Tag: 2016

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18873, what proportion of his Department’s staff were agency workers covering (a) operational uniformed staff and (b) clerical agency staff in each year since 2010.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We only use temporary staff to fill business-critical posts and essential frontline services, where they can offer a fast, flexible and efficient way of providing skills not currently available in-house.

    The proportion of the department’s staff agency workers either covering operational uniformed staff of clerical agency staff is displayed in the following table. Data prior to 2011/12 is not available.

    Year-end date

    Proportion of Operational Uniformed Staff

    Proportion of Clerical agency staff

    31/03/2012

    1.92%

    0.58%

    31/03/2013

    2.03%

    0.76%

    31/03/2014

    3.17%

    1.14%

    31/03/2015

    4.61%

    1.61%
  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many youth centres have been closed since 2010 and what assessment they have made of the impact of those closures on young people.

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    It is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how to allocate funding for youth services, according to local need. Individual local authorities would be best placed to advise on any changes there have been to the number of youth centres in their local area.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the social effects of fixed odds betting terminals.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government announced a review of Gaming Machines on 24 October which will look at evidence in regards to stakes and prizes of gaming machines; the number and location of gaming machines; and social responsibility measures to protect players and communities from gambling-related harm, including gambling advertising.

    This review will include a close look at the issue of sub-category B2 gaming machines (more commonly known as Fixed Odds Betting Terminals – FOBTs) and specific concerns about the harm they cause, be that to the players themselves or the local communities in which they are located. This is the correct mechanism in which to look again at this issue.

    There is now an opportunity for anyone with an interest in this matter to submit evidence for consideration. The Call for Evidence period ends on 4 December 2016.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on regional variations on the availability of treatment for arthritis.

    Jane Ellison

    No representations have been made to Ministers in the Department on regional variations in the availability of treatment for arthritis.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-02-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the policy of HM Revenue and Customs is on using debt collection agencies to retrieve outstanding tax payments from (a) individuals and (b) businesses.

    Mr David Gauke

    As an integral part of its overall debt policy, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) uses private sector debt collection agencies as additional resource capacity, to extend the reach of its debt recovery activities (currently around 3% of all collection activity), particularly in relation to high volume, low value, debts. This ensures that all debts are kept in active recovery, and releases HMRC staff to focus on higher value more complex cases.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will seek a meeting with the new President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, on reducing corruption in international football.

    David Evennett

    The government is committed to tackling corruption in sport. I have no plans to meet with Mr Infantino at this stage. I am, however, happy to work with all sports bodies, including international federations, to discuss reducing corruption and promoting good governance in sport.

  • Lord Mancroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Mancroft – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mancroft on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that the objectives of the hepatitis C improvement framework can still be achieved.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has been rapidly working on their plans for access to treatment during 2016/17 following enactment of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technical appraisal guidance and has committed to produce an operational framework for the treatment of hepatitis C during 2016/17. This will set out NHS England’s commitment to improving outcomes in hepatitis C across England.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what formal public consultation will need to take place before Sustainability and Transformation Plans are submitted to NHS England by 30 June.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Where Sustainability and Transformation plans envisage changes to the way that NHS services are commissioned or delivered, it will be the responsibility of the relevant clinical commissioning groups to involve patients and the public in considering and making decisions on those proposals, in line with their duties under the National Health Service Act 2006.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2016 to Question 38918, what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on asylum seeker dispersal policy in Scotland since December 2015.

    David Mundell

    I am due to meet the Minister for Immigration soon to discuss a range of issues. Officials from the Scotland Office are in regular contact with officials from the Home Office on a range of issues concerning asylum seekers in Scotland, including asylum seeker dispersal policy.

    The Home Office is currently in direct discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and a number of local authorities on how asylum dispersal will continue to work in practice. The Home Office maintains an active partnership with local government across the UK, including those in Scotland, and funds Strategic Migration Partnerships to plan for the most appropriate dispersal of asylum seekers. The partnerships consider the impact on communities and local services so that adjustments to dispersal patterns can be made where appropriate.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Basildon and Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group has diverted finance intended for mental health services to reduce financial shortfalls in the acute sector.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    No such assessment has been made. NHS England allocates funding to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to commission health services, including mental health services, to meet the needs of local communities. CCGs are responsible for decisions about how their allocation is used, taking account of local priorities, and are committed to increasing spending on mental health each year in line with the increases in overall National Health Service funding allocations. NHS England advises that, in line with Basildon and Brentwood CCG’s move towards parity of esteem, the CCG has increased investment into mental health services in 2016/17.