for the Train Operating Companies to spend.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NICE highly specialised technology evaluations are expected to take place over the next two years.
Nicola Blackwood
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance on four drugs through the highly specialised technology (HST) evaluation programme which it expects to complete within the next year. NICE has capacity to develop guidance on three HST topics each year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all people in vulnerable categories receive the flu vaccination.
Jane Ellison
This flu season eligible groups, such as those with a long term health condition, are encouraged to take up the flu vaccine through a single winter health campaign, ‘Stay Well this Winter’[1]. The campaign launched in October and advises the public on how to avoid common winter illnesses.
The National Health Service and local authority partners have been encouraged to implement the campaign at local level and make use of available campaign resources, including patient letters, information leaflets and posters. Voluntary organisations, health charities and schools have received tailored resources to assist them in communicating the risks of flu and benefits of vaccination to their members and parents/pupils. General practitioners are urged to invite all eligible patients for vaccination. For the first time this flu season, many community pharmacies are also offering free NHS flu vaccinations to eligible adults, extending patient choice and opportunities for patients to take-up the vaccine.
[1] News release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/winter-campaign-starts-with-largest-flu-vaccination-programme
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Mullin on 2016-02-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Barnett Formula applies to government funding of emergency flood relief.
Greg Hands
The government is investing nearly £200 million to help communities recover from Storm Desmond and Storm Eva. The Barnett Formula has been applied to this funding in the normal way.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work Citigroup is conducting for Network Rail in relation to the ownership of railway stations; what fee has been paid to Citigroup for such work; and when the review into the ownership of railway stations is expected to report.
Claire Perry
Network Rail is exploring new models for the management and ownership of its 18 managed stations with the goal of bringing improvements for both passengers and the communities they serve. They have engaged Citigroup as advisors to consider a range of potential options. No decisions have yet been taken and no estimate of the potential value of these stations has been made as part of this work. Citigroup were appointed following a competitive tender process, and the details of their fee are commercially confidential.
Network Rail expect that this work will be presented to their Board by the end of 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) establishment and (b) running costs of the Food Crime Unit have been to date; and what resources have been allocated to that Unit in each of the next five years.
Jane Ellison
The National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) is initially focusing on establishing the scale and nature of food crime in the United Kingdom at a strategic level through developing intelligence sharing relationships across the law enforcement community and with the food industry. This will also enable the Unit to instigate investigative interventions by law enforcement partners and local authorities to identify and disrupt specific instances of food crime.
At the end of this year, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will review progress on food crime, in line with Professor Elliott’s recommendations following the horsemeat incident. This review will inform decision-making about the Unit’s future form and function including the need or otherwise for the unit to establish an in-house investigative capability.
Intelligence analysts within the Unit have just completed the first ever Food Crime Annual Strategic Assessment (FCASA). The FCASA sets out the Unit’s developing understanding of food crime and will drive its work to ensure resources are focused where the threat to consumers and other interests is the greatest.
The NFCU receives reports of suspicions of food fraud from a number of sources via many different routes. The FSA website directs users to a dedicated email address and telephone number for reporting these suspicions. Information is also received through local authority and law enforcement partners. Information received is analysed and, where appropriate, entered onto the Unit’s intelligence database. Between 1 January 2015 and 18 March 2016, 793 such records were created.
Establishment costs for the NFCU were minimal as the Unit initially evolved from a small but similar capability within the FSA. Total running costs to date are in the region of £579,000. Estimated costs for the forthcoming year are £1.2 million, subject to final allocations being agreed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2016-04-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were employed in the retail sector in each of the last 10 years, and what estimate they have made of the number of people who will be employed in that sector over the next 10 years.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The number of jobs (both employees and self-employed) in the retail sector in each of the last ten years and the proportion of total UK Workforce Jobs is given in the table below:
|
Year |
Workforce Jobs (‘000s) |
% of UK Total |
|
2006 |
3,189 |
10.0% |
|
2007 |
3,194 |
10.0% |
|
2008 |
3,218 |
9.9% |
|
2009 |
3,127 |
9.8% |
|
2010 |
3,076 |
9.7% |
|
2011 |
3,065 |
9.7% |
|
2012 |
3,098 |
9.6% |
|
2013 |
3,084 |
9.4% |
|
2014 |
3,126 |
9.4% |
|
2015 |
3,159 |
10.0% |
Source: UK Employees Jobs and Self Employed Jobs (ONS)
Her Majesty’s Government has not made forecasts of future job levels in the retail sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2016-06-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 June (HL345), whether they can veto any proposed EU army, or whether this could go ahead under enhanced co-operation” between other EU member states.”
Earl Howe
The Prime Minister has been clear that the United Kingdom’s Armed Forces will never be part of a European army. In the Treaty on the European Union there is special provision for any decision within the EU that has military or defence implications. Such decisions must be made unanimously, meaning that the UK has a veto. This also applies to enhanced co-operation, which requires agreement by all member states before it can be undertaken.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugo Swire on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department will (a) approve and (b) fund the upgrade of the A303/A30 between Southfields and Honiton.
Mr John Hayes
The Road Investment Strategy, covering the period 2015 to 2020, commits funding for small-scale improvements to the A303/A30 between Southfields and Honiton to improve safety and journey quality, alongside a £2bn commitment to upgrade the A303 as a strategic corridor to the South-West. The Department and Highways England are gathering evidence to inform plans for investment in the Strategic Road Network post-2020, and decisions about further investment in this route will be made as part of this process.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what responsibilities the Government has for delivering services to teenagers and young adults with cancer.
David Mowat
Cancer services for teenagers and young adults are delivered by a network of Principle Treatment Centres and Designated Hospitals, commissioned centrally by NHS England. Services include:
– All cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy;
– Specialist palliative care services;
– Survivorship;
– Long-term follow up; and
– Specialist therapies and rehabilitation.
Cancer services for teenagers and young adults reflect the unique needs of this age group. The delivery of care is arranged similarly to adult services, but there are important differences including the delivery of care in an age-appropriate environment and multi-disciplinary teams include social workers, youth workers, and activity coordinators.
Services also support teenagers and young adults with the late effects of cancer treatment which particularly affect this age group. Because cancer is a rare condition in this age range, teenage and young adult services work very closely with other agencies to deliver emotional, psychosocial and specialist therapies to support each teenager and young adult to maximise their physical, emotional, cognitive, social and functional potential.